What is a career in international organisations?
A career in international organisations offers the opportunity to contribute to solving some of the world’s most pressing global challenges – from conflict resolution and humanitarian relief to climate change, public health, and sustainable development. These are careers at the intersection of policy, diplomacy, technical expertise, and international cooperation. Work is typically multinational, multicultural, and mission-driven, with a strong focus on collaboration, negotiation, and systemic impact.
Where can I work, what can I do, and how can I get there?
International organisations come in various forms, typically established by treaties or intergovernmental agreements. The main types include:
- Multilateral and intergovernmental organisations – Examples: United Nations (UN) and its specialised agencies (eg, UNDP, WHO, ILO, UNESCO, UNHCR), World Trade Organization (WTO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
- International financial institutions (IFIs) – Examples: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Asian Development Bank (ADB), African Development Bank (AfDB)
- Regional organisations and political unions – Examples: European Union institutions (European Commission, EEAS, European Parliament), African Union, ASEAN
- International courts and tribunals – Examples: International Criminal Court (ICC), International Court of Justice (ICJ), European Court of Human Rights
- Global public–private partnerships and coordination bodies – Examples: Gavi, the Global Fund, COVAX, World Economic Forum
Work locations often cluster in key international hubs such as New York, Geneva, Brussels, Washington D.C., Nairobi, and Vienna, but regional and field-based roles exist globally.
Job roles are highly varied and span across operational, strategic, legal, analytical, and programmatic functions.
Common job families include:
- Policy and programme management – Managing international development, humanitarian aid, governance, peacebuilding, or human rights initiatives
- Research and analysis – Economic, social, political, legal, or statistical research to support evidence-based decision-making
- Legal and diplomatic affairs – Drafting treaties, supporting international legal processes, advising on human rights and humanitarian law
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) – Designing frameworks to assess the impact and efficiency of programmes and projects
- External relations and strategic communications – Public affairs, media relations, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement
- Finance, procurement, and administration – Supporting the organisational infrastructure in financial oversight, logistics, and human resources
Specialist profiles may include engineers, economists, public health experts, lawyers, statisticians, translators, and emergency response coordinators.
Getting started in this sector is competitive and often requires a blend of academic credentials, international experience, and multilingualism.
It is an exceptionally competitive field. For many entry routes — especially those into policy, research, programme management, and technical advisory roles — a postgraduate qualification is not just desirable, but often essential. In fact, most successful candidates for competitive international roles hold a master’s degree or higher, alongside relevant professional and international experience.
Key routes include:
Graduate entry programmes
Highly structured programmes such as:
- UN Young Professionals Programme (YPP)
- World Bank Young Professionals Programme (YPP)
- Junior Professional Officer (JPO) schemes (typically funded by donor governments and require citizenship)
- EU competitions (EPSO) for entry into the EU institutions
Internships
- Most organisations offer internships lasting 3–6 months, often targeted at master’s students or recent graduates
- While many are unpaid, they provide a critical route into the sector, offering exposure, contacts, and credibility
Volunteering and field work
- Volunteering with organisations such as UNV (United Nations Volunteers), the Red Cross, or NGOs can lead to long-term opportunities, especially in conflict and humanitarian contexts
Contractual and consultancy roles
- Short-term assignments are common and can be stepping stones to longer-term contracts or staff roles
- Requires targeted experience and flexibility
Direct recruitment
- Mid-level roles are accessible to those with 3–5+ years of relevant experience, sector knowledge, and field exposure
- Language fluency (often English plus one or more UN/EU languages) is frequently essential
Insights from alumni and organisations
Please see below for ten key insights we collected from each of the international organisations that attended Discover International Organisations Day in November 2024.
- Five focus areas: drugs, corruption, terrorism, organised crime, and criminal justice.
- Operates in 90+ countries, working with governments and civil society.
- Recruitment guided by diversity strategies (gender, geography, disability, mental health).
- Main entry routes: Internships, YPP, JPO, UN Volunteers, Consultancies, Job Openings.
- Internships: 500 interns in 22/23 (99 nationalities), unpaid but scholarships available.
- YPP: Annual July–August, entry at P2, age limit 32, lifelong contract after successful rotation.
- JPO: 2 years, starter P2 level, requires some work experience, sponsored by specific countries.
- UN Volunteers: Many roles paid; various streams including youth, specialist, community, and online.
