Vienna, Austria
UNRWA was created after the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948 to assist homeless Palestinian refugees. Education, health and relief assistance are provided today to refugees in Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria. Much of UNRWA's budget is spent on education, vocational and professional training and university scholarships. Its medical centers, which stress preventive medicine and community health, handle more than 4 million patients annually. UNRWA also provides food, small grants and some shelter repair for the most needy. The agency is financed by voluntary contributions-primarily from governments but also from international organizations, voluntary agencies, corporations and individuals.
Professional staff
UNRWA has a professional staff of 100, all but one of whom are based overseas, either at Vienna headquarters or in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan or Israel. Ten internationally recruited people have been hired in the past year. At present there are 14 U.S. citizens working for UNRWA.
Qualifications
In addition to its own staff, UNRWA has on loan medical staff recruited by the World Health Organization and educational specialists hired by UNESCO. UNRWA desires a graduate degree in personnel administration, finance, engineering or technical or relief-oriented disciplines. Knowledge of languages is preferred, with Arabic, French and German in greatest demand.
UNRWA requires a minimum of 5 years experience, preferably with other international or governmental organizations and preferably in the Middle East. Experience can be in international relief work, finance, personnel and administration, law, supply and transport logistics or public information.
UN Volunteers (UNV)
Geneva, Switzerland
UN Volunteers is an international volunteer organization dedicated to providing technical assistance to developing nations. The United Nations Development Program is responsible for the administration of UNV. The U.S. Peace Corps screens U.S. UNV applicants. Volunteers serve in all the UN member states, including countries where the Peace Corps has no staff, such as the People's Republic of China, Ethiopia, Somalia and Turkey.
The average tour of duty is two years. A monthly living stipend, housing and health and life insurance are provided by UNV. Upon completion of a project, volunteers receive a $175 resettlement allowance for each month they have served.
Professional staff
UNV recruits mid- to upper-level professionals to serve as volunteers. In the past 3 years, the Peace Corps has sponsored about 130 Americans who have served as UNVs. There are approximately 1,000 volunteers currently in positions throughout the Third World. [For information on Peace Corps staff openings, see discussion of Peace Corps in the U.S. Government chapter.]
Qualifications
Volunteers must be 21 or older, proficient in English, French or Spanish, in good health and have a minimum of two years experience working in their specialty. They must have at least a college degree, although many have advanced degrees. Applicants with experience in a skilled or technical trade must present a technical diploma and have several years work experience. The following is a partial list of desired UNV fields: accounting, agronomy, architecture, botany, carpentry, computers, community development, medicine, economics, engineering, fishery, forestry, geology, health education, irrigation, library science, mechanics, nursing, nutrition, physics, printing, teaching, urban and regional planning, veterinary science and welding. Language training is not provided, so applicants must have language skills of the country in which they want to work.
Application procedure
U.S. citizens must apply through the Peace Corps. They must meet all Peace Corps requirements, present completed Peace Corps and UNV applications to a Peace Corps recruiting office, and have an interview. Candidates completed and approved (by the Peace Corps) applications are sent to the UNV headquarters in Geneva. If accepted by Geneva, the applicant's name is placed on a roster, which is used to fill openings as they occur. Four times a year UNV headquarters publishes a list of hard-to-fill vacancies (called the Vacant Post List), which is available from the Peace Corps. Applicants need not apply for specific vacancies. UN Volunteers must be cleared by appropriate UN agencies and must pass a medical examination. The entire application process takes a minimum of six months and once on the roster the candidate cannot be assured when, or even if, a post will be offered.
The World Bank Group
Washington, DC
The World Bank Group is a multilateral organization comprising three institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Each institution is supported by member countries. Founded in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference, the IBRD is the oldest and largest of the three institutions. Its purpose, in common with its affiliates, is to lend funds, to provide advice and to stimulate investment by others. The bank emphasizes projects and programs that improve the well-being of the poorest people in developing countries. It has recently invested in agricultural and rural development, education, health and family planning, water supply and electrification. Its loans are financed primarily from its borrowings in world markets but also from retained earnings and repayments from other loans.
Sharing staff with IBRD is the IDA, which acts as the Bank's concessional financing arm. IDA was established in 1960 when it became apparent that there was a need for lending to poor countries on easier terms than the IBRD could provide. IDA issues credits, which are long-term and interest-free. In addition, there is a 10-year grace period before the principal has to be repaid.
The IFC has its own staff, is funded separately and constitutes a separate legal entity, even though it shares with the Bank a wide variety of administrative and other services. The IFC's purpose is to promote the growth of the private sector of Third World economies. It does this by providing loans, making equity investments and stimulating private capital flows. The IFC neither requires nor accepts government guarantees.
The IBRD/IDA maintains 42 overseas offices throughout the world, mainly in developing countries; the IFC has 10. Professional IBRD/IDA positions include country economists, research/policy economists, project economists, project officers, financial analysts, technical specialists, technical advisers, evaluation officers and attorneys. Engineer, economist, attorney and investment officer are the main professional positions at the IFC.
Professional staff
About 90% of the staff work at headquarters in Washington, DC. IBRD/IDA has a professional staff of over 3,000 of whom about 200 have been hired in the last 12 months. The IFC has a smaller staff, about 300, with about 35 new employees.
Qualifications
The World Bank normally requires a graduate degree for employment. Economics, finance and technical disciplines are the preferred fields of study. Knowledge of languages, especially Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese or Spanish, is an advantage. Previous work experience-10 to 15 years for technical specialists, 5 to 10 years for economists and 5 years for investment officers-is required. A willingness to travel is essential since staff members may spend as much as one quarter of their time on overseas business. Applicants must also demonstrate an understanding of, a sensitivity toward and an interest in development issues. Employees are recruited internationally.
Training program
About 20% of current World Bank staff were recruited through the Young Professionals Program (YPP). This program is aimed at people under the age of 30 who have a strong background in economics or finance plus some related work experience and language capability. It provides the opportunity for professional development through on-the-job learning and exposure. An MA or preferably a PhD is required. Young Professionals work in different departments during the program. They are usually given two six-month assignments in different departments, one usually in a field mission. The Bank receives thousands of applications each year for a limited number of these positions.
Internships
The World Bank has a small Summer Employment Program for continuing graduate students in economics, finance and other technically related fields. Positions are paid and usually run from June to September. Applicants should have quantitative abilities and computer skills, since they will be doing statistical and data analysis in addition to researching and writing projects. A background in development studies, especially the sub-Saharan countries, is desired, and knowledge of foreign languages is useful. Last year the Bank received 1,800 applications for 120 positions.
Application procedure
The World Bank usually does not advertise its openings, but vacancy announcements are usually circulated internally. The Bank asks that prospective employees send resumes and covering letters; qualified candidates will be sent application forms. The completed forms are circulated to departments with openings, where the actual hiring decisions are made.
