Global development has always been a big tent, with room for professionals across disciplines who want to do meaningful work at scale. But building a career in this space has become significantly more complex. In 2025, the dismantling of USAID, major funding realignments, geopolitical instability, and the acceleration of private sector and locally led models have fundamentally reshaped how development work is financed, delivered, and staffed. For professionals navigating this moment, understanding where opportunities are growing, contracting, or transforming is no longer optional.
That is why we created this comprehensive 2025 guide to development’s top sectors to work in. Built on rigorous analysis of Devex’s job board data and informed by our unmatched archive of career intelligence and insider reporting, this guide cuts through uncertainty to show where demand is real and where skills matter most. Spanning more than 50 pages, it is an essential resource for anyone serious about positioning themselves for impact and resilience in today’s development workforce.
What you’ll learn: