Employee retention is core for all organizations. Organizations which retain employees are able to keep old-cadres who are highly talented, experienced, knowledgeable and exceptional performers. However, employee retention remains a serious threat among international non-governmental organizations. This study examined the relationship between work life balance, career development and employee retention among international non-governmental organizations in Kampala. The study was a cross sectional design along with a quantitative research approach. A sample size of 113 international non-governmental organizations was used, from which lower staff/operational staff were selected to participate. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. SPSS v. 25 was used to analyse data, obtaining frequency tables, correlation and regression analyses to interpret results. The study found that work life balance is positively associated with employee retention. It was found that career development is positively associated with employee retention. The study found that jointly work life balance and career development significantly predict variations in employee retention. Both work life balance and career development were found to significantly predict employee retention, with career development being the better predictor. The study concludes that work-life balance and career development serve as key ingredients for promoting employee retention. This research recommends: enhancing career development; and improving work-life balance to improve employee retention. Identified areas for further research include; Investigate the relationship between work-life balance, career development and employee retention targeting various types of NGOs; Examine the relationship between work-life balance, career research.miu.ac.ug/publications 823 METROPOLITAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS (MJBE) ISSN 1813-4238 Vol. 2 Issue 5, August - 2023, Pages: 823-833 development and employee retention in NGOs focusing on employees across different managerial levels; and carryout mixed research investigating the relationship between work-life balance, career development and employee retention in NGOs.