Find out what makes The HALO Trust tick and what career opportunities HALO can offer you.
At HALO, we believe each employee contributes directly to our growth and success. When you embark on a career with HALO, you will join a team of people with a shared commitment to making a difference in some of the most vulnerable communities in the world. The type of individual we seek to join us not only shares this commitment but also shares the values and standards that are at our core such as integrity, respect, courage and reliability.
As a HALO employee, you will contribute to the transformation of whole communities while developing skills and experience to support both your career and personal growth within HALO, whether that be in one of our over 30 programmes around the globe or in a support function based in the UK, USA or the Netherlands.
You could have the opportunity to work in, or visit, different countries and cultures, and you will be fully supported in your career with ongoing training and development. The HALO Trust is committed to a culture that is both diverse and inclusive, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people form a diverse candidate pool.
There's never a dull moment out in the field. Find out more about life in HALO from some of our staff.Health and wellbeing
Our employee's physical and mental wellbeing is important to us and is essential to the work that HALO undertakes. Steps we take include:
- Medical advisory board proactively manage health risks in each location
- Travel health advice and support
- Occupational health provider supports all aspects of wellbeing including counselling
- Paramedics and extensive medical packs in all locations
- Comprehensive insurance for international staff
Training
HALO encourages ongoing personal development for all employees, including:
- formal and on-the-job training
- coaching and mentoring
- shadowing
- job rotation.
Training is fundamental to The HALO Trust retaining and continuously improving its reputation as the longest-standing and largest civilian humanitarian mine action organisation in the world. HALO recognises the importance of high-quality training to attract and retain a skilled and motivated workforce.
Field Officer Course
The most well-known training provided by HALO is the Field Officer Course – an intensive and immersive training course that begins in HALO's UK headquarters and progresses to one or more country programmes over six and a half months.
The course prepares trainees to take up places as junior operations officers in resident HALO country teams, able to exercise responsibility for the safety and welfare of staff and beneficiaries. It covers a range of practical, analytical, leadership and managerial functions.
The Field Officer Course has been awarded 120 credit points at Level 9 by Glasgow Caledonia University on the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF).
The HALO Trust is unique among humanitarian mine clearance organisations in running a long-form training course for those who aspire to work as operations officers on its minefields. No prior humanitarian mine action experience is required to join HALO field officer training, so competition is fierce for the limited places awarded each year. While course content and length have evolved over the decades to keep pace with the introduction of new technology and expansion of international mine action standards, HALO field officer training is highly regarded in the mine action sector as the foundation-level entry into the management of humanitarian demining operations.
Opportunities for existing staff
While the Field Officer Course ensures a steady stream of new talent into the organisation, for existing staff there is a range of technical professional development training opportunities.
The in-house explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team deliver tailored courses for staff across HALO's country programmes. Three of these courses have been credit-rated on the SCQF framework: EOD Level One, EOD Level Three, and Humanitarian Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (HIEDD) training. Each is benchmarked to United Nations International Mine Action Standard (IMAS) competences.
HALO deminers are recruited from the communities most affected by landmines and other explosive ordnance, and undergo rigorous IMAS-level training to enable them to safely remove the threat of explosive ordnance and return previously hazardous land to their own communities. Some staff do specialist training for clearing specific types of explosives and all staff with line-management responsibilities receive leadership training.
Training is not restricted to operational positions. HALO regularly runs a three-week programme officer course for global and local staff working in key administrative roles. This course covers donor grant and partnership management, monitoring and evaluation, data management and analysis, and an introduction to operations and operations planning. There are also dedicated full-time trainers for Information Management, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Accountability (MEAL), finance, logistics, driving, safeguarding, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). When required, HALO invites external subject-matter experts to deliver training on technical innovations or to provide a fresh perspective.
Employee benefits
Benefits vary based on where you're located:
- UK staff get generous annual leave, a contributory pension scheme, non-contributory life assurance, flexible working and a cycle to work scheme.
- International staff get accommodation, a daily living allowance, generous annual leave and three return flights to their home country each year.
- US staff get generous annual leave, sick leave, contributory 401k saving plan, contributory health and dental insurance.
Interested in being part of the HALO team and having a career that is challenging, enjoyable and rewarding? Have a look at our current vacancies.