Young Professionals Programme (YPP) UNESCO

The Young Professionals Programme (YPP) provides the opportunity to young university graduates and young qualified professionals from non- and under-represented Member States click here  to join UNESCO at the early stage of their professional career.
Currently the YP programme is open. UNESCO will receive qualified candidatures from the eligible UNESCO's NATIONAL COMMISSION (click here). Interested candidates are welcome to contact their relevant NATCOM to apply for the Programme. 

Who are we looking for? Do you have the right profile?

• Nationality: non- or under-represented Member State in UNESCO. (To consult current geographical distribution within the Organization, please click here).
• Age:  32 years maximum. Candidates must be born not later than 31th December 1983
• Education: an advanced university degree in education, culture, science, social and human sciences or communication, or in a field of direct relevance to the management and administration of an international organization.
• Languages: fluent English or French. Knowledge of both working languages is an asset. Knowledge of Spanish, Russian, Arabic or  Chinese is an additional asset.
• Experience: initial professional experience is an asset, but not mandatory.
• Values: Integrity, professionalism, respect for diversity and a strong commitment to the UNESCO's mission.

The Young Professionals’ (YP) Programme provides the opportunity for young university graduates and young qualified professionals under or equal the age of 32 years of application from non- and under-represented Member States* to join UNESCO early in their professional career.

Application process for Young Professionals Programme

Overview
If you are interested  and eligible to apply to the Young Professional Programme you need to contact your National Commission (click here).
The application process is as follows:
1. Launching the Young Professionals Programme
The Bureau of Human Resources Management (HRM) of UNESCO sends a call for applications to National Commissions  and Permanent Delegations of non- or under-represented Member States. Each National Commission is responsible for the dissemination of this information and for the pre-selection at national level.
2. Submission of application
Candidates send their application to the National Commission/Permanent Delegation of their country of citizenship. UNESCO does not accept applications sent directly to the Organization.
National Commissions review all applications to ensure that the profiles match the required qualifications. The National Commissions then submits a list of a  maximum of 12 shortlisted applicants to the Bureau of Human Resources Management at UNESCO.
3. Screening of applicants
All applications are reviewed by a  committee which will establish a shortlist based on (1) academic qualifications, (2) motivation/statement of interest, (3) presentation of the application, (4) language and writing skills, and (5) level of professional experience.
4. Evaluation of applicants
If you are among the shortlisted candidates, you will be required to attend interviews at UNESCO Headquarters (Paris). The interviews provides candidates with an opportunity to demonstrate their communication skills, team spirit, analytical skills, sense of initiative, creativity, flexibility and adaptability. They evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of the technical aspects of education, science, culture, communication, information or administration. In addition to interviews, language tests are undertaken to determine your level of proficiency in the working languages of UNESCO (English and French).
5. Appointment decision
- If your application is successful, UNESCO will send you a letter of appointment.
- If your application is not successful, UNESCO will inform your National Commission/Permanent Delegation.
Note: Interview and entry on duty and other dates may be subject to change due to visa issues, family situation and/or the geographical location of the selected candidates.

Salary

UNESCO offers a competitive package of salaries and benefits which are set by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and are similar across United Nations Agencies.
Salaries are made of two elements :

• Base salary
• Post adjustment (a % of the base salary different for each location, to ensure that staff salaries have the same purchasing power at all duty stations worldwide)

Salary scales and Post adjustment indices can be found on the UN salaries and allowances site

Benefits 

International Professional staff may also be entitled to other allowances and benefits, such as:

• Family/Education benefits - UNESCO provides allowances to help staff with their family obligations and the education of their children.
• Relocation - UNESCO offers a package of benefits to support  installation costs in the new location.
• Mobility entitlements  - when a UNESCO staff moves to another duty station, he/she will receive incentives to facilitate and compensate for the move.
• Holidays and leave - UNESCO staff are entitled to 30 days of leave per year in addition to the official holidays in the duty station.
• Pension and Insurance - the Organization provides staff with medical coverage and contributes to the Pension Fund established by the United Nations