Top NGOs Operating in Ethiopia

Ethiopia hosts one of the densest NGO ecosystems in Africa. The country's scale — over 120 million people, complex geography, recurring humanitarian emergencies, and a large development assistance budget — draws some of the world's largest and most specialised organisations. Understanding who is active and what they focus on is essential for targeting your job search effectively.

UN Agencies

The UN system maintains a substantial presence in Addis Ababa and across Ethiopia's regions.

• UNICEF Ethiopia is one of the largest UNICEF country offices in the world by budget, with major programmes in nutrition, health, WASH, education, and child protection. It recruits extensively for both Addis-based and field positions.
• World Food Programme (WFP) runs Ethiopia's largest food-assistance operation, covering emergency food distribution, school feeding, and livelihoods programming. Key recruitment areas include supply chain, logistics, programme management, and M&E.
• UNHCR Ethiopia manages one of Africa's largest refugee operations, with over 900,000 refugees primarily from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. Recruitment focuses on protection, community services, and field operations.
• IOM Ethiopia coordinates significant displacement-related programming and migration management, including tracking displacement events (the DTM system) and transit assistance.
• UNDP Ethiopia focuses on governance, environment, and resilience programming with a significant number of national officer and analyst positions.
• WHO Ethiopia works closely with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and recruits for public health, disease surveillance, and health systems strengthening roles.

Large International NGOs

• Save the Children Ethiopia is one of the country's largest INGOs, operating across child protection, education, health, nutrition, and food security in multiple regions including Somali, Oromia, Amhara, and SNNPR. It is among the top five INGO employers by headcount in Ethiopia.
• World Vision Ethiopia operates extensive community-development and emergency programmes with a particularly strong presence in rural Oromia and SNNPR. It recruits frequently at all levels.
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS) runs large food-security, WASH, and agriculture programmes, often in partnership with the Catholic Church's Caritas network. A major employer in southern and western Ethiopia.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC) focuses on humanitarian response and has significant operations in Gambella, Somali Region, Tigray, and Addis Ababa, with programmes spanning health, nutrition, protection, and economic recovery.
• Mercy Corps Ethiopia emphasises market-systems development, resilience, and youth employment alongside emergency response. Strong presence in Oromia and the Somali Region.
• CARE Ethiopia has worked in the country for decades with programming focused on gender, livelihoods, and food security. One of the larger INGO employers for women in programme management roles.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) runs multiple emergency medical programmes, primarily in conflict-affected and remote areas. Recruitment is for specific emergency contexts and tends to prioritise medical and logistics profiles.
• Action Against Hunger (ACF/AAH) focuses on nutrition, food security, and WASH, with a strong presence in drought-prone areas including Somali, Afar, and Oromia regions.
• Danish Refugee Council (DRC) operates protection, livelihoods, and housing programmes for displaced populations, with major operations in Gambella, Somali Region, and Tigray.
• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) delivers education, shelter, WASH, and information-counselling-legal-assistance (ICLA) programmes for IDPs and refugees across several regions.
• Concern Worldwide has significant nutrition and food-security programming in Oromia, Somali Region, and Afar.
• Plan International Ethiopia focuses on child rights, girls' education, and youth economic empowerment, with field operations in multiple regions.

Bilateral Development Organisations

• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) implements German development cooperation in Ethiopia across health, private sector, and sustainable landscapes. Consistent recruiter for senior adviser and national expert roles.
• SNV Netherlands Development Organisation focuses on agriculture, WASH, and energy, with a strong in-country presence and regular vacancies for sector specialists.
• Chemonics / Palladium / DAI — large US-based implementers of USAID-funded programmes are among the biggest employers in Ethiopia's development sector. USAID is the single largest bilateral donor in the country, and its implementing partners employ thousands of Ethiopian professionals.

Prominent Local NGOs

• Organization for Social Services Health and Development (OSSHD) is one of Ethiopia's largest local NGOs, with health and development programmes in multiple regions.
• Amref Health Africa Ethiopia works on community health, training of health extension workers, and health systems strengthening across several regions.
• Hundee — Oromo Grassroots Development Initiative is a respected local development NGO working on livelihoods and empowerment in Oromia.
• Relief Society of Tigray (REST) has worked on development and relief in Tigray for decades and is a key local partner in that region.

This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Ethiopia has well over 200 registered INGOs and thousands of local NGOs. Following this site and setting up job alerts on ReliefWeb will expose you to the full breadth of the market, including organisations not listed here.