UNICEF has opened applications for a REACH Performance Management Internship within its Programme Strategy and Coordination (PSC) Hub, Global Programme Division (GPD) at UNICEF Headquarters in New York, United States.
The internship provides an opportunity for current university students and recent graduates to gain practical experience in data analytics, performance management, dashboard development, business process improvement, reporting and programme coordination within a major international organization.
The assignment is for three months and is on-site in New York. The internship is particularly suited to candidates studying or recently completing degrees in data analytics, statistics, economics, information management, public administration, international development or related fields.
Applicants should note that candidates must be legally authorized to intern in the United States for the duration of the internship or obtain a G4 visa, as applicable.
UNICEF REACH Internship Overview
The internship is positioned within UNICEF’s Global Programme Division, which provides technical leadership, policy guidance and programme support to UNICEF country and regional offices around the world.
Key details include:
- Position: REACH Performance Management Intern
- Job Number: 595434
- Organization: UNICEF
- Duty Station: New York, United States
- Work Type: Internship
- Duration: 3 months
- Working Arrangement: On-site
- Functional Area: Programme Management
- Advertised: August 28, 2026
- Application Deadline: September 6, 2026
- Language: Strong written and verbal communication skills required
- Visa: Applicants must be legally authorized to intern in the United States or obtain a G4 visa, where applicable
About UNICEF’s REACH Programme
The Global Programme Division leads UNICEF’s global programme agenda and supports country and regional offices in designing, implementing, monitoring and scaling programmes that improve outcomes for children.
Within the division, the Programme Strategy and Coordination Hub supports performance management, planning, monitoring, reporting, analytics and organizational effectiveness.
The internship will focus on REACH, UNICEF’s corporate platform for managing, coordinating and monitoring technical assistance provided by the Global Programme Division to country and regional offices.
REACH connects country demand with technical expertise, tracks the delivery of support and generates performance information that can help strengthen accountability, learning and organizational improvement.
The intern will support efforts to strengthen REACH’s performance management function through data analysis, reporting, dashboarding and process development.
What Will the Intern Do?
The selected intern will contribute to the development and documentation of REACH workflows, business processes, guidance notes and standard operating procedures.
The intern will also help compile, clean, validate, organize and maintain REACH data used for performance monitoring and reporting.
A significant part of the assignment will involve supporting the development and updating of dashboards, scorecards, graphs and visualizations covering agreed performance indicators and operational metrics.
Other responsibilities will include supporting the preparation of routine and ad hoc analyses, presentations, briefing materials and management reports.
The intern may also monitor data quality by checking completeness, accuracy, timeliness and consistency, while following up with relevant focal points to resolve identified gaps.
The role will involve identifying trends, bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement and translating analytical findings into clear and actionable insights.
Key Responsibilities
The internship will provide hands-on exposure to several areas of organizational performance management.
Responsibilities include:
- Developing REACH workflows and process maps.
- Preparing guidance notes and standard operating procedures.
- Cleaning and validating performance data.
- Maintaining organized datasets and indicator definitions.
- Developing dashboards and scorecards.
- Creating graphs and data visualizations.
- Preparing management reports and presentations.
- Monitoring data quality and consistency.
- Identifying trends and performance bottlenecks.
- Supporting knowledge-sharing activities.
- Collaborating with UNICEF teams across headquarters, regional offices and country offices.
The intern will also undertake other related tasks required to support the PSC Hub’s performance management work.
Expected Outputs
During the internship, the successful candidate is expected to contribute to practical organizational outputs.
These include documented REACH workflows, process maps and supporting guidance materials, as well as an organized and regularly updated collection of performance data and indicator definitions.
The intern will also contribute to updated dashboards, graphs, scorecards and key performance metrics.
Other expected outputs include data quality checks, concise analyses of trends and performance issues, and contributions to reports, presentations and briefing materials for PSC Hub and Global Programme Division management.
Who Can Apply?
The internship is aimed at candidates who meet UNICEF’s internship eligibility requirements.
Applicants should be currently enrolled in a university degree programme or have recently completed a degree in a relevant field.
Relevant academic backgrounds include:
- Data Analytics;
- Statistics;
- Economics;
- Information Management;
- Public Administration;
- International Development; or
- A related discipline.
Recent graduates are eligible to apply for internships for up to two years after completing their degree.
Candidates should also have strong analytical abilities and the capacity to organize, analyse and communicate quantitative and qualitative information accurately.
Technical Skills
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel is required.
Experience with data visualization platforms such as Power BI, Tableau or similar tools is an advantage.
The ideal candidate should demonstrate strong attention to detail, planning and follow-through, together with good written and verbal communication skills.
Familiarity with programme management, monitoring or UNICEF processes would also be beneficial.
The opportunity may therefore be particularly valuable for students and recent graduates interested in careers in monitoring and evaluation, data analytics, international development, public policy, programme management and organizational effectiveness.
Learning Benefits
The UNICEF REACH internship provides an opportunity to gain experience within the organization’s global programme support architecture.
The selected intern will develop practical skills in data analytics, dashboard development, performance measurement, visualization and reporting.
The internship will also provide exposure to how organizational performance data is used to support decision-making, accountability and continuous improvement.
Participants will gain experience in business process optimization, workflow design and operational systems while collaborating with technical, programme and management colleagues from different parts of UNICEF’s global network.
These skills can be valuable for future careers in international development, monitoring and evaluation, data analysis, public policy and programme management.
Documents Required
At the onboarding stage, successful candidates will need to provide documentation demonstrating their eligibility.
Required documents include a letter of verification from the university or college, confirming current enrolment or relevant graduate status and, where applicable, completion of at least two years of full-time undergraduate study.
Candidates must also provide:
- Their most recent official transcript;
- A copy of an identification card;
- One signed recommendation letter on letterhead or from a professional email address; and
- Proof of health insurance covering the full internship period.
Important Visa and Insurance Requirements
Because the internship is on-site in New York, applicants must be legally authorized to undertake an internship in the United States for the full duration.
Candidates may need to obtain a G4 visa, where applicable. Candidates studying in the United States may need appropriate CPT or OPT authorization, depending on their circumstances.
UNICEF interns must also have medical insurance covering their time at the duty station.
UNICEF may withdraw an offer if required visa authorization, proof of health insurance or necessary medical and inoculation requirements are not obtained within a reasonable period.
Application Deadline and How to Apply
The UNICEF REACH Performance Management Internship was advertised on August 28, 2026, and applications close on September 6, 2026, Eastern Daylight Time.
Interested candidates should apply through the official UNICEF recruitment portal using Job Number 595434.
Applicants should carefully review the internship eligibility requirements and ensure that their application demonstrates relevant academic preparation, analytical skills, technical abilities and interest in international development.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advanced to the next stage of the recruitment process.
Importantly, UNICEF states that there is no expectation of employment at the end of the internship.
Final Note
The UNICEF REACH Performance Management Internship offers students and recent graduates an opportunity to gain international experience while contributing to performance management and data-driven decision-making at UNICEF Headquarters in New York.
With exposure to data analytics, dashboards, performance monitoring, business processes, reporting and programme coordination, the three-month on-site internship can provide valuable practical experience for candidates planning careers in international development and related fields.
