Close
Interested in a career that makes a difference? Explore charity and non-governmental organisation (NGO's) sector throughout the year.
On this page:
Overview
Interested in a career that makes a difference?
Getting into Charities and NGOs can be competitive, but you can find success by learning from leading organisations and professionals. Their experiences will show you what this sector is really like and how to find a route into a fulfilling career.
Join us for an exciting week of virtual panel discussions, followed by Q&A sessions.
How to prepare
Speaker profiles will be provided for each event, allowing you to do some initial research before attending. This will help you ask insightful questions at the events themselves.
We would recommend that you read through the range of help sheets and resources recommended on our resource library on effective networking and the relevant sector guides below, to better understand job roles, key employers and emploment opportunities, sources of sector news and information, and how UCL can help you:
We will also run a regular series of lunchtime talks on effective networking at events as part of our Career Essentials programme which provide tips and advice on building your professional networks.
Events 2023/24
- Insight Into Careers in International Development
Thursday 12 October, 5:30pm-7pm
This event has already taken place.
Hear from recent UCL graduates and experienced professionals working in the International Development field. Learn about their career to date and gain top tips to excel in a job in this space. Each panellist will present their career journey, how they got into the sector, their day-to-day in their current job, what skills have helped them to develop/progress in the field and will provide tips for getting into the sector. The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session where you can ask your burning questions. Sign-up to avoid missing out!
Panellists will be announced closer to the event date so do watch this space….
PANEL:
Jaanki Patel (she/her) – Global Youth Community Organiser, Amnesty International
Jaanki has had a rich and varied career in human rights to date. Prior to joining Amnesty International’s Global Children and Youth Team, she campaigned for trauma-informed approaches to be embedded in criminal justice services in the U.K., particularly for women in conflict with the law. Jaanki has also advocated for the global legal prohibition of corporal punishment of children. In her current role, she is responsible for organising a Youth Summit on Digital Rights in Argentina next year and facilitates a group of child and youth activists who will champion children and young people’s digital rights, health and wellbeing. Jaanki is based in London and works at the Amnesty International, International Secretariat.
Kiana Alavi (she/her) – Advocacy and Campaigns Manager at Save the Children International (Yemen Country office), Save the Children International
Over the past ten years, Kiana has worked in a variety of humanitarian, human rights and development organisations. Prior to joining Save the Children's Yemen country office, she worked for Project Everyone, an organisation that has led creative campaigns for the UN and various international organisations. As part of this role, she worked on exciting campaigns such as creating a forest in central London to raise awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Kiana has worked on a variety of thematic focus areas, from the SDGs through to WASH, refugee education and child marriage, and has travelled to various countries to support country offices and partner organisations in delivering campaign and advocacy activities. Having started her career in the Middle East by working with Afghan refugee women and children in Iran, Kiana has found herself back in the region - now focusing on Yemen but working remotely from the UK - and campaigning on children's right to access safe and quality education. She recently completed her master's programme at the University of York, where she studied part-time (remotely) for two years whilst working full time.
Mobeen Salih (he/him) – Associate Consultant, Dalberg Advisors
Mobeen’s role at Dalberg is to help provide analytical support to foundations, INGOs and governments aiming to improve the way they tackle development challenges. This involves research, interviews, quantitative analysis, and strategy and report-writing – with sector focuses varying between global health, energy, humanitarian responses, racial and ethnic equity, and more. Prior to Dalberg, Mobeen worked at IOM - UN Migration, where he advised local governments on refugee integration. He also has experience at grassroots NGOs in Colombia, Spain and his country of origin, Sudan. Mobeen holds a BA from the University of Oxford in Philosophy and Spanish, and an MSc in Globalization and Latin American Development from UCL.
Cecilia Dosu (she/her) – External Affairs Officer, World Bank
- Introduction to Charities & NGOs
Monday 27 November, 5:30pm-7pm
This event has already taken place.
