International development is a global issue and a highly multidisciplinary field. The main goal of international development is to empower people living in economically disadvantaged areas to improve their well-being and alleviate the causes of poverty. Jobs in the area can thus encompass a wide range of issues, including infrastructure, energy, healthcare, human rights, forced migration, security, conflict, disaster preparedness, sanitation, and education.
Recent sexual abuse scandals within UK aid agencies mean that these are slightly tumultuous times within the international development sector. However, the vast majority of the UK's biggest players in this field have said that they haven't been significantly affected financially in the wake of the scandals. It has also been pointed out that these revelations could pave the way for better safeguarding practices and more open conversations about concerns that people may have.
While much of the work involved in the international development sector occurs in the Global South, there are also plenty of career opportunities in the UK, and most particularly in London.
Below you'll find a selection of the top development organisations with which you can find vacancies in the UK:
Looking for study opportunities in this area? Skip to section 3.2.3 to find the UK’s top human right & international development postgraduate programmes.
How To Get A Job At The UN
by Patrick Tammer
The UN: everyone wants to get in, but hardly anyone knows how.
Though rarely communicated in a clear or homogenous way, there are in fact several entry-level opportunities for young professionals looking to start their UN career. The following excerpt (full article can be found here) aims to give you a clear overview and better orientation of opportunities for working at the UN so that ultimately, you can find the job that is right for you.
What does it take to get a job at the UN?
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It is (almost) always required that you hold an advanced university degree
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Excellent command of either English or French, since they are the common working languages. (Knowledge of an additional language is an asset, but not required for most jobs).
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The most important component is previous work experience, typically 2+ years
There are currently four specific UN programmes geared towards young professionals:
1. The UN Internship Programme
Of all the UN programmes, the UN Internship Programme is the option that demands the lowest entry requirements for aspiring candidates: you just have to be in a Master's or a Ph.D. programme, or in the final year of a Bachelor's. These internships typically last between two and six months, and a considerable number of interns receive offers of short-term consultancy contracts at the end of this time. One downside, however, is that the internship comes with absolutely zero remuneration.
2. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme
Through the United Nations Volunteers Programme, more than 7,700 volunteers are mobilised every year to work in development assistance projects and in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. Applicants must be older than 25, prepared for deployment to difficult regions (in 80+ different countries), and able to adjust to fast-changing living and working circumstances. UN volunteers, unlike interns, receive (financial) support through a settling-in-grant, a monthly volunteer living allowance, annual leave, and basic insurance.
3. The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme
Requirements for the Junior Professional Officer Programme are much stricter and more competitive than the volunteer and intern positions: JPOs must be younger than 32, hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in a development-related discipline, have at least two years of paid working experience in a relevant field, and written and spoken proficiency in at least two of the three official UN languages (English, French and Spanish). Successful applicants are offered one-year fixed-term contracts which are normally renewed for a second year subject to satisfactory performance. JPO posts are only offered by certain UN organisations and participants serve primarily in one of the country offices of the participating organisations in the developing countries.
4. The Young Professionals Programme (YPP)
The final programme on this list is the Young Professionals Programme: a recruitment initiative for young professionals to start a career as an international civil servant with the United Nations Secretariat. The normal procedure requires an entrance examination that is held once a year. In order to be considered for the examination, applicants must be under 32, hold at least a first-level university degree relevant to one of the exam areas (Administration, Finance, Legal Affairs, Public Information, Social Affairs, Statistics), and be fluent in either English or French. Although work experience is not directly mentioned as criteria, the YPP’s policy states that when “more than 40 candidates of the same nationality apply… relevant work experience will be used to rank candidates.”
It’s perhaps useful to think of it this way: the first two options described above are most appropriate if you are not yet completely certain if working for the UN is right for you. The last two are very specific and top-notch programs and are therefore better suited for those who have their heart set on working at the UN.
One final bit of advice: as is usually the case with dream jobs, persistence and dedication are key.
Want to read the full article “How to Get a Job at the UN” by Patrick Tammer? Find it here on the tbd* website.
Originally published May 12, 2017