Other development employers to watch in 2025
A list of 10 lesser-known development organizations that may not always make headlines, but are doing significant work.
The international development landscape has seen seismic shifts over the past year, and many in the field are looking for work with more competition than ever before. While well-established organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the International Finance Corporation, and Mercy Corps are often the first to come to mind, they still represent only part of the picture. We’ve compiled a list of organizations that — though less widely recognized — also possess a growing influence in the sector, and help drive meaningful change. Building on last year’s roundup, this edition revisits key development players and introduces emerging organizations that merit close attention from aspiring professionals. 1. Cowater International Headquarters: 109 Murray Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 4, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Year founded: 1985 Cowater International drives transformative change by combining evidence-based innovation with local partnerships to achieve lasting impact throughout the globe. The organization is seeking to hire an expert to develop toolkits for women and youth-led MSMEs, with a focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, and Zambia. 🔍 View all current Cowater International job postings on Devex. 2. Tetra Tech Headquarters: 3475 East Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena, California, United States Year founded: 1966 Tetra Tech is a global consulting firm leveraging multidisciplinary expertise to promote stability, prosperity, and resilience across regions. It is actively recruiting for a director-general for infrastructure and sustainable energy to oversee infrastructure projects in Kiribati. 🔍 View all current Tetra Tech job postings on Devex. 3. AGRA Headquarters: West End Towers, 4th Floor, Muthangari Drive, Nairobi, Kenya Year founded: 2006 The Alliance for a Green Revolution, or AGRA, in Africa works to reshape farming into a resilient and profitable enterprise for smallholders by driving innovation and strengthening food systems. 4. The Pacific Community Headquarters: 95 Promenade Roger Laroque, BP D5, Noumea, New Caledonia Year founded: 1947 The Pacific Community, or SPC, advances sustainable development across the Pacific through research, innovation, and cultural awareness. SPC is currently looking for an energy coordinator to ensure the effective inception and implementation of an electrification project in Micronesia. 🔍 View all current SPC job postings on Devex. 5. SoCha LLC Headquarters: B29 Quartier Des Baobabs, Domaine De Labourdonnais, Mapou, Mauritius Year founded: 2010 SoCha is a global consulting firm that maximizes development outcomes by generating evidence, enhancing learning, and guiding partners in strategic decision-making. It is in the process of filling a results-oriented monitoring senior expert position based in Belgium. 🔍 View all current SoCha job postings on Devex. 6. Heifer International Headquarters: 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States Year founded: 1944 Heifer International works with communities in 19 countries across four continents to end hunger and poverty by empowering farmers and entrepreneurs to build sustainable livelihoods. The organization is still accepting applications for the role of director of finance and administration. The successful candidate will provide strategic and analytical leadership across finance, administration, procurement, and logistics functions. 🔍 View all current Heifer International job postings on Devex. 7. CARE Headquarters: 151 Ellis Street, NE Atlanta, Georgia, United States Year founded: 1945 CARE is an international nonprofit working to end poverty and promote social justice, with a strong focus on empowering women and girls. CARE is on the lookout for an advocacy adviser who can lead coordinated advocacy efforts in Sudan. 🔍 View all current CARE job postings on Devex. 8. Pact Headquarters: 1140 3rd Street NE, Suite 400, Washington, D.C., United States Year founded: 1971 Pact partners with governments, civil society, and the private sector to foster local capacity, promote inclusive growth, and enhance community resilience worldwide. Pact is seeking an experienced chief of party who can direct and coordinate efforts to sustain Ukraine’s progress toward controlling the HIV epidemic in the country. 🔍 View all current Pact job postings on Devex. 9. Commonwealth Secretariat Headquarters: Marlborough House, Pall Mall, St. James's, London, United Kingdom Year founded: 1965 The Commonwealth Secretariat promotes development, democracy, and peace by providing member states with policy guidance and technical expertise. 🔍 View all current Commonwealth Secretariat job postings on Devex. 10. Education Development Center Inc. Headquarters: 300 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2010, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States Year founded: 1958 The Education Development Center advances learning, health, and economic opportunity through research-driven programs in collaboration with public and private institutions. EDC is currently in search of a green skills expert to provide technical expertise in the design and implementation of green skills development interventions for the youth in Rwanda. 🔍 View all current Education Development Center job postings on Devex.
The international development landscape has seen seismic shifts over the past year, and many in the field are looking for work with more competition than ever before. While well-established organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the International Finance Corporation, and Mercy Corps are often the first to come to mind, they still represent only part of the picture. We’ve compiled a list of organizations that — though less widely recognized — also possess a growing influence in the sector, and help drive meaningful change.
Building on last year’s roundup, this edition revisits key development players and introduces emerging organizations that merit close attention from aspiring professionals.
1. Cowater International
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Roberto Paolo Mejorada is a Data Quality and Knowledge Management Associate at Devex. He is part of the Data Collection Team, focusing on overall content strategy, ensuring quality and accurate data, and providing support in research and analysis. He has a bachelor's degree in Humanities, and a master's degree in Political Economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific.
