The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) offers both assistant-level roles and internships, providing crucial support to operations during humanitarian emergencies. Based at OCHA Headquarters in New York or regional hubs—such as Addis Ababa, Geneva, or Bangkok—these roles support emergency coordination, funding appeals, and stakeholder collaboration.
Assistant Opportunities at UNOCHA
Assistant-level positions (e.g. Programme Assistant, Finance Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Knowledge Management Assistant) typically require 2–4 years of professional experience in nonprofit, development, or humanitarian sectors. Key responsibilities include:
- Assisting with coordination of humanitarian appeals and response plans
- Tracking funds and budgets, supporting logistics and vendor coordination
- Drafting situation reports, briefs, correspondence, and maintaining databases
- Organizing workshops, trainings, and donor/stakeholder events in fast-moving humanitarian contexts
These positions are usually onsite but may offer hybrid flexibility depending on offices and project support needs.
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Internships at UNOCHA
- Internships are aimed at students or recent graduates interested in humanitarian affairs, international relations, or reporting.
- Interns support tasks such as data gathering, research, drafting bulletins, mapping humanitarian needs, and assisting in coordination functions.
- Internships typically last 2–6 months, and may be full-time or part-time. Locations include UNOCHA HQ, regional coordination offices, or may be partially remote, especially during high-demand periods.
Internships are usually unpaid, though some offices offer limited stipends, health support, or local travel reimbursement.
Who Should Apply?
- Assistant applicants: a bachelor’s degree plus 2–4 years of relevant experience, strong digital skills, and preference for those with NGO or field coordination exposure.
- Internship candidates: studies or recent completion in relevant fields and strong drafting and analytical ability.
- All applicants must be fluent in English; knowledge of French, Arabic, Spanish, or other UN languages is advantageous.
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Why Work with UNOCHA?
These roles provide direct engagement with crisis-affected communities through coordination of humanitarian action. You’ll contribute to critical global systems—like cluster coordination or OCHA-led appeals—and experience life in high-stakes, cross-functional environments. Many assistants and interns at UNOCHA progress into broader humanitarian or UN career pathways.
Also read:
- INTERN: Internship Opportunities at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- INTERN: Internship Opportunities at the World Health Organization (WHO)
- ASSISTANT: Entry-Level Assistant Role at WIPO (World Intellectual Property
- INTERN: Internship Opportunity at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
How to Apply
Current vacancies for Assistant or Internship roles are posted on UNOCHA’s Careers Portal. Submit your resume and a tailored cover letter specific to the humanitarian coordination context:
👉 https://careers.unocha.org
Conclusion
UNOCHA positions offer a unique entry point into humanitarian coordination and high-impact policy support—ideal for people committed to crisis response and collective action on a global scale.
Tip
Highlight relevant experience in emergency coordination, mapping, reporting, or donor engagement in your application. Tailor your motivation to UNOCHA’s leadership in humanitarian planning and realities-based action.
Step into global humanitarian leadership through support roles at UNOCHA.
