Africa is the world’s second-largest continent, by both population and land area. It is also home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and to several nations highly affected by internal conflicts and natural hazards, making Africa a key focus for global development work.
In this edition of Career Hub, we looked at some of the top global development hubs hiring in Africa, as well as the do’s and don’ts to keep in mind during competency-based interviews with the United Nations. Plus, featured job postings from the likes of USAID, World Vision, and more.
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Top jobs this week
Chief of Party, Niger Resilience Food Security Activity
World Vision
Niger
Public Resource Development Director
Food for the Hungry
United StatesGlobal Strategy & Operations Lead - Teach For All’s Global Institute
Teach For All
Singapore
Featured opportunity: Devex Talent Solutions, our very own boutique recruitment agency, is assisting the Caribbean Development Bank in its search for an Information Technology Officer, to be based in Barbados. Those interested should apply by Nov. 13.
+ DTS is also seeking candidates for a Beijing-based Counsel/Senior Counsel, Public Sector Operations and Counsel - Private Sector Investment & Treasury Operations at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; a Division Manager, Editorial and Media Relations at the African Development Bank; and a Landscape Director, Bili Mbomu Conservation Area based in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the African Wildlife Foundation, among many others. See more roles DTS is helping to fill.
In focus: The top global development hubs hiring in Africa
As part of our ongoing exploration of the top global development employers in key areas around the world, we have taken a closer look at the top country in each region of Africa, and the top bilateral organization and regional players within that country — beyond the work of the United Nations and other large INGOs and MDBs with an income over $500 million.
Egypt
Egypt is the top hub in North Africa, with 944 jobs in the last 12 months. Its top organization is Coptic Orphans, which posted 73 jobs in the last 12 months and works with vulnerable children in Egypt by providing educational programs, financial assistance, and community support.
Kenya
Kenya leads as East Africa’s top global development hub with 3,246 jobs in the last 12 months. Its most prominent organization, One Acre Fund, posted 53 jobs in the same period and supports smallholder farmers by providing resources and training to improve livelihoods and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Nigeria
Nigeria stands as the leading hub in West Africa, with 1,245 jobs posted over the past year. The top organization, the Association for Reproductive and Family Health, or ARFH, posted 23 of these jobs. The NGO focuses on enhancing health and well-being in Nigeria through improved reproductive health and family planning services.
Democratic Republic of Congo
In Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC, ranks as the top development hub with 1,534 jobs in the past 12 months. Concern Worldwide leads in this region, posting 20 jobs and working to address internal displacement and food insecurity through emergency response programs, targeting malnutrition and promoting gender equality.
South Africa
South Africa is Southern Africa’s top hub, with 842 jobs in the last year. The standout organization, mothers2mothers, posted 27 jobs and focuses on improving maternal and child health across Africa through its unique “Mentor Mother Model.”
Read the full article: The top global development hubs hiring in Africa (Career)
Members-only jobs this week
HMA Information Management (IM) & Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Officer
Humanitarian nonprofit organization
Sudan
Individual Consultant: Nutrition Consultant (Wasting Transition Plan Regional Manager)
United Nations international organization
Senegal
Individual Consultant: AI Strategy Consultant
Intergovernmental organization
South Korea
Project Communicator
United Nations entity
Bolivia
Inside the U.N.’s competency-based interview process
“[Candidates should be] adjusting their responses based on whether the panel is engaging in a two-way dialogue with follow-up questions, or whether a more comprehensive answer is expected upfront.”
— Michael Emery, director of human resources, IOMYou applied to a role at a U.N. organization, they liked your application, and you passed the technical assessment. Now all you have left is the competency-based interview. Three recruitment experts spoke to Devex about what to keep in mind to ace the interview:
Don’t forget to mention the agency’s mandate. Competency-based interviews will almost always begin with establishing the candidate’s motivation in applying for the job. Candidates might discuss what excites them about the agency’s work, what drew them to the role, and what type of work makes them happy, explained Lykke Andersen, the head of talent acquisition and people programs at the U.N. Development Programme, or UNDP.
Don’t assume the panel will ask follow-up questions. If a response isn’t entirely clear, the panel may ask follow-up questions, but this varies from one panel to another. Candidates should keep their answers concise and focused, ideally around 5 minutes per question, said Andersen. But they should also “cover all elements of the question and not necessarily expect follow-up questions or additional opportunities to elaborate on that example.”
Do utilize the open floor time. At the end of the interview, candidates will usually be allowed to ask questions to the panel. In addition to collecting more information about the job, this is the chance for the candidate to engage differently with the interview panel, Andersen said. She recommended candidates prepare one or two questions ahead of time.
Read the full article: The do’s and don’ts of competency-based interviews with the UN (Career)
Download the report: Your guide to a successful UN application (Career)
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Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
Will the World Bank make progress on gender parity? Just 20% of the bank’s board are women. A working group is trying to change that.
Digital inclusion must be central to global economic growth. Development financial institutions have a key role to play in pushing for inclusive digital prosperity (opinion).
The beer industry supports sustainable development in Africa. Much of the operations are locally based, keeping economic resources within African countries.
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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.
