If you’re a global development professional aspiring to help those affected by climate change, a role with NORCAP could be what you’re looking for.
“We usually recruit candidates who have some climate-related academic background and some years’ experience with national meteorological offices or regional offices,” Lorene Kuraishi-van Haalen, NORCAP’s senior recruitment and communications adviser, tells us. However, there are also opportunities for those with other kinds of experience.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing a few insider tips on standing out as an applicant with NORCAP. And if project management is more your speed, I’m also relaying key takeaways from our chat with a lead project manager at CARE. Plus, featured job postings from the likes of USAID, Papyrus SA, and more.
+ Join us on July 30: Our next event for Devex Career Account members will feature insights from careers expert Simone Anzböck on how to maintain your mental health during a global development job search. Not yet a member? You can try it out with a free 15-day trial to access all career advice events and articles, our full job board, and much more.
Top jobs this week
1. Chief Impact Officer
Papyrus SA
Eastern Africa | Haiti (Remote)
2. Business Development Manager
Dexis Professional Services
United States (Remote)
3. Development Outreach and Communications Specialist
USAID
India
4. Data Manager
Innovations for Poverty Action
Mexico | Kenya | Colombia | Ghana
Featured opportunity: Devex Talent Solutions, our very own boutique recruitment agency, is leading the search for a senior director of environment and climate action for The Asia Foundation. The role can be based in the United States or across Asia and the Pacific region.
+ DTS is also seeking candidates for a resilience and solutions adviser with IOM in Afghanistan and a chief growth officer with Food for the Hungry in the U.S., among others. See all roles DTS is helping to fill.
Recruiter insights: NORCAP
“In light of the world struggling to reduce emissions, NORCAP has a big focus on its pool of energy experts.”
— Lorene Kuraishi-van Haalen, senior recruitment and communications adviser, NORCAPNORCAP’s recruitment is largely focused on the African continent and many of the organization’s climate experts are based in key national meteorological offices, as well as regional institutions and United Nations agencies. Here are a few other things applicants should know.
The tech advantage. Information management and data visualization are “good skills to have for climate-related jobs, even if you don't have past humanitarian experience,” Kuraishi-van Haalen says, adding that candidates with backgrounds in development “stand out even stronger" if they have technological competencies.
A focused CV. “It might be controversial to say, but a great two-pager with specific keywords matching those of the job description will stand out over a five-page CV every time,” she says. Due to the high volume of applications they receive, “the CV should always be concrete and concise.”
Transitioners welcome. While many NORCAP experts have previous development experience, “we have also recruited professionals from the private sector, for example, someone who has been involved in sustainability projects within their company and has a portfolio of different clients, giving them a unique perspective,” she says.
Read: How to stand out when applying to NORCAP (Career)
+ View all current opportunities with NORCAP on Devex.
Members-only jobs this week
1. Senior Data Scientist
Financial services company
South Africa
2. Programme Assistant
United Nations agency
Italy
3. Climate Action Associate
United Nations agency
Venezuela
4. Program Officer II, Social Media Content Development, OPEN Program
Nonprofit human development organization
United States (Remote)
Soft skills for project managers
While recruiters keenly assess soft skills for a wide range of global development roles they’re filling, these abilities are truly at the heart of being a successful project manager. Tamera Jurberg, a lead project manager of the gender in emergencies team at CARE International, shares some of the most important soft skills for aspiring professionals to hone.
Emotional intelligence. Understand and empathize with the needs, priorities, challenges, and aspirations of your team members and partners, recognizing that they are individuals with unique perspectives.
Cross-cultural skills. Understand and respect cultural differences within your team and among partners. Being culturally aware and adaptable helps in building strong, effective, and inclusive collaborations.
Analytical thinking. Develop a broad understanding of situations to make strategic decisions, while encouraging team and partner participation in the decision-making process.
Read: Career advice from a lead project manager at CARE
Explore more: What we know about project manager salaries in development (Career)
+ View all current opportunities for project managers on Devex.
+ Sign up for the Devex Jobs Alert on LinkedIn: For many more of the top job opportunities in the social impact space from global development's largest job board, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn.
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• World Bank scandal gets another look. The global law firm Freshfields will probe accusations that the International Finance Corporation interfered with an investigation into alleged child sexual abuse at a chain of schools it funded in Kenya.
• Malawi funding law sparks debate. Proponents argue the regulations will enhance effectiveness and responsiveness to local needs, while critics warn that the law may be too restrictive and could interfere excessively with NGO operations. [Devex Pro]
• What is the future of the INGO? Nearly every INGO seems to be rethinking their role in the aid sector, and debating how, when, and if they should continue showing up. [Devex Pro]
+ To keep up to date with all the must-read global development coverage, be sure to sign up to the daily Devex Newswire.
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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.
