Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Amy Kirk’s role as a grant manager would have involved a lot more traveling to meet with colleagues as far away as the Philippines or Sri Lanka, connecting and working together in person. Being able to see what grant recipients were doing and the impact of their work was always incredible and helped her feel connected to the work, Kirk said.
But these days, with the travel restrictions being part and parcel of the pandemic, she’s still building relations — even if virtual — with her colleagues, though this can entail a “bizarre schedule” with team calls at both the beginning and end of the day.
Kirk, who transitioned from a career in architecture, started out as a grants specialist with Tetra Tech over eight years ago and now supports one of its U.S. Agency for International Development programs: Clean Cities, Blue Ocean. Speaking to Devex, she shared her advice for other professionals looking to make a career switch into development.