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. They usually have a long experience of conflicts and of the ICRC's many activities. They have conducted at least three to five field missions, where they held positions of responsibility.

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

The ICRC does not recruit staff directly for headquarters. It requires that they have previous field experience, no matter what their training or skills. This policy aims to ensure that the ICRC's decision-making centre and the personnel working in the field have a common approach. It also facilitates communication and cooperation within the organization. The few posts that are an exception to this rule are listed under Job opportunities at headquarters.