10 unexpected places to find a development job

If you’re looking to work in international development, you don’t have to move to a global development hub such as Washington, New York or even Nairobi, Kenya. Jobs are “anywhere you think you want to be,” said Anne Steen, director of the Graduate Career Development Center at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. “Developing nations of course, but there are lots of different places. You don’t have to be in the capital city. Also, look at different sectors and see where the opportunities are within that niche.” Who knows our next job could be in one of these less-expected locations. 1. Amman, Jordan: A large number of aid groups have offices in Amman and are working on issues such as strengthening democratic accountability, improving essential services and enhancing gender equality. Thanks to the city’s relatively secure environment, it is a logistics hub for Syrian relief efforts as well as a base for many donors’ West Bank and Gaza programs. In addition, Amman is an administrative hub for International Committee of the Red Cross operations in the Middle East. 2. Boston, Massachusetts: The Boston area is a hub for global health. For example, Management Sciences for Health is located in Medford, Mass., Partners in Health is headquartered on Commonwealth Avenue and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Global Health works to improve health among vulnerable populations around the world. Many of the city’s universities are also doing work related to development. Boston University, for example, houses the Center for Global Health and Development, and MIT’s D-Lab leads the International Development Innovation Network. In addition, Harvard’s Kennedy School offers a two-year master’s in public administration in international development and the Fletcher School at Tufts offers a certificate in international development. 3. Cape Town, South Africa: Many South African NGOs are based in Johannesburg, but Cape Town is also a center for international development. The city is home to NGOs such as mothers2mothers, which trains and empowers women with HIV, and Inyatholo, which promotes philanthropy in South Africa and works to develop the capacity of nonprofits and other institutions. 4. Copenhagen, Denmark: This European capital is home to U.N. City, which officially opened in July 2013. Eight U.N. agencies share the new premises: the U.N. Development Program, U.N. Children’s Fund, U.N. Population Fund, U.N. Environment Program, U.N. Office for Project Service, World Food Program, U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, and World Health Organization. In addition to being a hub for the United Nations, Copenhagen is a center for nongovernmental organizations such as Caritas Denmark and Save the Children Denmark as well as engineering firms that perform sanitation and health work. 5. Dili, East Timor: Another spot aid workers might want to consider is Dili, East Timor. Located between Indonesia and Australia, Timor-Leste is one of the world’s newest nations, but it is also one of the poorest. USAID and other organizations have been working in Timor-Leste to address issues such as building democratic institutions, protecting the natural environment and tackling health challenges. Recent job postings in East Timor include positions such as a project coordinator for Marie Stopes International, a capacity building officer for a USAID-funded program, and an international monitoring and evaluation specialist for UNDP. 6. Durham, North Carolina: There are a surprising number of aid contractors in North Carolina’s “Research Triangle Park,” the area around Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill. These organizations include Abt Associates, FHI 360 and RTI International. The research triangle is also home to the Duke Center for International Development. 7. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Scottish government’s international development office is based in Edinburgh, and the city is also home to IDEAS, the network of Scottish organizations that “actively support and promote development education.” In addition, the University of Edinburgh now offers a doctorate in international development, the first such program in Scotland. 8. Little Rock, Arkansas: Several NGOs that strive to empower the disadvantaged and end poverty around the globe have headquarters in Little Rock. These organizations include Winrock International and Heifer International. 9. Los Angeles, California: Sunny Los Angeles is about more than just Hollywood. The L.A. area is home to several international development organizations, including Relief International and International Medical Corps, which is headquartered in Santa Monica. The city’s colleges and universities are also involved with global development efforts. University of California Los Angeles’ Art & Global Health Center operates in eight countries on five continents. 10. Yangon, Myanmar: The budget for the UNHCR’s Myanmar operation has increased six-fold since 2009, with the largest increase in 2012 following the Rakhine international displaced persons emergency. Other organizations with offices in Yangon or are doing humanitarian work in Myanmar include the International Organization for Migration, Oxfam, the International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, World Vision and CARE, and many more organizations have been boosting their presence in the country following an influx of donor funding over the past few years. Did we forget any less-expected aid hub? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Check out more career advice online, and subscribe to Doing Good to receive top international development career and recruitment news and analysis.