Programme and Operations Internship

Aa a Programme and Operations Intern at UNHCR offices in Nairobi, you’ll dive into the heart of our mission, supporting critical programmes that protect refugees worldwide. You’ll help manage projects, analyse data, and ensure smooth communication. If you’re a student with two years of undergraduate studies completed, bring your office skills, research ability, and passion for problem-solving. Shape your future and contribute to a global cause.

At UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, our dedicated staff take the lead in protecting and advocating for people forced to flee wars and persecution around the world.

Programme and Operations Intern

Target Start Date: 2026-04-01

The internship aims to provide hands-on experience in supporting various aspects of the programme cycle. The intern will assist the team with managing timelines and deliverables, tracking progress, and supporting internal/external communication where necessary. Specific tasks listed in the duties and responsibilities will be covered, offering insight into programme management methodologies and helping the intern develop skills in coordination, stakeholder engagement, and problem-solving. The project provides a comprehensive understanding of how a Programme and Operations Management Unit contributes to organizational success.

Duties and responsibilities

• Support in overseeing Operations’ compliance with programme cycle requirements.
• Support in overseeing Operations compliance with project monitoring.
• Collect and analyse projects data to assess progress and suggest improvements.
• Support documentation related to the quality assurance of partnership agreement.
• Participate in meetings, document key takeaways, and follow up on action items.
• Maintain unit’s documentation, including taking meeting notes, collecting and consolidating reports, status updates.
• Assist in preparing project status reports and/or presentations.
• Assist in taking stock of post-distribution monitoring conducted by the country operations and support its quality assurance and analysis of the findings.
• Offer general administrative assistance, such as scheduling meetings, preparing materials, and organizing project-related activities.
• AOB

Minimum qualifications required

In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be either a recent graduate (having completed their studies within two years of applying) or a current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by IAU/UNESCO; and
• Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of UNHCR.

Desirable qualifications and skills

• Office suite proficiency
• Research and writing.
• Critical thinking
• Adaptability