Fresh out of university, Tim Ludford volunteered in Nigeria with poverty-focused British development organization VSO. On his return, he got a job selling mobile phones, but his volunteering experience had made him realize development was a career, and that it was possible to get paid for helping people. He put out a few feelers, and landed a job in London with JICA, Japan's overseas aid development organization. 

Ludford works now as an independent humanitarian aid and development consultant, has operated extensively in Iraq, and as a program evaluator for organizations including UNICEF and Plan International.