Fibres, Textiles and Clothing Unit Intern

Work LocationHQ, Geneva, Switzerland Expected duration3 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe International Trade Centre (ITC) assists developing and transition economy countries to take advantage of expanding trade opportunities in an increasingly complex global environment. ITC supports Trade Impact for Good, promoting sustainable and inclusive development goals through trade. The Fibres Textiles and Clothing (FTC) team, under multiple programs promotes textile and clothing exports from Eastern Europe as well as from North Africa, Madagascar, Sri-Lanka, and is looking to operates in South America. By enhancing the export competitiveness of the sector, our different programs and projects aims at fostering good trade and subsequently increasing employment while reducing poverty. The ‘smiley-curve’ for value addition in the global apparel value chain provides the basis for the Programme’s theory of change. It provides a succinct overview of where and with which service offerings companies can capture value from and add value to their operations. It also shows opportunities for closer collaboration at the regional level, to address the missing links in the value chain. The figure below shows that the most important value-adding stages are the intangible services at the pre-production (left side of the ‘smiley-curve’) and post-production (right side of the ‘smiley-curve’) stages. Over the years, assembling clothing has become a commodity. Consequently, the ‘smiley-curve’ has become increasingly steeper, reflecting a declining share of value addition in assembly tasks. Hence, performing only simple cut and sew operations is not a desirable and sustainable position for many companies. While productivity, lean processes and social and environmental compliance on the factory floor are necessary to consolidate the existing client base and to lay the foundation for starting to move up the value chain, they are not sufficient to grow and to achieve the employment targets envisaged by the respective governments. In fact, relying only on temporary cost advantages would be dangerous. Thus, companies must move beyond production, and provide additional services, while diversifying their client portfolios. Applying these insights, Fibres Textiles and Clothing team and more specifically under GTEX and MENATEX programs, are funded by the Governments from Sweden and Switzerland. Helping companies in developing countries to build the capacity to fulfil critical functions along the value chain, to meet identified market requirements. Taking over additional functions, companies will be able to move from simple cut and sew operations toward a full package offering and, in some cases, to developing their own products. Value addition through service provision starts with production processes, by introducing lean manufacturing techniques and ensuring companies’ social and environmental performance. Pre-production, the FTC team builds the skills to start sourcing the fabrics and trims they require in new sourcing destinations and provides product development and design training. Post-production, it focusses on creating marketing and branding know-how, and creates linkages to new clients in diversified markets. Moving up the right side of the ‘smiley-curve’ requires in-depth market and consumer knowledge, a known brand name in the targeted consumer segment, and physical or virtual sales outlets in target markets. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES Under the overall supervision of the Associate Programme Officer of FTC, the selected candidate will: • Familiarize him/herself with the projects / programs and the activities. • Conduct research on market trends, industry best practices, and technological advancements in the textile and clothing sector (more specifically in South America). • Assist in the preparation of project proposals, reports, and presentations. • Support the organization and coordination of workshops, seminars, and training sessions for stakeholders. • Assist in assessment, data collection, analysis, and reporting related to project development and implementation. • Collaborate with team members to ensure the smooth execution of project activities. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind. Qualifications/special skillsa) Be enrolled in the final academic year of the first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or b) Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or c) Have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, must commence the internship within one year of graduation. In one of the following fields or similar: Economics, International Development, Business Administration, or related fields. LanguagesFluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Spanish, French and/or Arabic is desirable. Good research and analytical skills Ability to undertake independent research and analysis, including in categorizing and organizing data. Good communication skills. Understanding of constraints of developing countries for assimilating and using new solutions. Good report drafting and writing skills. Strong internet research skills and MS Office (Word, Excel, and Power Point). Interest and experience in working in multicultural environment. Good knowledge of either T&C trade, CSR, trade policy issues or knowledge of South America countries and of MENA region. Additional InformationLEARNING ELEMENTS: • Gain meaningful work experience in the area of trade-related technical assistance aimed to expand academic, professional and personal learning. • Gain experience in the work of ITC and deepen knowledge and understanding of ITC’s goals, mission and their concrete implementation. • Gain knowledge on the fibres to clothing value chain and international trade. EXPECTATIONS: On completion of the assignment, the intern is expected to: • Demonstrate knowledge on the fibres to clothing value chain. • Understand M&E processes are implemented by the team and contribute to the impact evaluation of the programme. • Contribute to the data visualization and survey presentation results. • Work collaboratively with team members and stakeholders to achieve organizational goals. • Demonstrate professionalism, attention to detail, and strong organizational skills in a fast- paced work environment. Intern Specific textInterns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.