Health and Nutrition Policy Advocacy Intern, Beijing, UNICEF China, 6 months (Onsite, for Chinese nationals only)

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 champion

Children in China continue to face a range of evolving health and nutrition challenges, including gaps in early childhood care and services, childhood overweight and obesity, unhealthy food environments and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.

These challenges cannot be addressed through individual behaviour change alone. They are shaped by policies, services, markets, commercial practices and the wider environments in which children live, learn and grow. Addressing them therefore requires stronger public policies, high-quality evidence, multisectoral coordination and sustained advocacy that places children’s rights, needs and well-being at the centre.

UNICEF China works with government institutions, academic organizations, civil society, the private sector and other partners to improve child health and nutrition outcomes. This work includes generating and synthesizing evidence, supporting policy dialogue, strengthening programme design, promoting multisectoral action and building strategic partnerships.

The internship will provide an opportunity for a university student or recent graduate to contribute substantively to UNICEF’s work on child health and nutrition policy. The intern will support evidence-informed advocacy and programme development across selected priority areas, while gaining practical experience in policy research, stakeholder engagement and programme coordination within an international organization.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Nutrition Officer and in close collaboration with UNICEF colleagues and relevant external partners, the intern will provide research, analytical, coordination and knowledge-management support to ongoing health and nutrition policy and advocacy initiatives.

The intern will support the following areas of work:

• Conduct desk reviews of relevant national and international policy documents, research reports, academic literature and technical guidance related to child health and nutrition priorities. These may include early childhood care services and standards, healthy retail food environments, fiscal measures for health and nutrition, and other relevant policy interventions.
• Support the preparation of policy briefs, evidence summaries, concept notes, presentations, background documents and advocacy materials for different audiences.
• Support the planning and coordination of technical meetings, consultations, workshops and stakeholder discussions, including the preparation of agendas, background materials, presentations and other meeting documents.
• Support communication and routine coordination with government counterparts, academic institutions, research organizations, implementing partners and other stakeholders under the guidance of UNICEF staff.
• Support the translation, editing, formatting and proofreading of materials in English and Chinese, ensuring accuracy, clarity and consistency.
• Provide administrative and operational support directly related to programme implementation, consultations and advocacy activities, including routine documentation and follow-up, as required.
• Undertake other related assignments agreed with the supervisor in response to programme priorities and the intern’s skills and learning objectives.

Learning objectives:

The intern will have the opportunity to work closely with UNICEF technical specialists and external partners while contributing to real-world policy and advocacy initiatives aimed at improving child health and nutrition outcomes. Through this experience, the intern will gain practical exposure to:

• Evidence-Informed Policymaking – develop skills in synthesizing global and national evidence, translating research findings into policy-relevant messages, and supporting advocacy strategies grounded in scientific evidence.
• Policy Research and Analysis – strengthen capacities in conducting literature reviews, analyzing policy and regulatory frameworks, identifying evidence gaps, and preparing technical briefs for decision-makers.
• Government and Stakeholder Engagement – interact with government counterparts, academic experts, research institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, and private-sector stakeholders, gaining insight into multi-sectoral policy processes and consensus-building.
• UNICEF Programme Operations and Partnership Management – develop an understanding of how UNICEF supports policy reform, evidence generation, advocacy, and partnerships to achieve sustainable impact for children.
• Exposure to International Development and the United Nations System – acquire first-hand experience working within a leading international organization and understanding how global evidence, international best practices, and country-level priorities are translated into policy action.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Be enrolled in a degree programme in an undergraduate (above 18 years old) or postgraduate study, majored in nutrition, public health, finance, governance, social science or a related field. Experience or coursework related to nutrition policy, health promotion, fiscal policies, or public policy analysis is highly desirable.
• Possess strong analytical skills, with the ability to critically review, synthesize and summarize evidence from multiple academic and policy sources.
• Demonstrate experience in conducting literature reviews, desk research or policy analysis through academic coursework, research projects, dissertations or previous internships.
• Previous experience supporting health policy research, programme coordination, or working with research institutions, government agencies or international organizations would be an asset.
• Fluency in English and Mandarin is required.
• Have no immediate relatives working in any UNICEF offices;

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates’ willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel.
Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.