On this day in 2024, Devex reported on some troubling news for the U.S. global HIV initiative PEPFAR. It had only been reauthorized for one year rather than five, and the Biden administration was considering cutting PEPFAR funding by more than 6% in fiscal 2025.
Fast forward one year, and things have gotten much worse for the landmark initiative officially known as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Today, it’s a shell of its former self following the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, which implemented the majority of PEPFAR services.
It’s just another example of how the global health sector has been turned upside down since the U.S. aid freeze, which has also manifested in the sector’s job market. There are currently around 20 open World Health Organization positions on Devex’s job board, compared to the nearly 100 that appeared one year ago today.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing insights from our latest downloadable guide on what’s happened to the United Nations since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, including what’s next for the global health giant. Plus, the best new job opportunities from Devex’s board, from leading organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, Mercy Corps, and many others.
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Top full-time staff jobs this week
1. Senior Meal Adviser
CARE
Kenya
2. Senior Treasury Officer
Asian Development Bank
Thailand
3. Program Specialist – International Programs (Mexico Team)
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Mexico
4. Supply Chain Management Senior Officer
UNOPS
Thailand
5. Revenue and Partnership Cultivation Network Architect (Executive Vice President Level)
Heifer International
Worldwide (remote)
6. Integrity Specialist
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Worldwide
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, Belgium; London, U.K.; Kenya; Tanzania; Malawi; or Uganda. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 25.
+ See more roles DTS is helping to fill.
The Trump effect: WHO fallout
What’s happened: On the same day that the U.S. froze its foreign aid — Jan. 24 — WHO enacted a broad hiring freeze. This came just days after Trump issued an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from WHO, a move that Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “made our financial situation more acute.”
On Devex’s job board, WHO opportunities plummeted by 80% from January to February. Since Jan. 24, the vast majority of the 240 WHO opportunities have been short-term contracts, with just seven full-time jobs being offered.
What’s ahead: Since its hiring freeze, WHO has proceeded with a sweeping restructuring plan, which includes slimming down its senior leadership and cutting the number of departments to nearly half at its headquarters in Geneva. WHO has also further slashed its budget ambitions for 2026–2027 to $4.2 billion.
WHO’s restructuring plan has induced criticism from some staff who claim the agency is prioritizing long-serving employees over merit in order to avoid paying higher indemnities, which WHO has denied. Either way, the restructuring process, which is expected to result in significant job losses, will likely be finalized by the end of August.
Download: Assessing the Trump effect on UN agencies (Career)
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Top consulting and short-term jobs
1. Head of Communications
Global Cooksafe Coalition
Worldwide (remote)
2. Program Manager — Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management
World Bank Group
United States
3. Nigeria-based Climate Change Technical Specialist
Alinea International Ltd.
Nigeria
4. Senior Fundraising Officer
International Organization for Migration
Belgium
5. Individual Consultant: Consultancy to Support SeedSAT Assessment in South Sudan
AGRA
South Sudan
6. Human Resource Consultant
Mercy Corps
Zambia
+ For more opportunities, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn and the Devex job board.
Data download: Who is hiring in the Middle East and North Africa?
As we continue assessing the state of development job opportunities across the globe, our latest job board data analysis dug into opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa. Here’s a look at the top three global development organizations that have been actively recruiting and who they’re currently looking to hire.
1. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
Headquarters: Beirut, Lebanon
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 89
UNESCWA is the regional commission of the United Nations responsible for promoting economic and social development in western Asia. The commission currently has an opening for a senior facilities management assistant based in Beirut who will help coordinate and plan the construction, renovation, and management of various infrastructure in the mission area.
View all current UNESCWA job openings on Devex.
2. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Headquarters: Amman, Jordan
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 80
UNRWA is a U.N. agency providing humanitarian assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees. It is currently seeking a mid-level medical officer and a health center pharmacist for long-term consulting assignments in Aqaba, Jordan.
View all current UNRWA job openings on Devex.
3. Committed to Good
Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 76
Committed to Good is a solutions provider that specializes in supporting humanitarian and development projects in conflict-affected countries around the world. Its focus has been on hiring for mid-level jobs and short-term contract positions, including technical assistance, provincial, and operations officers.
View all current Committed to Good job openings on Devex.
Read more: The top local employers in the Middle East and North Africa (Career)
Further reading: The top local employers in East Africa (Career)
Download: Who is still hiring in global development? (Career)
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
UNFPA staff in uproar. The U.N. Population Fund’s deputy head has “unequivocally” apologized to staff in Arab states for not consulting them before renewing a cooperation agreement with Israel — a move that sparked fierce backlash internally, including demands for the resignation of all involved.
USAID transition an “impending trainwreck.” As the U.S. State Department absorbs the remnants of USAID, development leaders talked about the transition at an event for Devex Pro members. “They are only going to have 718 people, less than 6% of the USAID workforce, to manage these programs,” one said. [Devex Pro]
Sevilla reporter’s notebook: At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, leaders exhale as a borrowers’ club takes shape and debt-pause clauses, which allow for the postponement of debt servicing, gain traction — but civil society says progress falls short and access to the real conversations is even worse.
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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.
