UNFPA's Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) is seeking candidates for its newly established Supply Chain Internship Roster 2026, with on-site internships at UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark. University students and recent graduates can apply until 31 December 2026, and interns without outside funding are eligible for a stipend. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full vacancy and set out each requirement below.
The Roster in Brief
🏢 Organisation: UNFPA, Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU)
📋 Programme: Supply Chain Internship Roster 2026
📍 Workplace: SCMU's office at the UN City headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark
🕘 Work pattern: Full-time and on-site for the duration of the internship
🎓 Open to: Enrolled university students, recent graduates and postgraduate professional trainees
💶 Financial support: Stipend for interns who do not receive support from an outside party
Ten Functional Streams to Choose From
SCMU offers specialised functional streams aligned with its operational needs, including:
📈 Data & Analytics
🚚 Logistics & Supply Chain
🛒 Procurement & Business
🆘 Humanitarian Supplies
🎧 Supply Chain & Customer Service
⚖️ Governance, Risk & Compliance
📣 Communications
👥 Human Resources
💻 Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
🗂️ Administration & Business
Be Ready to Work On-Site in Copenhagen
These internship opportunities are on-site at SCMU's office in Copenhagen. To ensure effective team integration and maximise the value of the internship, candidates must be logistically and financially prepared to undertake full-time, on-site work in the city for the duration of the internship.
What the Supply Chain Management Unit Does
SCMU is self-funded and became operational in January 2022. It is tasked with ensuring that UNFPA can effectively and efficiently support the delivery of life-saving reproductive health products and other programme supplies to the end user, when and where they are needed.
To achieve this, the unit works on strengthening the capacity of governments and implementing partners. The aim is to ensure coordination, end-to-end visibility and accountability on all supply chain and logistics management activities, in particular for programme supplies, across all UNFPA programmes.
UNFPA's Mission and Its Three Transformative Results
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Its strategic plan for 2026-2029 reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction and focuses on three transformative results:
🤰 End preventable maternal deaths
🧬 End unmet need for family planning
🛡️ End gender-based violence and harmful practices
These results capture UNFPA's strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realising the ICPD and the SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. The strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organisations and individuals to "build forward better", while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women's and girls' access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recovering lost gains and realising these goals.
The Kind of People UNFPA Wants to Bring In
UNFPA says that in a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, it needs principled and ethical staff who embody international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
The organisation is looking for candidates who transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results. It wants people who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and committed to excellence in programme results.
Educational Routes Into the Internship
You must meet one of these four conditions:
🏫 Be enrolled in a first university degree programme, such as a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and have completed one full academic year
📖 Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme, such as a master's programme or higher
🎒 Have recently graduated with a university degree as defined above and, if selected, start the internship within one year of graduation
🏅 Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional trainee programme and undertake the internship as part of this programme
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🌍 All opportunities in Denmark →
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Other Requirements for Applicants
🌱 Demonstrate interest in the field of development
🗣️ Demonstrate written and spoken proficiency in at least one of the working languages of the United Nations (English or French) and fluency in the official language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish) of the UNFPA office
🧭 Demonstrate the ability to adapt to new environments and to establish and maintain good working relations with individuals of different cultural backgrounds
Family Relationship Rule
An individual whose father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister is a UNFPA staff member is not eligible for an internship with UNFPA.
UNFPA Values Expected From Candidates
💎 Exemplifying integrity
🇺🇳 Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
🎨 Embracing cultural diversity
🔄 Embracing change
Core Competencies for the Roster
🏁 Achieving results
📌 Being accountable
🛠️ Developing and applying professional expertise and business acumen
🧩 Thinking analytically and strategically
🙌 Working in teams and managing ourselves and our relationships
How the Stipend Works
Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party, such as an academic institution, university or government, are eligible to receive a stipend as a contribution towards living expenses.
The stipend is based on the intern's agreed place of work, which may be different from the duty station of the hiring office in cases of remote arrangements. It is normally paid in local currency at the end of each month. The vacancy does not state an amount. For wider context, see our guide on how paid internships abroad work for students and recent graduates.
UNFPA's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. It is committed to ensuring gender parity in the organisation and therefore encourages women to apply.
Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all, regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. It describes diversity, equity and inclusion as being at the heart of its workforce.
No Fees at Any Stage of Recruitment
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. It also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
You can browse more internships and traineeships on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply to the UNFPA Supply Chain Internship Roster 2026?
Students enrolled in a first university degree with one full academic year completed, postgraduate students, recent graduates and postgraduate professional trainees can apply. Recent graduates must start the internship within one year of graduation if selected. Applicants must also demonstrate interest in the field of development and meet the language requirements.
Where does the UNFPA supply chain internship take place?
The internship is on-site at SCMU's office in the UN City headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. Candidates must be logistically and financially prepared to work there full-time for the duration of the internship.
Is the UNFPA Copenhagen internship paid?
Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party, such as a university or government, are eligible to receive a stipend as a contribution towards living expenses. The stipend is normally paid in local currency at the end of each month, and the vacancy does not state an amount.
Which areas can interns work in at SCMU?
The functional streams include Data & Analytics, Logistics & Supply Chain, Procurement & Business, Humanitarian Supplies, and Supply Chain & Customer Service. They also include Governance, Risk & Compliance, Communications, Human Resources, ICT, and Administration & Business.
What languages do I need for this UNFPA internship?
You must demonstrate written and spoken proficiency in at least one UN working language, English or French. You must also demonstrate fluency in the official language of the UNFPA office, which is one of Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish.
Can I apply if a relative works at UNFPA?
An individual whose father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister is a UNFPA staff member is not eligible for an internship with UNFPA. The vacancy does not list any other family relationship in this rule.
Does UNFPA charge a fee for applying?
No, UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the recruitment process. It also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Deadline
⏳ 31 December 2026
