The expectation to relocate — often from one country to another — is widespread among those working in international development. For employees, this emphasis on mobility can be as enriching as it can be a strain on their private lives and even their professional development. For employers, it’s a puzzle of logistics that often complicates other human resources goals like gender equity.
At the same time, mobility programs — be it in the Foreign Service or organizations like the U.N Refugee Agency or World Food Program — help institutions share knowledge and create a versatile workforce.
Many governments push mobility through structured programs like the Foreign Service, where diplomats can bid on posts and are expected to change positions every few years. This form of job hopping is encouraged in order to avoid the formation of political alliances that could cause conflicts with policy-making, and also to create a versatile workforce that understands policy issues across boundaries, seeing synergies where perhaps none existed before.
About the author
Nina Segal Kennedy
Nina Segal occasionally blogs on career matters for both job seekers and HR employees for Devex. She works as an international career consultant with a broad range of nonprofit and international organizations, including UNICEF, UNFPA, the U.N. Secretariat, IFAD, FAO, Realizing Rights and the Ford Foundation, as well as individuals in the NGO community. Nina has a particular interest in building networks and improving access to career opportunities for underrepresented groups.
