An operations manager in the United States

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 operations manager at a nongovernmental organization in the United States. - Position title: operations manager - Seniority: midlevel - Position type: full-time - Year: 2012 - Sample tasks: develop standard operating procedures, liaise with different departments on matters including human resources, information technology, procurement and finance, assist in project reviews, develop systems to improve project management and transparency - Salary: $30,000 – $45,000 per year U.S. foreign aid job market The United States is the largest bilateral donor country, awarding thousands of contracts and grants valued in the billions of dollars each year. Although it has vowed to increasingly partner with local organizations in the field, the U.S. Agency for International Development continues to funnel the bulk of its money through U.S.-based groups. Other donors, both public and private, funnel millions each year toward development causes. Learn more about USAID’s leading NGO and private sector partners, which are also among the world’s largest implementers. Check out vacancies in the United States and for operations managers. 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!