Getting your first graduate job in a charity or NGO can be challenging due to competition for roles and the limited number of graduate schemes available. However, finding out more about the sector and perseverance can lead to a diverse, fulfilling career.
At this virtual panel event, you will hear from recent UCL graduates and experienced professionals working in the Charity and NGO sectors about their career to date and gain top tips on how to get a foot in the door.
Each panellist will present their career journey, how they got into the charities & NGOs sector, their day-to-day in their current job, what attracted them to work in the sector, what skills have helped them to develop/progress in the field and will provide you with tips for getting into the sector.
The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session.
Participating speakers:
Carly Connoly – Business Development and Fundraising Manager at Age UK Westminster
Farah Nazeer – Chief Executive Officer at Women’s Aid Federation of England
Rebecca Tayler-Edwards – DPO Development Manager at Disability Rights UK
Francesca Trotman – Managing Director & Founder at Love the Oceans
- Using Your Research Skills in the Charity Sector
Thursday 7 December, 5:30pm-7pm
This event has already taken place.
As a UCL student – undergrad or postgrad – you’ll develop a wide range of research skills, whatever your discipline. Join us at this event where established professionals and UCL alumni discuss the demand for research skills in the Charity, NGO, and International Development sectors and how you can use these to your advantage.
Gain actionable insights for a fulfilling and rewarding career within the not-for-profit world; and build meaningful connections with professionals in the field. We look forward to seeing you there!
Panellists:
Clara Gallagher - Researcher at International Institute for Environment and Development
Daniel Lewis - Principal Researcher at Nesta
Daniel Payne - Senior Research and Impact Officer at BookTrust
David Walsh - Head of Public Affairs at WWF-UK
Ghina Kheir - Junior Program Officer at International Growth Centre
Sita Kenyon - Education Officer at Amnesty International UK
- The Realities Of Working in the Non-Profit Sector and What it Means For Your Job Hunt
Monday 22 January, 1pm-2:30pm
This event has already taken place.
The non-profit sector is facing unprecedented challenges, including the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this session, a panel of professionals and UCL graduates, working in the sector, will discuss their career paths, the current landscape in their organisation, as well as having an honest conversation about the realities of working in the non-profit sector, including how the sector has changed and adapted. Our speakers will share their ideas on what this means for students and graduates looking to enter the sector.
Each panellist will introduce themselves, followed by questions asked by the chair and then a chance for you to ask too.
- Charities & NGOs Role Information Panel
This event has already taken place.
Monday 11 March, 5:30pm-7pm
Getting your first graduate job in a charity or NGO can be challenging due to competition for roles and the limited number of graduate schemes available. However, finding out more about the sector and perseverance can lead to a diverse, fulfilling career.
At this virtual panel event, you will hear from recent UCL graduates and experienced professionals working in the Charity and NGO sectors about their career to date and gain top tips on how to get a foot in the door.
Each panellist will present their career journey, how they got into the charities & NGOs sector, their day-to-day in their current job, what attracted them to work in the sector, what skills have helped them to develop/progress in the field and will provide you with tips for getting into the sector, with current Jobs and paid internship opportunities.
- Recruitment Information Panel (International Development)
POSTPONED
To join the live event, please click the join button via any of the exhibitor's logos, found below, at the start time of the event.
Getting your first graduate job in International Development can be challenging due to competition for roles and the limited number of graduate schemes available. However, finding out more about the sector and perseverance can lead to a diverse, fulfilling career.
At this virtual panel event, you will hear from recent UCL graduates and experienced professionals working in the International Development sector about their career to date and gain top tips on how to get a foot in the door.
Each panellist will present their career journey, how they got into the International Development sector, their day-to-day in their current job, what attracted them to work in the sector, what skills have helped them to develop/progress in the field and will provide you with tips for getting into the sector, with current Jobs and paid internship opportunities.
The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session.
Archive
Event recordings from Charities and NGO's events from previous years are available in our archive. These include complete panel discussions and in-depth interviews with experts.