The organizational structure of the Society for International Development (SID) consists of a General Assembly, a Governing Council, an Executive Committee, President, Vice-President, Managing Director, and an International Secretariat.

  • The General Assembly is the sovereign body of SID, approving the broad guidelines for the programme and generally overseeing the work and activities of the Society. All members have a right to participate in the general assembly or to vote through proxy. The General Assembly meets every four years.
     
  • The Governing Council is elected by all members - individual and institutional - in advance of each regular General Assembly through a mail ballot. It acts as the board of directors for the Society. It has the power 'to approve proposed budgets, authorize expenditures, seek and accept contributions, authorize contracts in the name of the Society, define and promote the activities of the Society, determine the eligibility of applicants for membership, authorize the employment of auditors, provide for the business and conduct of the General Assemblies, and provide for the distribution of the Society's journal and other publications'. It may delegate powers and duties to officers and employees of the Society. The Governing Council seeks to include representation from each major region of the world and meets at least once annually.
     
  • The Executive Committee consists of 6 to 9 members elected by the Governing Council from among its membership. The Executive Committee is chaired by the President of the Society.
     
  • The President and up to two Vice-Presidents of SID are chosen by the Governing Council from among its own members.
     
  • The Managing Director is appointed by the Governing Council and serves as an ex-officio member of the Governing Council and of the Executive Committee with right to vote in each of them.
     
  • The International Secretariat is responsible for the implementation of the Society's programme of work. While formally headquartered in Rome, staff are also based in SID's main operational office in Nairobi. SID staff is also located across the globe in India, USA and Mexico.
 
Members have historically self-organized into independent thematic or geographic groups, operating without administrative, financial, or operational ties to the SID Secretariat. SID may be unaware of some of these groups, as they function entirely autonomously in various jurisdictions.