Ireland places great importance in its membership of international organisations, viewing them as vital to our international standing as a small, neutral, island nation.

Many of these international organisations offer interesting and rewarding career paths. There are two types of international organisation, intergovernmental organisations, which are made up of member states and international nongovernmental organisations, which are NGO’s with an international reach. Examples of Intergovernmental organisations are the UN, the OECD, the World Bank and the IMF. Examples of International NGO’s are Oxfam, the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières 

Intergovernmental organisations tend to offer highly structured career paths and application processes for suitably skilled applicants. Skill demands can vary depending on the organisation, but economics knowledge is central to the IMF, OECD and the World Bank. With the UN and other organisations, the skills required depend on the section of the organisation you work in, but for roles in development aid, experience in the field is crucial in a competitive field. A willingness to travel for work and language skills are also very important when working in an international environment.