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For IR type jobs defined as government, multilateral institutions (World Bank, UN), non-governmental orgs (World Wildlife Fund, etc):
US Government: The most forgiving of non-PhD (ie Master's Holders). Some exceptions: Treasury for analytic jobs (economics), State Department for policy planning jobs (esp. toward upper echelon) though I am not 100% sure PhDs get a much better footing. I have just known some of those guys and they tended to be PhD holders.
Multilateral Institutions: Forget working at the World Bank if you're American and don't have a PhD in economics or some other technical field of interest, and it has to be from a top 6 or 7 program typically. Of course, there are plenty of MAs who work there, but they are not going to move upwards that far. The UN, I would imagine, is the same. The IFC, part of the World Bank, basically demands private sector banking experience (investment banking, treasury operations, etc.). The thing is there are quotas for employment by "donor" country, and the competition is harder as an American.
NGOs: An MA is good, a PhD is ultimate. As forgiving as govt., but you'll get farther in a particular technical field if you have a PhD (or other advanced, specialized degree).
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