ActionAid operates through its national offices worldwide and through the IS hubs. In national offices, the majority of staff (at all levels) are local people. Members of the local National Boards are nationals of the respective country and take part in hiring the Country Directors. ActionAid commits to hiring local people for local jobs. 

Following the 2011 Remuneration and Benefits review, implemented to limit international expatriate contracts to senior leadership team members if necessary, led to a decrease in the overall number of expatriate staff. By December 2015 the number of expatriates had decreased to 25 out the total 3,044 staff. 

From 2012, they introduced a principle called ‘localisation’ for all of their staff on long-term staff expatriate contracts. Housing and school fee benefits are reduced to 50% at the beginning of the 6th year on the expat being in one location and completely fall away at the beginning of the 7th year. This is fully outlined in the Global Human Resources Standards and the International Secretariat Human Resources Handbooks.