DfID jobs: What you need to know

Jas Malhi calls her current post with the U.K. Department for International Development her dream job. She has been a strategic communications manager for over a year now, working to improve public awareness of DfID’s work. The University of East London marketing graduate, however, started with a different position-as human resource administrator-five years ago. Getting from that job to the current one she has saw her moving from one assignment to another. “In DfID, there are lots of opportunities for you to use the rights skills for the right job,” Malhi said. “So initially, when I started off, I worked in HR. As I was working there, an opportunity came up for me to work on an international development white paper; it was just a great opportunity for me.” Jim Higgins, head of resourcing at DfID, said the bilateral aid agency hires a wide variety of international development professionals such as governance, economic and social advisers. “You would not typically find a social development advisor in another U.K. government department,” Higgins said. How to locate job opportunities Aside from its Web site, DfID typically announces job vacancies on Civil Service Jobs online, professional journals, and publications such as the Guardian and the Economist. All permanent posts are also advertised through Jobcentre Plus, and on the Devex Web site. Job announcements posted online contain detailed information on the required qualifications, procedure for submitting applications, and expected salary for the position. Oftentimes, they include a downloadable file of the application form, which is tailored to the post. Although a number of applications are done online, DfID welcomes hard copy submissions from candidates who may not have easy access to the Internet. “We want to attract the best people, so we have to exercise that flexibility,” Higgins said. Ideal candidate profile Job applicants are required to demonstrate five of DfID’s nine core competencies-planning and delivery of work, analysis and use of information, decision making, working with others, communicating with others, influencing, organization awareness, managing change and continual improvement. Each competency is explained in DfID’s Core Competency Framework, which is available on the job section of the Web site. “The manager will determine which competences are most important for that job,” Higgins said. Applicants should ensure they meet the essential qualifications and experience cited in the announcement. They should ask themselves: What work have I done that is relevant? What relevant competencies have I demonstrated in my current or previous job, at the appropriate level? Where I don’t currently have a competence, do I have any experience or qualification that demonstrate my potential to acquire it? On top of the qualifications and competencies, nationality is also a factor for recruitment at DfID. Some jobs require a diplomatic passport, thus excluding non-British nationals. Others require a high-level security clearance, which is not granted to non-Europeans. Assessment centers Short-listed candidates may be invited to attend an assessment center located in London, England or East Kilbride, Scotland. They are normally given three weeks’ notice for this purpose. A typical center will include three or more of the following: panel interview, core competency-based interview, written exercise, group discussion, presentation to the interview panel and psychometric tests. “For the candidate it can be a very interest day,” Higgins said. “It certainly is not a one-hour interview. It could be a whole day.” According to Higgins, applicants should be candid during the session. They should also relax and let their qualities come out, he added. “I would say a tip to candidates coming to the assessment center is understand as much as you can about the job … and about work that DfID does,” Higgins said. “Do not assume you know anything.” Applicants are usually informed of the application outcome by e-mail, he revealed. “But many recruiters like to phone and give the personal touch,” he said. Job perks New employees are taken through a comprehensive induction process. This is designed to help them do their job effectively as quickly as possible and would involve identifying their needs. DfID employees get to develop new skills by partaking in training courses, conferences and seminars, e-learning, coaching, mentoring, and job shadowing. Malhi has seized upon the opportunities provided by DfID. She registered for Crossing Thresholds, an internal program available to people from ethnic minority backgrounds. “It’s for people looking to achieve a goal,” she said. “The program is structured for you to work with a mentor to get towards your desired goal.” All DfID employees are signed up for a civil service pension scheme. The department contributes between 17.1 and 25.5 percent of employee salary to a pension fund. The department offers a range of benefits and support for staff going to work overseas for four months or more. This may include a hardship allowance, where appropriate. Upon assignment completion, permanent DfID staff members may be offered a posting of their choice. Those deployed to volatile states such as Afghanistan and Sudan could obtain promotions. But the case is different for people employed under a DfID contract. “Incentives for contractors are for the consideration of their employer,” Higgins said. “They would not be given a permanent job with DfID.” Opportunities for young Britons At present, DfID does not officially run programs for volunteers or interns. However, some individual departments take on volunteers every now and then, on an ad hoc basis. Some recent graduates are opting to apply for Platform2, a program fully-funded by DfID. The volunteering scheme offers 18- to 25-year-olds the opportunity to visit a developing country and get involved in global issues such as justice and poverty. U.K. nationals, who would otherwise not be able to afford to visit a developing country, could volunteer in India, Nepal, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, or Peru. Read more career advice articles.