Landing a development job is rarely easy, no matter what kind of job market you’re engaging in. But for those who’ve either recently been made redundant or have survived cuts related to USAID’s dismantling, there are additional factors to consider that could come as a surprise.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing key insights from our recent discussions with development career experts on what to know about working in a post-USAID world. Plus, some of the best new job opportunities from Devex’s board, from leading organizations such as the Rainforest Alliance, the International Organization for Migration, and many others.
+ Join us on Monday, April 28: Devex is hosting a digital event featuring international career coach Simone Anzböck, who will offer guidance on how to network when you don’t know where to start. To gain access to this and all digital events, advice guides, and the job board, sign up for a Career Account today with a free 15-day trial.
Top full-time staff jobs this week
1. Program Director, Climate Resilient Cereals Innovation Lab
Kansas State University
United States
2. Senior Business Analyst (Salesforce)
Rainforest Alliance
United States
3. Head of Programs, Nature and Species Protection
Irene M. Staehelin Foundation
Kenya | Switzerland
4. Communications Manager
Center for Global Development
United States
5. Gender Equity and Inclusion Manager – International Development Advisory Services
KPMG Advisory Services
Kenya
6. Project Manager – Responsible Agriculture and Livestock
Proforest
Brazil
Devex Talent Solutions, our boutique recruitment agency, is currently supporting several key hires. The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean is recruiting an employee experience senior specialist and a senior change management specialist with both roles based in Colombia and Brazil. Applications close on May 19.
+ See more roles DTS is helping to fill.
Working post-USAID: 3 potential blind spots
“The biggest thing that I'm fearful of is that people are going to start low-balling themselves, which undercuts the sector.”
— Kelsi Kriitmaa, social impact coachWith thousands of former USAID employees and contractors potentially reentering the job market, many are expected to turn to consultancies as a means of staying and earning in the development sector. Here are a few things that those affected might want to keep in mind while navigating this uncertain period.
Underselling yourself. When setting consultant rates, it’s easy to forget the premium you have to charge for when you’re not working, and for all your additional costs. “People who have never consulted before might — which is not the thing to do — take their annual salary [and] divide it by 21.75 working days a month. … But you have to add in your health insurance, benefits, liability insurance,” says Kriitmaa, who runs a social impact consulting accelerator.
Lack of diverse clientele. Consultants heavily reliant on U.S.-funded contracts are being affected more by the cuts than those who have a variety of clients, highlighting the need for consultants to diversify. “The freeze has underscored the vulnerabilities in the consultancy sector, especially the risks associated with dependency on a single donor,” says Loksan Harley, co-founder of the Impact Consulting Hub.
Power inequities. The flood of talent onto the market might lead to employers seeking more work for less pay. But be careful not to be taken advantage of. “Starting from that scarcity mindset of ‘I should be grateful just to have a job,’ can breed so many toxic workplace practices,” says Kriitmaa.
Read: How the talent landscape may shift post-USAID (Career)
Explore more: 3 burning questions answered about job hunting post-aid freeze (Career)
Top consulting and short-term jobs
1. Director (Fixed-term)
International Organization for Migration
Switzerland
2. Education Officer
UNICEF
Iraq
3. Senior HR Assistant (HR Process and Technology)
World Bank Group
India
4. Senior Consultant
African Development Bank
Côte d’Ivoire
5. Protection of Family Links Field Officer
International Committee of the Red Cross
Sudan
6. Private Sector Analyst (Fixed-Term)
United Nations Development Programme
Algeria
+ For more opportunities, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn and Devex’s job board.
Who is hiring in the climate sector?
To help assess the current state of the development job, Devex is continuing to analyze job board postings since Jan. 24, when the U.S. aid freeze was first announced. Our latest data deep-dive looks into the climate sector, and finds some rare good news: Climate-focused job postings have increased by over 9.5% compared to the equivalent period last year.
Of the 1,612 job postings analyzed, World Resources Institute was among the most active recruiting organizations. Mid-level opportunities, limited-term consultancies and internships were the most common job types offered by the independent research institute. Large multilaterals such as the Asian Development Bank and United Nations agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization were also main drivers of climate-related opportunities.
Read: Who's hiring in the climate sector? (Career)
Explore more: Who’s still hiring in Europe? (Career)
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
DOGE takes aim at MCC. The Millennium Challenge Corporation — a U.S. development agency — may be next on the Trump administration’s chopping block, though the extent of MCC cuts are yet to be known.
Deep cuts at WHO. In a briefing to member states, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the senior leadership team will be reduced from 12 to seven. WHO departments will also significantly downsize from 76 to 34.
World Bank’s new job creation agenda. At this week’s World Bank Spring Meetings, the buzzword was jobs, and specifically how they can offer pathways out of poverty. But orienting the bank around the mission is a work in progress.
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About the author
Justin Sablich
Justin is a contributing writer and editor who previously led Devex’s careers content strategy. Before joining Devex, Justin served as the managing editor of Springwise, covering sustainable and climate-tech innovation across all business sectors. He also spent over 13 years as an editor and writer for the New York Times, specializing in digital content production and strategy while producing written and multimedia content on a range of topics, including travel, sports, and technology.
