Consulting opportunities with DAI: FAQs

As one of the world’s leading development consultancies, DAI employs thousands of professionals in its offices and projects worldwide. And the company continuously looks to add more people to its roster of support and expert staff. Aside from its headquarters in Washington, D.C., DAI has offices in London, Amman, Mexico, Islamabad, Ramallah and Woodmead (South Africa). It is among the leading contractors for two of the world’s largest bilateral donors, the U.S. Agency for International Development and U.K. Department for International Development. >> Top USAID Private Sector Partners: A Primer>> Top DfID Contractors: A Primer So, what types of jobs does DAI offer? And what can international candidates need to do to qualify for the firm’s U.S.-based jobs? Daniel Head, senior international recruiter at DAI’s economic growth division, and his colleagues in DAIEurope, Recruitment Manager Katie Levy and Associate Recruiter Sophie Montmey, answer these and more in this follow-up interview to our webinar titled “How to Succeed as a Development Consultant,” which featured the three expert recruiters. Click here to view the webinar, and check out DAI vacancies in our jobs database, the largest in international development. Do you hire international candidates, and if so, do you sponsor work visas for them? DAI requires candidates to be authorized to work in the United States for U.S.-based positions. Are there opportunities with DAI in the New York City/Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) or would relocation to D.C. be an imperative?­ U.S.-based positions are generally based in Bethesda, Md. What opportunities does DAI have for Canadians? Canadians must be authorized to work in the U.S. as other international candidates. At DAI or other consultancies, how closely do recruitment teams work with the people writing technical proposals, i.e., the people who shape the look of the final team? Who are the most appropriate people to maintain a relationship with – the recruiter or the technical in-house people writing proposals? Who at DAIshould job seekers contact if they don’t know anyone at the organization?­ • Recruitment teams work in close partnership with the rest of the proposal team.• It is appropriate to maintain relationships with both recruiters and technical staff.• Job seekers who do not have existing relationships at DAI should contact DAI recruiters. Is it OK to call DAI’s overseas offices directly? It is appropriate to call DAI international corporate offices directly. It is better not to call DAI international project offices directly, as recruitment for project positions is conducted largely from the relevant DAIinternational corporate office. What types of jobs tend to go to professionals with around five years of experience? Entry- to mid-level positions at DAI are assistants, coordinators and associates for sectors. What particular expertise are you looking for from foreign lawyers in your governance and rule of law programs? We are looking for a wide variety of expertise. Please review current openings. After completing a DAI project funded by a donor, what can consultants do to continue working withDAI? Consultants should maintain relationships with the DAI project team lead and alert them of their continued interest in working with DAI. Read more: - How to snatch a senior consulting post (followup Q&A) - Contract negotiation FAQs for development consultants (followup Q&A) - How to Succeed as a Development Consultant (full webinar recording) - Individual consulting: Where the jobs are (webinar excerpt) - Individual consultant CVs: Tips and tricks (webinar excerpt) - How to get a senior consulting post - How to transition to development consulting - Global development consulting: How to gain the right experience - CV writing for foreign aid consultants: Your FAQs On consulting: - Individual Consulting: A Primer - A Survival Guide to Consulting - UN to Introduce Online Application Tool for Consultants - A Global Consultant’s Daily Routine - Independent Consulting = Freedom + Flexibility - Administrative Expenses for Contractors - Basic Skills of Independent Consultants - Coping with Frequent Travel - How to Get Away from the Home Office Other career coverage: - Salary Negotiation Strategies for Aid Workers and Consultants: A Primer - Career Transitions: How to Figure Out if an Aid Job is Right for You - Secrets to a Successful Phone Interview for Development Aid Job Seekers - Resume Formats for International Development Professionals Read more international development career advice.