Internship - Research Programmatic Impact and Scale, GPD Director's Office, New York HQ (Fully Remote)

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture.., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a hope

UNICEF’s Programme Group leads the organization’s efforts to achieve results for the most disadvantaged and excluded children everywhere, following the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022–2025. Work is done in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the international commitments related to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Programme Group provides global thought leadership, influences global policies and partnerships in support of child rights, and provides technical support to UNICEF’s Regional and Country Offices to maximize the difference our programmes make in children’s lives. The division shapes internal policy and practice in priority areas, supports UNICEF’s engagement in key programme partnerships and collaborates with other divisions for fundraising, advocacy and influencing. It also plays a vital role in managing technical talent and promotes a management approach that strengthens connections with Regional and Country Offices and enhances collaboration across sectors and divisions. The Director, Programme Group, guides UNICEF programmes and can commit the organization to programme strategies and approaches aligning with the goals and targets of the Strategic Plan, SDGs and universal Child Rights.

A key priority for 2025 is advancing UNICEF’s Thought Leadership in Programme and Policy. A dedicated team has been established to drive this initiative, which focuses on five core streams:

• Staff Book Club: Curated reading sessions and facilitated discussions to foster critical thinking and learning among staff.
• Fellowship Programme: A new initiative connecting fellows with Sector Leads to align UNICEF’s priorities with academic research, generating high-quality evidence and deliverables.
• Global Theme: An in-depth exploration of a major global issue affecting children, including analysis and proposed solutions.
• Field Notes: Country-level case studies showcasing effective, evidence-based solutions to drive impactful and at-scale programmes
• E-Journal: A peer-reviewed platform for publishing scalable, field-informed solutions for children’s wellbeing, bridging research and practice.

We are seeking a motivated student with strong research skills and an interest in evidence-based policy related to child outcomes to support this initiative. The intern will provide analytical and coordination support to the Thought Leadership team and contribute to its core activities.

How can you make a difference? 

Staff Book Club:

• Assist in selecting reading materials and discussion themes aligned with UNICEF’s thought leadership agenda.
• Coordinate book club sessions, and support discussion facilitation.

Fellowship Programme:

• Support coordination between UNICEF and partner universities, including support to ongoing research outputs.

Global Theme:

• Conduct literature reviews on emerging global issues affecting children, summarizing key findings.
• Assist in drafting analytical inputs that outline challenges, opportunities and proposed solutions.

Field Notes:

• Assist in gathering and analyzing background documents related to proven solutions, focused on scalability and impact.
• Identify areas of focus to support the field note pipeline. 

E-Journal:

• Provide editorial support in compiling the e-journal series and conduct research to support the development of the preface.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: