International aid/development worker

Humanitarian aid work often involves responding to emergency situations, helping those affected by natural and man-made disasters, such as earthquakes and war.

You'll work with the affected country (either from the UK or in the country itself) and will support local operations to provide relief and assistance to people and their communities.

As well as delivering urgent assistance in response to crises, you may also work on longer-term projects, such as implementing healthcare and education programmes, improving access to water and sanitation, supporting sustainable agriculture and contributing to the development of urban and rural areas and small businesses.

Depending on your role, you may advise on humanitarian law, policy and international development strategy.

Job titles vary and may not be advertised as international aid or international development officer. It's important to look beyond the job title to the job description to check it matches your career aims.

Types of international aid work

Work in this sector is diverse and may include areas such as:

• conflict response and peacebuilding
• disaster preparedness and emergency response
• education
• environment and climate resilience
• migration and displacement
• gender equality and inclusion
• governance
• health and public health
• human rights
• infrastructure and shelter
• livelihoods and economic development
• water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
• food security and nutrition.

Depending on your skills and experience, you may work in roles such as:

• administration and operations
• research and policy
• fundraising and communications
• training and capacity building
• consultancy
• advocacy
• relief and humanitarian support
• medicine and healthcare
• engineering and construction
• programme or project management
• monitoring, evaluation and learning.

Responsibilities

Work activities vary depending on your role. However, as an international aid/development worker, you may need to:

• assess needs and evaluate the response required in fast-moving emergency situations
• carry out strategic planning for long-term development and disaster risk reduction
• manage projects, including monitoring, evaluation and reporting
• manage budgets, allocate resources and ensure funds are used effectively
• develop funding proposals and support fundraising for overseas programmes
• work with local communities and partner organisations to build capacity and deliver programmes
• recruit, manage and train staff and volunteers
• communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including donors, clients and partner agencies
• liaise and negotiate with public bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other organisations
• implement security procedures to protect staff working in unstable or high-risk environments
• advocate on behalf of affected communities, influencing governments, sponsors and the public.

Salary

• Salaries in international aid and development vary widely depending on your role, experience, location and employer. Starting salaries for UK-based NGO roles commonly range from £20,000 to £28,000 per year.
• Experienced UK posts, such as project manager, policy or programme adviser, typically range from £30,000 to £50,000 or more, depending on the size and type of organisation and your level of responsibility.
• Overseas roles requiring considerable experience, including field coordinators and technical specialists, also vary widely. Base salaries may be comparable to experienced UK roles and are often supplemented with allowances.
• Senior roles in large international organisations, such as management positions with multilateral agencies, can exceed £60,000 for senior professional and leadership roles.

Pay comparisons with UK rates are complicated by additional elements often included in overseas packages, such as accommodation, travel, medical or hardship allowances and different tax rules.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

If based in the UK, you'll typically work standard office hours, although some roles may involve travel or occasional evening work. In contrast, overseas working hours can be long and unpredictable, particularly in emergency relief situations.

Part-time work is less common for overseas posts but may be possible in UK-based roles. Fixed-term contracts ranging from a few months to several years are typical for overseas postings, meaning there may be gaps between assignments.

What to expect

• UK roles are mostly office-based, while overseas posts may combine office and field-based work. Relocation between postings is common in overseas roles.
• Overseas locations can include cities, towns and remote rural areas, and work may take place in areas affected by political instability, conflict, natural disasters and health risks. Some roles are unaccompanied, meaning you're unable to bring your partner or family because of security or living conditions.
• Many NGOs have headquarters in London, with fewer jobs available regionally, although some international organisations have bases across the UK.
• The work can be emotionally demanding and requires adaptability, cultural awareness and the ability to work effectively with diverse communities and teams.
• Short trips to visit projects in the field may add up to several weeks or months per year in some UK jobs. If you're internationally based, you may spend a significant amount of time travelling within your country or region.

Qualifications

Many people who enter this area of work have a degree in social sciences or a relevant vocational subject, although not all posts require a particular degree. The following subjects may help to give you the required skills and increase your chances:

• economics
• education
• environmental science
• human rights
• international development or development studies
• languages (depending on the region)
• law
• logistics and supply chain management
• medicine, nursing and other health-related subjects
• social policy
• civil, environmental or water and sanitation engineering.

Training in safeguarding, child protection or humanitarian standards awareness is valued by employers, as is project management experience.

Entry without a degree is less common unless you can demonstrate substantial relevant experience.

Postgraduate courses are available in areas of international development, humanitarian emergencies, disaster management and international security. It's a good idea to get some work experience in the sector before starting a postgraduate course. This will provide context for further studies and help to identify the most relevant academic or professional qualification to undertake.

Search for postgraduate courses in international development.

