International Relations Organizations

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International relations (also known as international affairs) connects politics, law, economics, social issues, and more on a global scale. By studying international relations in school, a person is set up for a wide variety of jobs that involves fields like diplomacy, communications, human rights, political analysis, security, and so on. Examples of jobs you can expect to find in this field, according to Studyportals, include a diplomat, political analyst, intelligence specialist, lobbyist, and communication specialist. Any position that involves international issues, however, could be considered an international relations job. Work can be found in the public sector, with NGOs, with multilateral organizations, and in the private sector.

Here are 10 organizations offering international relations jobs:

Kiva

Founded in 2005, Kiva in an international nonprofit that seeks to expand financial access to unbanked communities. Globally, more than 1.7 billion people are unbanked. Kiva works by crowdfunding loans, making it possible for students to pay for school tuition; for women to start businesses; and for people to pay for emergency care. Kiva accepts loans as small as $25 and ensures that 100% of that money goes to funding loans. Kiva does not collect interest and Kiva lenders don’t make interest.

There are a variety of career opportunities at Kiva in sectors like Marketing and Communications; Legal, Finance, and Operations; Strategic Partnerships; and Impact Investments. The Impact Investments team works with borrowers and partners all around the world, managing the relationships and making sure everything fits with Kia’s policies, mission, and focus.

Fairtrade International

Founded in 1997, Fairtrade International is a non-profit association of member organizations, producer networks, and national Fairtrade organizations. Their mission is to help producers achieve and maintain sustainable livelihoods. Fairtrade is the largest fair trade system in the world. Key issues for this organization include climate change, forced labor, gender equality, and human rights. Objectives of their standards include making sure producers receive prices that cover average costs of sustainable production; give pre-financing for producers that need it; and nurture long-term trading partnerships.

Fairtrade International employs 70 staff members in Bonn, Germany, and there are 30 other international offices. To see career opportunities, go to the websites of those specific organizations, such as http://www.fairtradeamerica.org/.

Peace Corps

Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the US government. It was established by executive order by President John F. Kennedy. Volunteers work with governments, non-profits, schools, and others in areas like technology, education, agriculture, and the environment.

Peace Corps does hire a staff that supports the volunteers and organization’s mission. It ranks as one of the best places to work in the federal government. There are full-time and contractor opportunities in countries within Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean, the Pacific, Asia, and Inter-America.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 and works in over 70 countries. It is an international Christian-based nonprofit. Their mission is to build homes and provide shelter to those who need it. Habitat has also worked with other agencies such as UN-Habitat to promote sustainable cities, neighborhood upgrading, access to land, and more.

Habitat for Humanity career opportunities can be found all over the world. In 2018, they ranked as one of the top best nonprofits to work for in the US, according to a list put together by job-hunting website Indeed.

United Nations

The United Nations is the central hub of international relations. Founded in 1945, it is committed to international peace, diplomacy, social progress, and human rights. The UN focuses on a wide variety of issues and contains many organizations within itself, such as the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Labor Organization.

The UN employs around 39,700 staff members. Positions vary widely and include political analysis, peace-keeping, diplomacy, communications, humanitarian relief, and more. Salary is leveled into tiers. As an example, for Professional staff, there are five Professional grades (P-1- to P-5) and two director levels (D-1 and D-2). The Field Service category has a similar structure with one scale applicable around the world.

World Bank Group

While technically part of the UN, the World Bank Group uses its own governance structure. It serves as an essential source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries. It is made of five institutions managed separately by its member countries. By 2030, the World Bank Group’s goal is to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity.

The World Bank Group’s headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. There are more than 120 offices around the world and a total of 10,000 employees. Staff works with governments, the private sector, civil society groups, and others on an international scale, assisting in policy, strategic advice, development, and more.

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) 

WILPF is a nonprofit organization committed to uniting women of different backgrounds and political views to work towards global peace. Their work includes analysis, activism, building partnerships and coalitions, sharing knowledge, and raising awareness. WILPF has national sections in 37 countries and Consultative Status (category B) with the UN Economic and Social Council. They have special relations and status with other UN organizations, as well.

WILPF is an international office that uses English as their working language. Other languages can be useful, too. Programs within WILPF focus on areas like disarmament; women, peace, and security; human rights; and crisis response.

International Monetary Fund

Also known as the Fund, the IMF is an international organization based in Washington. D.C. It’s comprised of 189 countries working to reduce poverty, encourage global monetary cooperation, improve financial stability, and more. The Fund was founded in 1944. Today, it plays a key role during international financial crises.

The IMF workforce is made of staff from over 140 countries. Job areas include economic and research roles such as macroeconomics, technical assistant experts, and research assistants; and non-economic roles such as specialized career stream professionals and specialized assistants.

World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organization (WTO) serves as the only global international organization that deals with trade rules between the world’s nations. It serves as a forum for trade agreements, settles trade disputes, and supports developing countries. The organization’s mission is to facilitate smooth, predictable, and free trade. Major decisions are made by WTO’s member governments.

On its regular budget, the WTO employs 650 staff members from around 80 countries. Positions include dispute settlement lawyer, trade policy analysts, research economics, legal officers, translators, finance professionals, and more. WTO’s headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization uses three languages: English, Spanish, and French.

VillageReach

VillageReach is a non-profit based in Seattle, Washington that works with governments to address problems with healthcare delivery in low-resource communities. Their work includes developing and implementing new systems, programs, and technologies that can improve health care. They focus on the most serious obstacles to good healthcare such as accessibility, information availability, lack of infrastructure, and issues with human resources.

In addition to its base in the United States, VillageReach has offices in Malawi, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are an equal employment opportunity employer. They also work with partner organizations through the Community Health Impact Coalition. Those job opportunities can be found at Community Health Impact Coalition.