Given the current uncertainty in the development sector around funding cuts, hiring freezes, and organizational shifts, it’s no surprise that many professionals are using this moment to rethink what a meaningful and sustainable career might look like moving forward.
“What better time to start diversifying our career path than now if we haven't done so already,” Kelsi Kriitmaa, a leadership and executive coach, said during a recent Devex digital careers event on how to navigate a portfolio career path.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing insights from our event on how to approach building a successful portfolio career in global development. Plus, the best new job opportunities from Devex’s board, from leading organizations such as The Ocean Cleanup, UNOPS, and many others.
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Top full-time staff jobs this week
1. Procurement Specialist
Tetra Tech
Australia (remote)
2. Monitoring and Evaluation Senior Analyst
UNOPS
United States
3. Compensation and Benefits Manager
European Climate Foundation
Belgium
4. Account Manager (PR and Communications)
Newton Street
United States (remote)
5. Senior Human Resources (HR) Manager
HelpAge International
Worldwide
6. Procurement Manager
The Ocean Cleanup
Netherlands
Devex Talent Solutions, our boutique recruitment agency, is supporting CARE in its search for a country director to be based in Kenya. This is a full-time, senior-level position. Applications must be submitted by Sept. 12.
+ See more roles DTS is helping to fill.
Pros and cons: Portfolio careers
“This is an opportunity to diversify your organizations and your experience, and that also means diversifying your revenue, so when there is instability or volatility in the sector, you have more options.”
— Kelsi Kriitmaa, leadership and executive coach
The potential benefits of a portfolio career are plentiful, and include autonomy, alignment with your values, and the ability to pick the projects and the organizations that you really want to work for and with, Kriitmaa said during our recent event.
Working for multiple organizations also means you’re not overdependent on one income stream — an issue many in the sector have had to contend with this year.
On the flip side, having a variety of income streams can be problematic as well. “You can be incredible at planning, and there can still be huge problems in your pipeline and issues with your clients,” she said. Portfolio careers come with feast or famine work cycles, and there is always the threat of unpaid invoices.
There are also a host of administrative and technical aspects related to being your own boss that add to your overall workload. These include determining the legal structure of your company, meeting income tax requirements, and managing operational costs.
Watch: Portfolio careers in development — what to know and how to get started (Career)
Top consulting and short-term jobs
1. West Africa Manager – Renewable Energy & Development
Blackbird Project Co.
Gambia
2. Consulting Services for Household Social – Economic Impact Assessment (Roads)
DT Global
Papua New Guinea
3. Program coordinator
U.S. Pharmacopeia
Kyrgyzstan
4. Consultancy for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Expert
AGRA
Tanzania
5. Resident Advisor (Real Sector Statistics Advisor, CAPTAC-DR)
International Monetary Fund
Guatemala
6. Individual Consultant: Developing Standardization of KPIs to Achieve People, Nature, and Climate Goals
World Resources Institute
Indonesia
+ For more opportunities, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn and the Devex job board.
Data download: Who is hiring in West Africa?
As we continue assessing the state of development job opportunities across the globe, our latest job board data analysis dug into opportunities in West Africa. Here’s a look at the top three local employers that have been actively recruiting.
1. African Development Bank
Headquarters: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 589
Since Jan. 24, AfDB has advertised mostly mid-level consultancies and short-term contract positions. The bank currently has an opening for a consultant who will provide an environmental and social compliance audit for the Boké-Québo road development project in Guinea.
View all current job openings from AfDB on Devex.
2. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
Headquarters: Ibadan, Nigeria
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 45
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture is a nonprofit, research-for-development organization that provides solutions for hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation in sub-Saharan Africa. IITA has primarily advertised entry-level opportunities, and is currently seeking a project administration support officer based at its headquarters in Nigeria.
View all current job openings from IITA on Devex.
Check out the rest of the list: The top local employers in West Africa (Career)
3. European Union Capacity Building Mission in Mali
Headquarters: Bamako, Mali
Total jobs posted since Jan. 24: 44
The European Union Capacity Building Mission in Mali is the EU’s civilian crisis management mission, which supports Mali’s internal security forces in strengthening governance and reforming the security sector. Since Jan. 24, the mission has primarily advertised mid-level opportunities and long-term positions.
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• The future of U.S. foreign aid. After six months that shook the foundations of U.S. foreign aid, the question now is: Where do we go from here? Devex’s Michael Igoe breaks down what the future looks like.
• Court sides with Trump in aid-freeze challenge. A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that organizations suing the Trump administration's foreign aid freeze did not have the standing to do so — but left unresolved whether the move itself is constitutional.
• New philanthropic initiative targets Asia. ImpactCollab is aimed at engaging Asia’s richest in philanthropic giving. It comes at a crucial moment, as philanthropy is being asked to step up, at a time of distress in the aid sector and high debt burden in countries.
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Sign up to Devex Career Hub for global development’s top jobs, expert career advice, and practical tips to help you do more good for more people.
About the author
Justin Sablich
Justin is a contributing writer and editor who previously led Devex’s careers content strategy. Before joining Devex, Justin served as the managing editor of Springwise, covering sustainable and climate-tech innovation across all business sectors. He also spent over 13 years as an editor and writer for the New York Times, specializing in digital content production and strategy while producing written and multimedia content on a range of topics, including travel, sports, and technology.