- Consultants/Contractors: Short-term, daily fee, project-based, light recruitment.
- Recruitment process: tailored CV, CARL framework for interviews, emphasis on languages and relevant experience.
- Supports five categories of forcibly displaced people.
- 70 staff in London, operations across 7 global regions.
- 42% of jobs are in hardship locations; staff move every 2–5 years.
- Looking for resilient, creative, and open-minded applicants.
- Minimum: English B1 + one other UN language.
- Opportunities: Internships, JPO (25–35), Talent Pools, Temporary Appointments, Consultancy, National Officer roles.
- ‘Compendium’ of fixed-term jobs released March and September (next in March 2025).
- Applications reviewed by ATS → keywords from job description essential.
- Competency-based interview + written/technical/language tests, all anonymised.
- Preparation resources: video series, Talent Outreach newsletter, “Day in the Life” job videos.
- Workforce: 23,100 staff globally, 1,500 in Copenhagen.
- Gender balance: 48% women, 52% men.
- Operations in 170 countries, 480+ locations.
- Mission: eradicate poverty and inequality sustainably, with human-centred design.
- Project-based organisation; innovation central to approach.
- Donors increasingly fund programmes, not corporate functions.
- Entry points: Personnel Service Agreements, Consultancies, Internships.
- Recruitment shortlists: ~8 for assessment, ~4 for interview.
- Motivation letters often reviewed late in the process.
- Recommended resources: impactpool.org and UNV.org.
- 38 members + 5 key partners (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa).
- HQ in Paris, 98% of staff based there.
- Publishes 5+ billion data points annually.
- Major policy areas: education (PISA), digital/AI, energy, labour.
- Recruitment: nationals of OECD/partner states, Master’s + 2 years exp.
- Languages: fluency in English and French required.
- Young Associates Programme (YAP): 2 years, undergrads only, start Sept 2025.
- Internships: mainly for Master’s students, 1–6 months, stipend €1,000/month.
- Recruitment process: application → self-recorded interview → written test → panel interview (4–6 months).
- 70% of interns are master’s students, but undergrads also eligible.
- UN Agency with 187 member states, HQ Geneva + field offices.
- Mandate: social justice and decent work (SDGs focus).
- Tripartite governance: employers, workers, governments.
- 3,500 staff across 5 regional offices.
- Careers: economists, statisticians, lawyers, social sciences, industrial policy specialists.
- Internships: 3–6 months, ~100/year, preference for master’s students, CHF 2,450 stipend.
- JPO programme: donor-funded, entry-level, often leads to permanent roles.
- Regular posts: P2 (2 years’ exp), P3 (5 years), assessed via written test and interview.
- Application: tailored cover letter (not AI-generated), online form, careful attention to dates.
- Strong emphasis on languages (EN, FR, ES), technical written tests, and personal motivation.
- Founded 2012, Luxembourg HQ, ~200 staff.
- Mission: safeguard eurozone stability via financial assistance.
- Provided €141.8bn in loans to Greece, also supported Ireland, Spain, Cyprus.
- Funded by bond issuance, not taxpayers.
- Small, agile, informal culture → easy access to senior leadership.
- Roles: economists, policy analysts, climate economists.
- Traineeships: 6–12 months, €2,000/month, bachelor’s degree required.
- Publications: academic journals and policy blogs (eg, climate risk, labour productivity).
- Recruitment: flexible, responsive to immediate needs, not rigid.
- Future focus: climate risk, eurozone resilience, economic fragmentation.
- EU’s bank, owned by member states.
- EIF (subsidiary) supports SME financing; capital €7.37bn.
- HQ in Luxembourg, one of the largest multilateral lenders globally.
- Traineeships: 5 months, 2 intakes (Spring and Autumn), allowance + travel reimbursement.
- Graduate/Junior roles: 1–2 year contracts, less than 2 years’ experience required.
- Recruitment: CV screening, video interview, online test, HR + business interviews.
- Nationality requirement: EU citizens (exceptions for certain schemes like “Fif”).
- Applications: up to 3 traineeship roles at once, 79 positions currently open.
- Graduate programme requires immediate availability post-graduation.
- Networking encouraged via LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram.
- Established 1991, 73 shareholders, HQ London.
- Capital base €34bn, AAA-rated.
- Works in Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Asia (infra, green, SME, reform).
- Current focus: Ukraine + expanding to Sub-Saharan Africa.
