United Nations Research Institute for Social Development is looking for a Monitoring and Evaluation for Social Impact Intern

Organization:

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

Division/Department:

Communications and Outreach (C&O)

Reports to:

Head of Communications and Outreach

Location:

Geneva (Switzerland)

Contract type:

Intern

Duration:

from 4 to 6 months

Tentative start date:

23 March 2026

Deadline for application:

13 March 2026 (23:59 Central European Time).

The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) is an autonomous research institute within the UN system that undertakes interdisciplinary research and policy analysis on the social dimensions of contemporary development issues. Through our work, we aim to ensure that social equity, inclusion, and justice are central to development thinking, policy and practice.

Communications and Outreach (C&O) play a vital role in UNRISD’s efforts to ensure that its progressive research reaches those best positioned to drive transformative change in social development policy and practice. As part of the Institute’s strong results-based management approach, C&O monitors, evaluates, and reports on the effectiveness of UNRISD’s activities, fostering a cycle of continuous learning and improvement. These efforts underscore UNRISD’s ongoing commitment to transparency, institutional learning, and evidence-based decision-making.

Internship position

The intern will contribute to capturing the qualitative and quantitative impact of research, including developing indicators focused on influence, engagement, and knowledge uptake. The intern will support the maintenance and enhancement of tracking mechanisms across the Institute for performance monitoring and reporting, based on the current Results-Based Management (RBM) framework. The intern will help ensure that all activities remain aligned with strategic priorities, deliver measurable outcomes, and are accurately reflected in UNRISD quarterly reports, to be aggregated for the Annual Report..

While at UNRISD, the intern will be asked to

• Collect, produce and deliver data, information and reports on the results/influence/impact of UNRISD programmes, including dissemination activities, use of UNRISD publications and research.

• Assist in maintaining and improving monitoring tools and databases used to track project performance and institutional indicators.

• Contribute to the review and updating of indicators within the Results-Based Management (RBM) framework to ensure alignment with UNRISD’s strategic objectives.

• Support monitoring of outreach and engagement metrics across communication channels (e.g. website analytics, social media insights, newsletter statistics).

• Assist in documenting and analyzing evidence of UNRISD’s policy influence, knowledge uptake, and stakeholder engagement.

• Compile and visualize data for regular performance reports, dashboards, and donor reporting for the quarterly reporting cycle, including annual aggregation for the Annual Report.

• Contribute to drafting progress summaries, lessons learned, and recommendations for improved monitoring and reporting practices.

• Participate in internal discussions and meetings on performance monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to support continuous improvement.

• Perform other related duties to support the Communications and Outreach team

• Support the preparation of quarterly reporting deliverables (data tables, visuals, and short narrative insights) using standardized templates to enable annual aggregation.

• Produce and maintain social media analytics tracking and reporting (e.g. performance by platform, content type, and campaign), ensuring data consistency, auditability, and comparability across quarters.

• Support social media performance analysis using platform-native analytics and/or management tools (e.g. Hootsuite), including indicators such as impressions/reach, engagement, engagement rate, link clicks/CTR, follower growth, and audience insights.

• Contribute to dashboards and reporting outputs that translate social media analytics into actionable insights for Communications and Outreach planning and learning.

Qualifications, skills and competencies

• Currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a university programme (Bachelor’s or Master’s level) in social sciences, development studies, public policy, international relations, economics, statistics, data science, marketing and communications or a related field.

• Demonstrated interest in social development, equity, inclusion, and sustainability issues.

• Basic understanding of results-based management (RBM), monitoring and evaluation (M&E), or impact assessment frameworks.

• Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to collect, interpret, and present data clearly.

• Familiarity with qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools and methods (e.g. Excel, Google Sheets, survey tools, or data visualization software such as Power BI).

• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural team and communicate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders.

• Self-motivated, curious, and eager to learn about evidence-based policymaking and performance reporting in the UN context.

• Experience with digital analytics tools (e.g. Google Analytics, social media insights) is an asset.

• Experience with social media analytics and reporting (e.g. as a Social Media Specialist / Social Media Analytics) is an asset.

• Familiarity with social media management and analytics platforms (e.g. Hootsuite) is an asset.

Language

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.

Internship conditions

This UNRISD internship is in accordance with the rules and regulations of the UN Internship Programme:

• At the time of application, applicants must meet one of the following requirements (as per UN Secretariat rules regarding interns)

• 1. be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
• 2. be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or
• 3. have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (1) and (2) above) and, if selected, commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation.

• Interns must be based in Geneva or available to attend in-person meetings at UNRISD when required.

• Interns are not financially remunerated.

• UNRISD is not responsible for interns' travel expenses to and from Geneva, or for mandatory medical insurance during the period of the internship.

Duration and start date

The internship is available for a minimum of four months and up to a maximum of six months. The expected initial duration is from Monday, 23 March 2026 to Friday, 24 July 2026, with possible extension until Friday, 25 September 2026.

Candidates are required to be available between a minimum of 16 weeks to a maximum of 24 weeks, for at least 24 hours/week. Start dates are flexible and will be mutually agreed upon.

Application process

Interested candidates should submit a CV and a short cover letter outlining their motivation, relevant skills, and preferred internship period. To apply, please follow the link below link text .

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