As the world faces complex, interconnected issues, from climate change and public health to political instability and economic inequality, there remains a demand for seasoned professionals who can manage organizations, influence policy, and deliver tangible results. Despite a shake-up in the development landscape, with several organizations cutting down projects and staff due to the U.S. government funding cuts, organizations are still investing in critical areas and ensuring that roles with the highest levels of technical skill and leadership are filled. In this article, we take a look at the highest-paid jobs in global development. Using data analyzed from the Devex job board, we used the top 100 jobs with the highest salaries from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30 of this year, and those with the highest salaries by region, sector, and organization type. To maintain consistency, all salaries that were not disclosed in U.S. dollars were converted from their original currencies. Whether you’re a development professional from a major NGO, a private foundation, or a financial institution, here’s everything you need to know about the roles with the highest salaries and a global impact. The top jobs for 2025 Devex data shows that executive-level positions, those with 12 or more years of required experience, lead the top 100 highest-paid job positions in 2025, accounting for 63 jobs on the list. Notably, full-time staff positions comprise 48 of the top 100 high-paying job positions in 2025, followed by long-term positions with 47 jobs. 1. President Hiring org: The Wallace Foundation Annual salary: $813,000 - $904,000 Location: New York, United States 2. Lead political adviser Hiring org: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Annual salary: $793,352.52 Location: Wellington, New Zealand 3. President Hiring org: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Annual salary: $750,000 - $850,000 Location: New York, United States 4. Vice president and chief investment officer Hiring org: MacArthur Foundation Annual salary: $750,000 Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States 5. GDC program manager — Investment Catalyst Facility Hiring org: Practical Action Annual salary: $582,617.50 Location: Kenya 6. Chief operating officer Hiring org: David and Lucile Packard Foundation Annual salary: $550,000 - $650,000 Location: Los Altos, California, United States 7. Director Hiring org: J. Paul Getty Trust — The Getty Annual salary: $550,000 Location: Los Angeles, California, United States 8. Executive vice president Hiring org: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Annual salary: $507,000 - $531,000 Location: Princeton, New Jersey, United States 9. Chief executive officer Hiring org: Wikimedia Foundation Annual salary: $500,000 Location: United States 10. Executive director Hiring org: Human Rights Watch Annual salary: $475,000 - $535,000 Location: New York, United States The top jobs by region Many jobs were available to people living in many locations. When looking at these roles, we attributed jobs to every location tagged. We found that the top 100 highest-paid job positions in 2025 are largely based in North America, which was a possible location for 57 of the roles. This is followed by job positions based in different sub-regions in Asia and the Pacific, comprising 45 of the total list. Latin America and the Caribbean and eastern Africa are the locations with the fewest high-paying jobs, comprising only two of the top 100. East Asia and the Pacific 1. Lead political adviser Hiring org: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Annual salary: $793,352.52 Location: Wellington, New Zealand 2. Project manager Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $577,535 Location: Pohnpei, Micronesia 3. Senior sustainable finance specialist/team leader Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $570,000 Location: Bhutan | Mongolia | Papua New Guinea | Philippines | Thailand + three more South Asia 1. Strategic planning expert Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $500,000 Location: Nepal 2. Consultant for gender and social inclusion for MMRDA and MMMOCL Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $436,663 Location: Mumbai, India 3. Senior Economic Adviser Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $331,616 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Central Asia 1. PPP policy adviser Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $350,000 Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan 2. PPP commercial adviser Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $300,000 Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan 3. Expert in international institutional procurement and contracts Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $276,600 Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan Middle East and North Africa 1. Senior forest management expert Hiring org: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Annual salary: $281,680.17 - $425,333.48 Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2. Value chain development expert Hiring org: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Annual salary: $281,680.17 - $425,333.48 Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 3. Fisheries and aquaculture expert Hiring org: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Annual salary: $281,680.17 - $425,333.48 Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia West Africa 1. Senior director for corporate information technology services (chief information officer) Hiring org: African Development Bank Annual salary: $234,620 - $321,430 Location: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire 2. Director for corporate programs of the chief economist/vice president for economic governance and knowledge management Hiring org: African Development Bank Annual salary: $200,580 - $274,795 Location: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire 3. Resident coordinator Hiring org: United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) Annual