Broadening Horizons: Exploring 6 Types of Investigations in International Organizations

As you will have seen from this week's job listings, international organizations offer a wealth of opportunities for integrity investigators, that extend beyond fraud and corruption probes. These professionals possess versatile skills that are highly transferable across various fields, from internal administrative inquiries to international criminal investigations.

Career development for investigators isn’t just about moving vertically and climbing the ranks; it also involves lateral moves—switching between different types of organizations (e.g., from humanitarian to development) or investigation types (e.g., from administrative to human rights investigations).

Here are 6 investigative fields to consider when building a career in international organizations.

Fraud & Corruption Investigations: Often considered the core of integrity investigations, they target financial misconduct such as misrepresentations, misappropriation, anti-competitive practices and, of course, bribery. These investigations can be both internal, examining staff behavior, and external, involving other stakeholders of the organization's funds. They are fundamental in maintaining the financial integrity of organizations and ensuring that resources are used appropriately towards the organizations' objectives.