A background in areas such as finance, IT, fundraising, HR or marketing may offer you an alternative entry point into development agencies, if you wish to work in development without being directly involved in managing overseas projects.

Some people enter aid and development work as a second career, having previously worked in nursing, law, teaching, engineering or logistics. This can be especially useful for overseas roles where experience is typically required.

International aid/development is a challenging and competitive career area to break into. It's essential to do some research and develop your understanding of how the sector and organisations operate before applying.

Skills

You will need:

• the ability to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds
• problem-solving skills and the ability to operate under pressure
• the ability to build and maintain effective relationships in changing teams
• drive and determination to achieve results
• the ability to manage your workload, prioritise tasks and delegate when necessary
• strong data collection, analysis, report writing and evaluation skills
• cross-cultural sensitivity and adaptability
• the ability to manage and coordinate people and projects, and motivate others
• patience and a willingness to take a long-term view
• flexibility, resilience and a willingness to learn new skills quickly
• sound decision-making skills, including awareness of safety and security risks.

Some humanitarian and disaster relief roles may also require specialist technical skills or previous field experience.

Language skills, such as French, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic, can be an advantage for some overseas roles, depending on the region.

For overseas postings, it can also be useful to have a driving licence and basic first aid skills.

Work experience

The key to getting a job in international aid and development is relevant previous experience. Getting related voluntary or paid work experience is essential during or following your studies, either overseas or in the UK.

Many students start by volunteering through their students' union or with local charities supporting refugees, migrants or community development projects. University careers and employability services also advertise local volunteering opportunities. Internships and work placements are also valuable and can often be undertaken during summer vacations.

Office-based roles in the UK, such as project support, fundraising, communications or research, can help you build relevant skills and understanding of how aid organisations operate.

Formal internship and graduate schemes are offered by some larger charities and international organisations, such as the British Red Cross, Oxfam and UN agencies, although competition for places is strong.

Most routes to gaining overseas experience require relevant skills and experience and, in some cases, self-funding. Volunteering opportunities are offered by a range of organisations, but it's important to research placements carefully and choose reputable programmes that follow safeguarding and ethical volunteering standards.

Some organisations, such as Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), usually look for volunteers with specific skills and experience.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

International development and emergency aid organisations are the main employers. These include:

• UK and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Oxfam, the British Red Cross, Save the Children, Islamic Relief, CARE International and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• multilateral organisations including the United Nations (UN), World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF
• government departments such as the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

NGOs include both secular and faith-based organisations, which may deliver humanitarian relief and long-term development programmes worldwide. They vary in size, structure, core work and regional focus. Some offer predominantly UK-based roles in areas such as finance, fundraising, communications, research and project support, while others recruit experienced staff for overseas programme management and humanitarian response roles.

International development consultancies and contractors delivering aid programmes may also employ graduates.

Some large international organisations run structured graduate or early-career programmes. Examples include the UN Young Professionals Programme (YPP) and Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme, the World Bank Young Professionals Program (YPP) and the ODI Fellowship Scheme. These programmes are highly competitive and often require a postgraduate qualification and relevant experience.

There is strong competition for roles across the sector, particularly for overseas and entry-level positions.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Bond (British Overseas NGOs for Development)
• CharityJob
• DevNetJobs.org
• ReliefWeb
• Civil Service Jobs (for FCDO and related roles).

Professional development

If you work for a large international organisation, you'll typically be given a comprehensive induction. You may be able to access a range of development opportunities, including training courses, conferences and seminars, e-learning, coaching, mentoring and job shadowing.

Many aid organisations also provide training in safeguarding, humanitarian standards and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), particularly for programme and field-based roles.

Training provision varies between organisations, and staff are often encouraged to take responsibility for their own development through external courses and professional networks. Organisations such as RedR, Bond and ReliefWeb run relevant training in areas such as humanitarian response, programme management and security awareness.

If you're an engineering graduate or hold a vocational degree, you can join your relevant professional body and may also be able to work towards professional accreditation or chartered status.

Career prospects

There isn't a set career pathway for international aid/development workers, and many people build their career according to their skills, experience and areas of specialism. Moving between NGOs to gain experience is common, often with a mix of UK and overseas posts. Competition is intense for both domestic and international roles. Working overseas may be difficult without higher or specialised qualifications, for example in health promotion, micro-finance, logistics or humanitarian response.

Government departments and multilateral organisations may offer more structured career development through graded roles and formal progression routes.

Posts such as country or regional programme manager generally require at least five to seven years' experience. Recruitment at this level is increasingly global, with a growing emphasis on appointing well-qualified national staff with the appropriate cultural background and local knowledge. Many organisations are also decentralising, with more roles based in the countries where programmes are delivered.

Consultancy may be an option after you have gained considerable experience, although competition for consultancy work can be particularly strong.