International Committee of the Red Cross Employee Reviews about "local staff"

Pros

You travel all over the world as an international staff member and the work is very meaningful, you get to witness it firsthand

Cons

Bureaucracy and the way they treat local staff is sometimes rather unfair. UN get paid more and have an easier time traveling with their UNLP.

Pros

ICRC is a trusted organization and great place to work in. Though it is rather slow in the sustainability phase of assisting communities, however, the continued development is one of the most prominent aspects of the ICRC. It strives to reduce error while increase accuracy of targeting beneficiaries.

Cons

Considering the context's hardship, the communications between the units of one delegation sometimes goes down in responding to the recommendations provided other unit. The local field officers afford heavy tasks in a societies of needy people who do not care about the regular work hours. In few cases the brave management only can change the orientation of project implementation depending on the pop up facts. Comparing to other organizations, the ICRC pay less for the local staff. Despite the hardship of tasks in the severe climate weathers and stiffness of beneficiaries but one cannot have anything but to love the work

Pros

Great, diverse colleagues Decent pay compared to local NGO scene You contribute to making lives better Solid internal mechanism to avoid harassment and ensure accountability of managers

Cons

Bureaucratic, almost like a civil service Relies on archaic technology, an obsession with Microsoft tools when better tools now exist Huge pay disparity between local staff (resident staff) and foreign staff (aka mobile staff) Terrible compensation policy for overtime, and travels. Per diem can't get you a single meal at a decent hotel.

Pros

Unique experience abroad and meeting many people from different cultures in difficult contexts. Salary level very good with advantage from having very little charges to pay.

Cons

Totally ethnocentric approach: procedures and guidelines based on Swiss culture and transferred to other countries without taking any difference into account. Big gap between expats and local staff: expat houses and parties, money, etc - with often very little "mix" with local employees and even less with local people not ICRC employees. If you like having fun, go for it, but not don't expect "human" approach in a humanitarian environment...

Pros

Location in DC is close to good lunch places. Comfortable offices, with good shopping nearby. Close to the metro, which is nice.

Cons

The Washington DC delegation is insular, lacking innovation and has a highly dysfunctional office environment. Save yourself time in therapy and do not apply. They don't pay local staff well and management is not a skill which is valued. It was by far the worst experience in my professional life.

Pros

You get the feel you are doing something good for humanity in the work you do

Cons

As a national or local staff room for growth is non existent