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Top 10 Organizations Offering Peacebuilding Jobs

There are many organizations working in the field of peacebuilding, and the number of jobs available in this area is growing. Here are some of the most popular organizations offering peacebuilding jobs:

UN Peacekeeping

The UN Peacekeeping organization is well-known for their peacekeepers stationed in countries of conflict, but they do much more than just being a presence in times of war. In addition to their peacekeeping forces, which work to protect civilians and promote cooperation among conflicting groups, they also take measures to prevent future conflicts and to build rule of law, human security, and human rights in countries around the world as part of efforts to promote future peace. In addition to the police and military opportunities, the UN Peacekeeping sector also offers civilian jobs, such as program and political affairs officers. Many of the civilian jobs work to help in post-conflict situations with public information/communications, rule of law building, resource management, and more.

UNESCO

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), whose slogan is “Building peace in the minds of men and women,” works to promote peacebuilding through inter-country cooperation, cultural preservation, education, and scientific research. UNESCO believes that through educational and scientific advancement, preservation of cultural heritages, and open dialogues between countries, they can promote and sustain peace and development. They offer jobs around the world in the fields of education, science, cultural studies (anthropology, sociology, etc), and development, where you can work to build and maintain peace in a number of ways.

International Peace Institute

International Peace Institute (IPI) is an international think tank promoting peacebuilding policies and practices, in addition to human security and development recommendations. They work closely with the UN and other international organizations to train leaders, change policies, mediate between countries, build partnerships, and publish research. They work primarily through research, publications, trainings, and partnerships with civil society and international organizations. They offer positions related to research, program management, fellowships, publications/communications, and more.

Search for Common Ground

Search for Common Ground is an international organization that promotes peace through safe community spaces, media, and dialogue. They promote voices of groups typically marginalized, work with those in power, use artists/TV/drama and more to promote peace through media, and bring together communities through arts, sports, and more. Working in countries throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, they engage and immerse in local cultures to help understand the people and create a better dialogue about what peace looks like in each community. They offer job opportunities for a variety of skills including design/media, program administration, program consultants, monitoring and evaluation, case management, communications, finance/economics, and more in countries throughout the world.

Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services is an international organization that works in a variety of areas in countries all over the world, including health, refugees, crisis response, agriculture, peacebuilding, and more. As part of their justice and peacebuilding initiatives, CRS works to foster inclusion, equity, and accountability. Their programs in this are designed to minimize conflict and also minimize inequalities, specifically between genders. CRS offers jobs in research and analysis, program management, communications, fundraising, finance, and more relating to peacebuilding and their other initiatives.

The World Bank

The World Bank is involved in several aspects of development in countries around the world, including peacebuilding strategies and practices. They assess peacebuilding strategies and recommend effective and sustainable ways for countries to continue promoting peace and to rebuild after conflict. They also fund peacebuilding initiatives in post-conflict countries to ensure future stability, accountability, and rule of law. For those looking to work in peacebuilding through the World Bank, they offer a variety of jobs including program management, consulting, social protection, governance and operations, and other peacebuilding-related programs and activities.

Peace Corps

The Peace Corps works in countries to promote peace and intercountry cooperation through health initiatives, community/economic development, youth development, education, environment, and agriculture. Volunteers and staff work alongside local organizations to immerse themselves in the culture and language, while helping local leaders and civil society organizations achieve their goals through programming, education, and awareness. Americans can serve through the Peace Corps in one of two ways. Apply to be a (paid) volunteer to work in the field for a temporary amount of time (typically 2 years), where you will be stationed in a country to learn the language, get to know the people, and help local schools and organizations do their work in the community. Or the Peace Corps also offers jobs within the agency for program management, medical officers, and administrative positions.

Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a large development and relief organization working with a variety of issues around the world, including conflict resolution and peacebuilding. In particular, they work to help countries at-risk for conflict, or countries who have recently been in conflict, find ways to prevent conflict, peacefully resolve and manage conflict, and reduce participation in violence. In addition to their work on the ground, they also conduct research studies to better serve communities in the future from what they learn. MercyCorps offers a wide variety of positions both at their headquarters in the US and Europe and in the countries in which they work around the world. They have jobs for those local to the countries they work in, as well as those for expatriates, including work in program specialists, fundraising, communications, administration, advocacy, and more.

Mediators Beyond Borders

Mediators Beyond Borders conducts initiatives around the world to help build peace and reduce conflict. Their primary programs focus on women, trauma survivors, capacity-building, and consulting. They connect with leaders, organizations, and groups within countries impacted by conflict to help them build strategies that will lead to sustainable peace. MBB largely provides volunteer and internship opportunities because of the way their programs are set up, although they do have staff positions occasionally available for administration, communications, program management, etc. For those with a background in mediating, you can also sign up to become a Peace Mediator, a member of their organization, who can participate in the programming they provide around the world.

Interpeace

Interpeace is an international organization that specifically focuses on peacebuilding and conflict resolution. They work to tailor each approach to a country’s situation, culture, and resources. Interpeace brings an approach of inclusive peacebuilding, as well as a 6-track approach that involves each level of society from grassroots/community to the government and political elites. They aim to increase trust among groups and restore legitimacy to state institutions. For those interested in a career in peacebuilding, they offer program management and specialist positions, administration, communications, and other relevant positions.

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