- 2,500 employees + 1,000 consultants, 60 nationalities.
- Recruiting banking/economic talent, especially Germans and US nationals.
- Internships: year-round, up to 12 months, competitive pay.
- IPP Programme: 24 months, shareholder nationals, intake Jan, ~12–15 hires.
- Analyst roles: ~£70k salary, requires Master’s + 3–5 yrs exp, common entry route.
- Benefits: visas, relocation, insurance, hybrid work, 25+ days leave.
- 191 members, 3,136 staff from 162 countries. HQ Washington.
- Founded 1944 (Bretton Woods). Independent but UN-affiliated.
- Flagship: Economist Programme (EP), PhDs only, 3 years, policy rotations.
- Annual intake: ~30–35, under age 34.
- Other entry routes: Research Analyst Programme (BA/MA), Internships (PhD/Masters), experienced hires.
- Mission areas: policy advice, lending, capacity development.
- Staff often go on “Missions” to member countries for economic assessments.
- Benefits: tax-free salary, 30+ days holiday, pension, relocation, parental leave.
- Recruitment tests strong quantitative and analytical skills (Excel, R, Stata, Python).
- Culture: collaborative, policy-driven, long-term careers common.
- Mission: inclusive, sustainable development in Asia-Pacific.
- HQ: Manila, 4,054 staff.
- Supports 263m living <$1.90/day, 1.1bn <$3.20/day.
- Provides loans, grants, equity investments, guarantees.
- YPP: 3 years, <32 age limit, 3+ years’ experience, summer application.
- Internships: 2 months, for Master’s/PhD students, 2 intakes per year.
- Recruitment looks for 6+ years’ professional experience (general entry), communication and leadership skills are particularly important.
- Interviews assess technical skills, values alignment, and presentation ability.
- Strong emphasis on teamwork, passion for development, adaptability.
- Cofinancing and policy dialogue are central to its operations.
Where can I find out more about working in this sector?
Interested in finding out more about a career in international organisations?
Here are some helpful links, including the ways LSE Careers can work with you on your journey.
Discover | International Organisations is our careers programme for LSE students looking to understand what different international organisations do, how they are structured, and what they might be looking for in applicants. It includes our flagship Discover International Organisations Day event, which sees representatives of international organisations come to campus to connect with LSE students and graduates.
Thinking of working in development? Whether you’re unsure what you want from your career, or you already have some ideas you’d like to explore further, our Discover | ID programme is designed specifically for any LSE student or recent graduate with an interest in the development sector.
As well as exploring options in NGOs and charities, this programme also encourages you to explore the full breadth of ‘social impact careers’ across many sectors, as well as supporting you to understand exactly what a ‘career with social impact’ means to you.
LSE Careers resources:
External resources:
- Bond — Jobs in international charities and NGOs in the UK and worldwide.
- Devex — Global jobs board for the international development sector.
- DevNetJobs.org — Development jobs in non-profits, NGOs, charities, UN, consulting firms, bilaterals, governments, and development banks.
- Eldis — Global opportunities in development.
- Eurojobs.com — Broad-based jobs board including European and international agencies.
- EuroBrussels — Jobs in European affairs.
- Eurodesk — Opportunity Finder Internships and traineeships in European institutions and associated organisations.
- Impactpool — Jobs that aim to solve global challenges.
- IntJobs — Jobs with a focus on international affairs in IOs, think tanks, and INGOs.
- ReliefWeb Jobs — Managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); focuses on humanitarian, emergency, and development roles.
- EU Careers (EPSO) — Official site for recruitment into EU institutions, agencies, and diplomatic services.
- World Bank Careers — Includes the World Bank YPP, internships, and specialist positions.
- OECD Careers — Opportunities for economists, policy analysts, researchers, and interns within a leading policy-focused international organisation.
- NATO Careers — Civilian roles, internships, and Young Professionals Programme at NATO HQ and agencies.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM) Careers — Roles in migration management, humanitarian response, and international cooperation.
- UN Volunteers (UNV) — Paid and volunteer assignments in UN field missions and projects worldwide — a valuable stepping stone into the sector.
To discuss your options in this sector or chat through your plans so far, book an appointment with a careers consultant on CareerHub.
If you’re preparing to apply for roles in international organisations and book an appointment to discuss this, it is useful to attach relevant documents to your booking (such as the job or programme outline and/or criteria).