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    Local hiring means passing the torch, not extinction of expat jobs

    More proposals than ever are seeing local professionals as chief of party or deputy in projects, recruiters tell Devex. Actively engaging local communities has taken off, but recruiters and NGOs that champion the strategy say that — although roles are changing — there will always be room for expats in the field.

    By Kelli Rogers // 17 September 2013

    The expat era isn’t dead, it’s just different.

    “When I started seven years ago, 90 percent of my time was spent finding expats to fill long-term positions on projects and proposals,” said Leland Howard, a senior recruiter for Abt Associates. “Now almost all of my recruiting is local or regional.”

    In fact, things are changing more quickly than recruiters expected, he explained, citing the roll-out of USAID Forward — which placed an emphasis on increased direct investment in partner governments and local organizations — as one of the major catalysts three years ago.

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    About the author

    • Kelli Rogers

      Kelli Rogers@kellierin

      Kelli Rogers has worked as an Associate Editor and Southeast Asia Correspondent for Devex, with a particular focus on gender. Prior to that, she reported on social and environmental issues from Nairobi, Kenya. Kelli holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, and has reported from more than 20 countries.

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