About 800 people work at ICRC headquarters in Geneva. Their main role is to provide advisory, support and coordination services for field activities. They must therefore know the organization and its operations well. Headquarters staff usually have extensive experience of conflicts and of the ICRC's many activities and have conducted at least three field missions in positions of responsibility.

Some positions can only be filled by people who have acquired expertise in specific fields, such as law, medicine or communication.

In general, the ICRC does not recruit staff directly for headquarters. We usually require that they have previous field experience, no matter what their training or skills. This policy ensures that the ICRC's decision-making centre and personnel in the field share the same approach. It also facilitates communication and cooperation within the organization. Exceptions to this rule are listed under Job opportunities at headquarters.