A health program coordinator in South Sudan

International development is as much a business as it is a labor of love, and chances are you won’t choose your next assignment based on the money. That said, compensation is an important part of human resources management, and comprehensive data on salaries and benefits is hard to come by. That’s why Devex is shedding light on the salaries and work of those holding jobs that international development organizations commonly hire for. It’s part of our mission to help aid professionals do good and make informed decisions about their careers. Today’s spotlight is on an internationally hired health program coordinator working for an international nongovernmental organization in South Sudan. ● Position title: health program coordinator ● Seniority: mid-level ● Position type: full-time ● Year: 2014 ● Salary: roughly $50,000 annually ● Benefits: health insurance, housing supplement, paid R&R ● Sample tasks: ensure project objectives are on track, work constructively with colleagues across teams, provide technical direction to project staff and partners in the areas of health and nutrition, provide recommendation for improvements in health service delivery ● Qualifications: excellent communication skills, project management, ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast-paced environment South Sudan foreign aid job market As the world’s newest nation, South Sudan has massive development needs. The World Bank notes that “without a history of formal institutions, rules or administration accepted as legitimate by its society, South Sudan must build its institutions from scratch.” Conflict after a failed coup in December 2013 has led the nation back into civil war, meaning access has become tougher, aid supplies have been looted and insecurity has left many development projects at a standstill. According to UNICEF and the World Food Program, close to a third of South Sudan’s population faces “acute” or “emergency” levels of hunger and malnutrition. Humanitarian needs remain staggering. For 2013, the United Nations set a goal of $1.16 billion to help 4.6 million in the African country, including 2.3 million needing food assistance. Organizations working in South Sudan have expressed a need for experts in emergency response as well as program management, field coordination and monitoring and evaluation for projects in a wide range of sectors including agriculture, health, and water and sanitation. Check out the Devex jobs board for more vacancies in South Sudan and for posts as a health program coordinator. Compensation isn’t everything The details provided in this article were derived from a survey of select development workers stationed in various parts of the globe. Due to the sensitivity of the information, we are keeping the respondents’ identities and organizations confidential. Compensation varies greatly from one job, country or organization to another. Even for the same position, differences in remuneration occur based on educational background, experience and an applicant’s most recent salary, an organization’s need and the sector it operates in, as well as whether it is hiring locally or internationally. Also, some organizations offer more generous benefit packages than others, or they offer perks such as regular travel, training or other career development services that should not be discounted. For senior-level international hires, in particular, benefits such as housing and education allowances often amount to tens of thousands of dollars per year. At the end of the day, aid workers tell us that the chance to help alleviate suffering and lift people out of poverty are well worth any pay cut they may have encountered switching from the private sector. Read more Devex Salary Spotlights, check out more career advice stories online, and subscribe to Doing Good to receive top international development career and recruitment news.