© Olivier Papegnies
Would you like to work in the humanitarian sector as a paid employee or an International Solidarity Volunteer but don’t know where to start or how to go about it? Here’s a short guide to help you find your way.
The humanitarian sector has been going through a period of change over the last 20 years or so. Whereas in the past NGOs were often more informal, the sector is now much more structured in the way projects are organised and also in terms of recruitment.
Working on humanitarian projects is not something you can make up as you go along. A wide range of university degrees and training courses are now available to prepare you for a career in the humanitarian sector: examples include courses at specialist institutes, Masters degrees in humanitarian action and courses in humanitarian project management.
At Médecins du Monde, expatriate posts are primarily coordination roles involving project management, managing teams and extensive knowledge of international humanitarian work , all of which requires substantial prior experience.
You can also work with us in your own country. Our international programmes currently employ 120 expatriate staff and 1,300 members of staff recruited directly in the countries concerned. These posts provide great opportunities to gain experience and could pave the way to a role as part of a humanitarian programme in another country.
Médecins du Monde also runs around 60 projects in France for which we recruit for various roles, including programme coordinators, project managers and social workers.
You can also work for an NGO without working in the field.
Médecins du Monde has a number of different posts at our headquarters in a range of support roles, such as finance, communication and human resources.
You might not immediately think about it in this way, but by working for us as an auditor or in communications, you are just as much part of Médecins du Monde’s campaigning work as you are as a humanitarian worker.
