Largest global development employers in New York City: A primer

See an updated version of Top global development employers in New York City as of 2017 here. New York is more than a high-energy business center and cultural melting pot. It’s also a major hub for the international development community, thanks in large part to the United Nations and a host of philanthropies that have taken root on the island of Manhattan. Each September, world leaders, advocates and social entrepreneurs descend on the city for a series of high-level meetings anchored by the U.N. General Assembly and the Clinton Global Initiative. At these gatherings as well as dozens of side events, networking receptions and cocktail hours, funding pledges are being unveiled, partnership deals struck and campaigns hashed out. But the city that never sleeps doesn’t let up the rest of the year, and neither does its resident development community. Here’s a list of some of the most prominent institutions engaged in international cooperation: Action Against Hunger Type: NGO Founded: 1979 CEO: Nan Dale Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organization that seeks an end to malnutrition among children. It operates lifesaving programs in 40 countries, which benefit 5 million people per year. The group, also known as ACF International, boasts a global network of more than 4,600 experts in water and sanitation, food security, public health, and nutrition. It says it actively looks for experienced and skilled agronomists, engineers, administrators, nurses, doctors and logisticians. Deloitte Consulting Type: consultancy Founded: 2000 Chairman and CEO: Jim Moffatt Deloitte Consulting is a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP, a subsidiary of one of the so-called big four audit firms, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd. It offers consulting services on human capital, strategy and operations, and technology. Deloitte Consulting is a Devex Top 40 Development Innovator. More than 1,000 staff are focused on issues related to international development. Ernst & Young Type: consultancy Founded: 1989 Chairman and CEO: James S. Turley Ernst & Young, another big-four auditing company, says international development is one of its priorities. E&Y performs financial audits, monitoring & evaluation of projects and grant management on behalf of donor agencies, and it works with governments on public financial management, governance and other issues. E&Y has a global staff of more than 141,000. International Rescue Committee Type: NGO Founded: 1933 President and CEO: George Rupp This international relief and development organization was created at the suggestion of famed scientist Albert Einstein, who headed the International Relief Association, to help Germans suffering under the Hitler regime. Since then, its work has expanded to more than 40 countries, providing lifesaving assistance and helping rebuild communities that have been devastated by wars or disasters. IRC commits to be at the scene of the emergency within 72 hours after it arises and “to stay as long” as it is needed. Population Council Type: NGO Founded: 1952 President: Peter J. Donaldson The Population Council performs research to improve policies and programs on three areas: HIV/AIDS; poverty, gender, and youth; and reproductive health. It has offices in 15 developing countries and has programs in 49. It is staffed by roughly 600 women and men from 32 countries, half of whom have advanced degrees and around 60 percent are based overseas. PricewaterhouseCoopers Type: consultancy Founded: 1998 Chairman of the board, president and CEO: Bob McDonald PwC, also one of the big four auditing firms, has a worldwide staff of 161,000 and offices in 154 countries. It has won multiple awards, including one of the Opportunity Now Global Awards in 2009 for the work and achievements of its Gender Advisory Council. The council comprises senior male and female leaders from around the globe who seek to improve the representation of PwC women in the workplace. UNICEF Type: donor and U.N. organization Founded: 1946 Executive director: Anthony Lake UNICEF offers emergency and long-term assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. Its programs focus on the following areas: child survival and development, basic education and gender equity, HIV/AIDS and children, child protection, and policy advocacy and partnerships. It has presence in 190 countries, employing more than 10,000 people. UNICEF is another Devex Top 40 Development Innovator. United Nations Development Program Type: donor and U.N. organization Founded: 1965 Administrator: Helen Clark UNDP operates in 177 countries, helping them build and share solutions to the development challenges relating to democratic governance, poverty reduction, crisis prevention and recovery, environment and energy, and HIV/AIDS. It produces the annual Human Development Report, which tackles key development issues, which it says provides “new measurement tools, innovative analysis and often controversial policy proposals.” UNDP also manages grants provided by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, though this role is for a limited period during which it helps develop the capacity of one or more potential national recipient organizations to eventually take over Global Fund grant management. United Nations Population Fund Type: donor and U.N. organization Founded: 1967 Executive Director: Babatunde Osotimehin UNFPA works with governments, other U.N. agencies, communities, NGOs, foundations and the private sector to help achieve its mission, which is to support countries “in using population data for policies and programs to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.” It has five regional and six subregional offices that coordinate its work in about 150 countries. UNFPA is entirely supported by voluntary donations, which in 2010 reached record levels at $870 million. United Nations Secretariat Type: international organization Founded: 1945 Secretary-general: Ban Ki-moon The U.N. Secretariat services and executes programs and policies laid out by principal U.N. organs such as the General Assembly and the Security Council. Its duties include supervising peacekeeping operations, mediating international disputes, analyzing economic and social trends and problems, and preparing studies on human rights and sustainable development. It had around 44,000 staff members around the globe as of June 30, 2010. Other notable aid organizations in New York: • Acumen Fund • Action Without Borders/Idealist.org • Aid for AIDS International • American Jewish World Service • amFAR • Amnesty International USA • Banyan Global • Bpeace • BRAC USA • Catholic Medical Mission Board • Concern USA • Council on Foreign Relations • Doctors Without Borders • EA Consultants • East-West Management Institute • Echoing Green • EngenderHealth • Episcopal Relief & Development • Family Care International • Financial Services Volunteer Corps • Ford Foundation • Foreign Policy Association • GBCHealth • Global Alliance for TB Drug Development • Global Policy Forum • HealthRight International • Helen Keller International • Helping Hands Worldwide • Human Rights First| • Human Rights Watch • International AIDS Vaccine Initiative • International Crisis Group • International Human Rights Funders Group • International League for Human Rights • International Planned Parenthood Federation Western Hemisphere Region • KPMG • Madre • McKinsey & Co. • Medical Relief Alliance • Millennium Promise(Red) • Rockefeller Foundation • NGO Committee on UNICEF • Open Society Foundations • Peace Dividend Trust • Pro Mujer • Right to Play USA • Self Help Africa • Synergos Institute • The Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations • UMCOR • United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs • U.N. Women • William J. Clinton Foundation • Women’s Federation for World Peace International • Women’s World Banking • World Childhood Foundation USA Rolf Rosenkranz contributed to this report. Did we forget any major aid organization based in New York? Please let us know by placing your comments below. Also check our lists of top aid groups in other major U.S. cities and beyond.