The 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, now form the fifth largest economy in the world, with a number of these countries emerging as hubs for development work. In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing the top countries and prominent employers in Southeast Asia for professionals seeking engagement in global development.
We also take a look at what recruiters are looking for in the Afghanistan response. Plus, featured job postings from the likes of UNOPS, Abt Associates, and much more useful info to help you along the globaldev career path.
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Top jobs this week
1. Senior Climate Finance Specialist (Agribusiness)
Asian Development Bank
Philippines
2. Senior Manager, Communications
World Food Prize Foundation
United States
3. Finance and Contracts Lead | ATLPHD
Abt Associates – Australia
Timor-Leste
4. Executive Director - Thailand
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
Thailand
5. Infrastructure and Project Management (IPM) Intern
UNOPS
Denmark
6. Senior Legal & Policy Analyst
Strategic Issues and Research Council
Uganda
Job board insights: Southeast Asia’s top 5 hubs
Over the past 12 months, Devex’s job board has advertised 9,348 job postings in Southeast Asia. Here are the top hubs and prominent employers specific to each country:
1. Philippines: 2,870 jobs
View all current jobs based in the Philippines on Devex.
Employer to look out for: IDInsight works with governments and local and international organizations in Asia and Africa, providing data and evidence tools to transform, innovate, and improve the social sector. View all current IDInsight jobs based on Devex.
2. Thailand: 1,411 jobs
View all current jobs based in Thailand on Devex.
Organization to look out for: Child’s Dream Foundation addresses current educational and social issues faced by young people in Southeast Asia by designing and implementing activities and interventions in the region. View all current Child’s Dream Foundation jobs on Devex.
3. Cambodia: 766 jobs
View all current jobs based in Cambodia on Devex.
Organization to look out for: Cowater International provides technical assistance, policy advice, and implementation support, delivering economic, environmental, and social impacts globally.
4. Vietnam: 646 jobs
View all current jobs based in Viet Nam on Devex.
Organization to look out for: FHI 360 develops solutions to global economic and social challenges through research and collaboration with partner communities. View all current FHI 360 jobs on Devex.
5. Laos: 592 jobs
View all current jobs based in Laos on Devex.
Organization to look out for: The Asia Foundation has core programs focused on climate action, education, leadership, governance, inclusive growth, international cooperation, women’s empowerment, and gender equality. View all current Asia Foundation jobs on Devex.
See the full list: The top global development hubs in Southeast Asia (Career)
In Focus: What recruiters look for in the Afghanistan response
“Afghanistan is one of the most complex humanitarian situations in the world where half of the country’s population needs humanitarian assistance.”
— Abdul Khaliq Sediqi, IRC Afghanistan Communications CoordinatorUnder Taliban rule and a worsening development context, Devex asked those professionals currently hiring in Afghanistan what they are looking for in new recruits:
1. Development and humanitarian experience. While Afghanistan is not an active conflict zone, it is a fragile context with both severe humanitarian and development needs, said Thamindri De Silva, World Vision’s national director in Afghanistan. It would be useful if applicants had experience in line with the dual needs of the country, De Silva said.
2. Women. Over the past three years, the Taliban has ramped up its restrictions on women and girls. Almost immediately after coming to power, the Taliban made it illegal for local women to work for the United Nations or NGOs. However, international NGO vacancies are still open to female applicants, with IRC’s Sediqi saying its female staff are key to its work and plans to advertise roles that reach more women.
3. Climate knowledge. Since the Taliban took control and donors withdrew funding, climate funding to the country has been minimal. However, its leaders have shown interest in addressing climate impacts and implementing various climate policies to curb emissions. With these nuances in mind, De Silva said creative thinkers, problem solvers, and those who have worked on climate change before would be useful to the context.
Read: What recruiters are looking for in the Afghanistan response (Career)
Members-only jobs this week
1. Policy Officer - European Union (EU) Integration - Growth Plan
European Commission policy department
Serbia
2. Individual Consultant: Environmental and Social Safeguards
Regional multilateral development finance institution
Togo
3. Human Resources Assistant
Department of the U.N. secretariat
United States
4. Joint Operations Officer (Data Specialist)
U.N. peacekeeping mission
South Sudan
5. Development Manage
International organization committed to stopping violent conflict
United Kingdom
6. Programme Management Assistant
U.N. regional commission
Switzerland
+ For more opportunities, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn as well as Devex’s Job board.
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Curated Candidate Lists: Recruiter pick
Take your career to the next level by updating your Devex profile with your latest professional experience today. Get featured in Career Hub and be considered for exclusive Curated Candidate Lists that can unlock exciting job opportunities!
View Joy Dariye’s complete Devex profile | Create or update your profile
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• How philanthropy may change under Trump. The extent to which philanthropy can counterbalance government cuts depends on how deep the cuts end up being.
• The future of child-focused aid in the United Kingdom. UNICEF UK’s latest study warns there is “no strategy” to deliver aid for children after years of “devastating” spending cuts.
• Global health under RFK Jr.? Lawrence Gostin, chair of the O’Neill Institute in Global Health Law, told Devex a “wholesale pullback and restructuring” of U.S. global health efforts is likely.
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About the author
Katrina J. Lane
Katrina Lane is an Editorial Strategist and Reporter at Devex. She writes on ecologies and social inclusion, and also supports the creation of partnership content at Devex. She holds a degree in Psychology from Warwick University, offering a unique perspective on the cognitive frameworks and social factors that influence responses to global issues.
