Working for DFID

Careers at the Department for International Development.

This information page was withdrawn on

The Department for International Development (DFID) was replaced by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in September 2020. This DFID page is no longer current. Instead, see Working for FCDO.

Great reasons to work with us

More and more people are looking for job satisfaction: the feeling that what they do is worthwhile, and makes a positive difference to people’s lives.

DFID offers a diverse range of job opportunities in areas ranging from communications to social development, united in leading the UK’s work to end extreme poverty. We are tackling the global challenges of our time including poverty and disease, mass migration, insecurity and conflict. Our work is helping to build a safer, healthier, more prosperous world for people in developing countries and in the UK too. What could be more worthwhile than that?

Find out more about a career with DFID by visiting our pages on the Civil Service Careers website.

As well as job satisfaction, we offer a professional working environment, competitive salaries with excellent pension provision and a range of other benefits. We offer maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks of statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.

We welcome applications from all parts of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or background. We are committed to diversity and inclusion in all that we do and we encourage and support all staff to realise their potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

These are some of the great reasons to work for DFID (PDF, 249 KB, 4 pages).

Diversity and inclusion

Whoever you are and wherever you’re from, working in DFID and a broader career in the Civil Service could take you anywhere. See our Annual Diversity and Inclusion Reports.

Flexible working

Including reduced hours, compressed hours and remote working.

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Your pay and reward package includes membership of the Civil Service Pension Scheme arrangements which are recognised as some of the best in the pension’s world. You can find more information about our pension schemes on the Civil Service Pensions website.

Leave

You will be entitled to 25 days annual leave when you start increasing to 30 days after 5 years as well as public and privilege holidays.

Working overseas

We offer a range of benefits for staff working overseas, including a hardship allowance and travel back to the UK. Allowances are also offered for partners and children.

Learning and development opportunities

We offer all our staff an extensive range of opportunities to help maximise their contribution to DFID’s work.

Jobs

See our advertisements for specific posts on:

Current vacancies

Please note that these advertisements are for senior professional posts, overseas posts and staff locally employed in countries where we work. For all other vacancies in DFID, visit the Civil Service jobs website.

DFID Pakistan: Private Sector Development Adviser

The application date for this position has now closed. The recruitment process for this Private Sector Adviser has now resumed. Shortlisted candidates shall soon be contacted.

Recruitment process

Before you apply for a job with us, please read the following guidance:

Government Internal Fraud Initiative

From Monday 30 October 2017, DFID will be participating in the Government Internal Fraud Initiative in conjunction with the Cabinet Office. The purpose of the initiative is to protect the Civil Service and public funds against loss caused by internal fraud and dishonest conduct, and introduce a strong deterrent against it.

Under the initiative, a 5 year ban preventing individuals gaining employment in any participating department will be imposed on anyone dismissed for fraudulent or dishonest conduct. Individuals who resign or otherwise leave, but would have been dismissed had they continued in employment will also be subject to the ban.

Successful interview candidates to DFID will be screened against the Cabinet Office database. The Cabinet Office will use information on the outcome of any checks for monitoring and analysis purposes, and to ensure that checks are being carried out correctly. The data will also be used for research on the prevention and detection of fraud. No data will be shared outside of the Department for International Development, Cabinet Office, Civil Service Resourcing, and other participating departments except on an anonymised basis.

Alumni Association

Over time DFID has benefitted from an exceptionally talented and diverse group of employees. DFID’s alumni network maintains connections between current employees and alumni and improves access to organisational knowledge and experience. If you have worked for DFID, the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) or the Overseas Development Ministry (ODM), the Alumni Association is for you. It’s your first port of call for getting the latest news from fellow alumni, and updates about the work of the department.

Contents