Presented by Texas A&M University - The Bush School of Government and Public Service
In today’s unsettled global development recruitment landscape, you likely have more questions than ever, including whether pivoting to consulting is even an option worth considering, given the numerous experienced consultants already competing for available work.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing insights from our most recent digital event, which was dedicated to answering your most pressing questions about development consulting. Plus, the best new job opportunities from Devex’s board, from leading organizations such as the World Bank, DT Global, and many others.
+ Join us on Sept. 15: Devex is hosting a digital event focused on how to stay motivated, maintain momentum, and continue growing despite a challenging development job market. To gain access to this and all digital events, advice guides, and job board, sign up for a Career Account with a free 15-day trial.
Top full-time staff jobs this week
1. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manager, Health Unit -3 (European Union)
IMA World Health
Democratic Republic of Congo
2. Project Manager
UNOPS
Bangladesh
3. Senior Technical Manager
Education Above All Foundation
Qatar
4. Director, Southern Africa
Institute for Economics and Peace
Kenya
5. Managing Director, Ground Up Investing
Corus International
United States
6. Human Health Policy Manager
DT Global
Indonesia
Devex Talent Solutions, our boutique recruitment agency, is assisting the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in its search for a senior counsel for public sector operations to join its office in Beijing, China. This opportunity is open until Sept. 30.
+ See more roles DTS is helping to fill.
Consulting’s new normal
“It’s harder, it’s more competitive, [and] for sure, the sector has contracted … but there are still opportunities there.”
— Jami Johnson Darkoh, global health consultant
Thinking about consulting in global development? It’s more difficult than ever, but career experts Kelsi Kriitmaa and Jami Johnson Darkoh share practical advice on how to gain an edge. Here are three key tips to help you navigate the landscape and position yourself for success.
Network with authenticity. “I really cannot emphasize enough how much the networking really, really matters,” Kriitmaa says. Building relationships takes longer but is far more effective than cold outreach. Instead of immediately asking for job leads, focus on genuine engagement — share helpful articles, attend events, and show interest in others’ work.
Build future-ready skills. “There aren’t enough people who know how AI works and how to apply it to the development sector,” Darkoh says. Consultants who invest in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, digital health, climate, and innovative financing models are more likely to stand out. Adding expertise in fundraising, partnership development, or impact investing can also open doors.
Gain experience before consulting. Breaking into consulting straight from graduation has always been tough. Recruiters often favor candidates with at least five years of relevant experience, Darkoh says. Early-career professionals may have better luck starting in staff roles or with research-focused consulting assignments.
Watch: Your questions about development consulting answered (Career)
Download the report: A survival guide for development consultants (Career)
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Top consulting and short-term jobs
1. Individual Consultant: Youth Agribusiness Advisor to the ECOWAS Commission
AGRA
West Africa | Nigeria
2. Communications Officer, Multimedia
International Finance Corporation
United States
3. Country Program Manager
Food for the Poor
Jamaica (remote)
4. Individual Consultant: Legal Expert
World Bank Group
Pakistan
5. National Agriculture Specialist
Food and Agriculture Organization
Worldwide
6. International Short-term Expert: Development of the TEVET students’ admission policy
British Council
Malawi
+ For more opportunities, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn and Devex’s Job board.
Data download: Who is hiring in Nigeria?
As we continue assessing the state of development job opportunities across the globe, our latest job board data analysis dug into opportunities in Nigeria. Here’s a look at the three global development organizations that have recruited the most over the past 12 months, and what roles are currently available.
1. United Nations Children’s Fund
Headquarters: New York, United States; Nigerian office: Abuja
Jobs posted: 137
UNICEF was recently seeking a consultant to serve as a polio deputy outbreak response coordinator in Abuja, and currently seeks a consultant to support the agency’s efforts to help children affected by armed conflict and armed violence in Nigeria.
View all current UNICEF job postings in Nigeria on Devex.
View all current job postings from UNICEF on Devex.
2. Danish Refugee Council
Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
Jobs posted: 75
DRC, the biggest Danish NGO, safeguards the rights of individuals and communities uprooted by conflict and crisis. The organization is currently seeking a partnerships coordinator who can lead the development of connections between DRC Nigeria and local NGOs and CSOs.
View all current DRC job postings in Nigeria on Devex.
View all current job postings from DRC on Devex.
3. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
Headquarters: Ibadan, Nigeria
Jobs: 53
IITA is a leading research-for-development organization tackling food security and agricultural innovation in sub-Saharan Africa. It is currently looking to employ a chief financial and risk officer to help bolster the organization’s financial resilience.
View all current IITA job postings in Nigeria on Devex.
Check out the rest of the list: The top development employers hiring in Nigeria (Career)
Explore more: The top local employers in West Africa (Career)
Download: Your guide to global development’s top local employers (Career)
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• Corporate philanthropy surges. Though corporate philanthropy won’t be able to fill the gaps left by traditional donor funding cuts, newly released financial data suggest it can be an important resource to address development challenges.
• A philanthropic role in crisis zones? Philanthropy is shaping up to play a critical role in addressing development challenges as traditional donor funding dries up. But there are questions as to whether it can assist in some of the most challenging humanitarian contexts.
• US aid legal fight heads to highest court. The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to stay a district court's preliminary injunction issued last week requiring it to spend foreign assistance funding before it expires Sept. 30.
Sign up to Devex Career Hub for global development’s top jobs, expert career advice, and practical tips to help you do more good for more people.
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.
