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The integration of artificial intelligence with development work has no shortage of potential risks, but compared to the devastating fallout from the U.S. aid crisis, this disruptor offers a lot more reasons to be optimistic.
“Too many roles in global development are over-reliant on under-resourced, overburdened professionals. If we do this right, AI can help us build institutions that are more dignified and efficient,” Anwulika Ngozi Okonjo, a digital innovation strategist, tells me.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing insights from experts who’ve been tracking AI’s impact on development, including some of the roles that are being transformed for the better. Plus, the best new job opportunities from Devex’s board, from leading organizations such as DT Global, CARE, and many others.
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Top full-time staff jobs this week
1. Director of Philanthropy, Major Gifts
CARE
United States
2. Deputy Team Leader / Program Quality & Knowledge Management Director
DT Global
Papua New Guinea
3. Portfolio Growth Manager, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa
Swisscontact — Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation
Kenya
4. Program Assistant
American Soybean Association
United States
5. Research Co-Lead – Positive Youth Development Project
Corus International
Indonesia
6. Senior Treasury Officer
Asian Development Bank
Thailand
Devex Talent Solutions, our boutique recruitment agency, is supporting Feed the Children in its search for a director of international foundations, organizations, and institutions. The position can be based in Brussels, London, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, or Uganda. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 25.
+ See more roles DTS is helping to fill.
3 roles being rewired by AI
“Business development is where the shift [to AI] is most visible, [but] AI is quietly transforming workflows across every role where it's allowed.”
— Joel Levesque, development consultant and AI expert
When I started asking experts to share their thoughts on which development role have been shaped the most from AI integration, more than one made the point that AI is either already altering, or soon will be used in, every sector job.
But it didn’t take long to clearly see that some workflows are evolving faster than others, especially for specialty areas where professionals have been experimenting with AI tools for the last several years.
“AI has already altered roles like M&E specialists, project managers, and policy analysts, especially by augmenting human capabilities, automating repetitive tasks, and enabling data-driven decision-making,” Bart Édes, a development professor of practice at McGill University, says.
Here are three more roles undergoing a significant transformation due to AI:
Proposal writing. Proposal writers have been using generative AI to draft early bids, draw on previous submissions, and synthesize technical language. With many organizations “under intense pressure to bring in new work,” some business development teams are relying on them even more “to create more customized content on tight timelines,” Levesque says.
Internal communications. AI is being used to summarize team meetings, organize internal documentation, tag content, and even suggest strategy language. This could create “space for junior staff to contribute more strategically and analytically,” Jack Jarrett, an international HR adviser, says.
Research. AI tools can scan hundreds of academic papers, synthesize findings, and even suggest research questions based on gaps in the literature. “The focus is shifting from collecting data to vetting it, structuring it, and knowing how to question it and use it,” Levesque says. “If you know how to use AI well, you can save hours — if not days — in the research process.”
Read: 7 global development roles that are being transformed by AI (Career)
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Top consulting and short-term jobs
1. Senior Research Associate
Innovations for Poverty Action
Malawi
2. Individual Consultant: Financial Management Specialist
World Bank Group
Bangladesh (remote)
3. Individual Consultant, NAP MEL System
Global Green Growth Institute
Mexico
4. Junior Economist
IDinsight
Senegal | Kenya | Zambia | Morocco | Philippines | India
5. Climate Change Facilitator
Tetra Tech
Papua New Guinea
6. Disability Benefit Specialist
Development Pathways
Australia | Nauru
+ For more opportunities, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn, our next early-week edition of Career Hub, and Devex’s Job board.
Data download: Who is hiring in Central and South Asia?
As we continue assessing the state of development job opportunities across the globe, our latest job board data analysis digs into opportunities in Central and South Asia. Here’s a look at the top three local employers that have been actively recruiting and who they’re currently looking to hire.
1. International Water Management Institute
Headquarters: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 49
The International Water Management Institute is a research-for-development organization focused on solving water and land management challenges. It is recruiting globally for a head of resource mobilization and partnerships, which is a full-time role based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
View all current IWMI job openings on Devex.
2. Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees
Headquarters: Kabul, Afghanistan
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 38
The Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees is a nongovernmental organization committed to improving the lives of Afghan people. DACAAR is looking to hire an environmental and social management officer on a short-term contract based in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
View all current DACAAR job openings on Devex.
3. Aga Khan Health Services
Headquarters: Multiple locations
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 37
Aga Khan Health Services is a nonprofit health care agency under the Aga Khan Development Network focused on offering health care services in low- and middle-income countries. It has sought program managers and clinical officers in recent job postings.
View all current AKHS job openings on Devex.
Read: The top local employers hiring in Central and South Asia (Career)
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• US withdraws from UNESCO. The U.S. State Department said that involvement with the United Nations agency is "not in the national interest" — especially given UNESCO’s "outsized focus" on the Sustainable Development Goals.
• WHO projects massive health aid cuts. Health aid may decline by up to 40% in 2025 compared to 2023 levels, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. This will hit many low-income countries heavily reliant on external aid for their health.
• The view from the private sector. How is the private sector thinking about development right now? Devex found out how some of the world’s businesses may look to balance development with their bottom lines, through social impact bonds, outcomes-based financing, and other approaches. (Pro)
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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.