salary: $171,094 - $205,942 Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Eastern Africa 1. GDC program manager — Investment Catalyst Facility Hiring org: Practical Action Annual salary: $582,617.50 Location: Kenya 2. Director of mission support Hiring org: United Nations Mission in South Sudan Annual salary: $171,094 - $205,942 Location: Juba, South Sudan 3. Director, program management (chief scientist and director of the office of science) Hiring org: United Nations Environment Programme Annual salary: $171,094 - $205,942 Location: Nairobi, Kenya Central Africa 1. Director of Mission Support Hiring org: U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Annual salary: $171,094 - $205,942 Location: Goma, The Democratic Republic of Congo 2. Chief of service, public information and strategic communication Hiring org: U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Annual salary: $152,417 - $193,215 Location: Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of Congo 3. Principal human rights officer Hiring org: U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Annual salary: $152,417 - $193,215 Location: Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of Congo Southern Africa 1. Resident coordinator Hiring org: United Nations Resident Coordinator Office Annual salary: $171,094 - $205,942 Location: Luanda, Angola 2. Senior financial management specialist Hiring org: World Bank Group Annual salary: $165,580 - $307,480 Location: Luanda, Angola 3. Senior procurement specialist Hiring org: World Bank Group Annual salary: $165,580 - $307,480 Location: Luanda, Angola Europe 1. Global director, WRI Polsky Energy Center Hiring org: World Resources Institute Annual salary: $300,000 Location: India | United Kingdom | Netherlands | United States 2. Deputy secretary-general Hiring org: European Investment Bank Annual salary: $269,200.75 - $300,806.58 Location: Brussels, Belgium 3. Chief economist and director Hiring org: World Trade Organization Annual salary: $250,328.43 Location: Geneva, Switzerland Latin America and the Caribbean 1. Regional industry manager, FIG, LAC Hiring org: International Finance Corporation Annual salary: $184,900 - $343,600 Location: Mexico City, Mexico 2. Principal investment officer, financial institutions group, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay Hiring org: International Finance Corporation Annual salary: $184,900 - $343,600 Location: Santiago, Chile 3. Principal investment officer, financial institutions group, Andean region Hiring org: International Finance Corporation Annual salary: $184,900 - $343,600 Location: Bogota, Colombia The top jobs by sector While many of the high-paying job positions are obvious executive positions responsible for operational leadership and strategies, Devex data shows different sectors within global development where other high-paying job positions are in demand this year. Jobs advertised across multiple sectors are attributed to every sector with which they are tagged. Banking and finance-related positions lead with 14 jobs, followed by the governance sector with 13 jobs. Positions related to trade and policy and urban development sectors are the most uncommon, amounting to 1 job each. Agriculture and rural development Value chain development expert Hiring org: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Annual salary: $281,680.17 - $425,333.48 Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Banking and finance Vice president and chief investment officer Hiring org: MacArthur Foundation Annual salary: $750,000 Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States Careers and education Senior adviser education Hiring org: World Bank Group Annual salary: $279,700 - $419,600 Location: Washington, D.C., United States Democracy, human rights and governance Executive director Hiring org: Human Rights Watch Annual salary: $475,000 - $535,000 Location: New York, United States Economic development GDC programme manager — Investment Catalyst Facility Hiring org: Practical Action Annual salary: $582,617.50 Location: Kenya Energy Global director, WRI Polsky Energy Center Hiring org: World Resources Institute Annual salary: $300,000 Location: India | United Kingdom | Netherlands | United States Environment and natural resources Senior forest management expert Hiring org: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Annual salary: $281,680.17 - $425,333.48 Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Funding Senior vice president, program integration Hiring org: Rockefeller Foundation Annual salary: $354,000 - $420,000 Location: New York, United States Global health Director, polio Hiring org: Gates Foundation Annual salary: $367,800 - $570,200 Location: Seattle, Washington, United States Humanitarian aid Director for Border Management, Returns and Readmission Hiring org: International Organization for Migration Annual salary: $152,417 - $193,215 Location: Geneva, Switzerland Infrastructure Individual consultant: road engineer Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $360,000 Location: Suva, Fiji Innovation and ICT Senior adviser, AI strategy and ecosystem partnerships Hiring org: Gates Foundation Annual salary: $358,000 - $554,800 Location: Seattle, Washington, United States Institutional development President Hiring org: The Wallace Foundation Annual salary: $813,000 - $904,000 Location: New York, United States Media and communications Director, strategic communications and insights Hiring org: Gates Foundation Annual salary: $293,200 - $495,300 Location: Seattle or Washington, D.C., United States Private sector Private Sector Partnerships Service Officer Hiring org: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Annual salary: $$211,050.24 - $295,311.64 Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Project management Project manager Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $577,535 Location: Pohnpei, Micronesia Research Deputy director, nutrition research and development Hiring org: Gates Foundation Annual salary: $233,600 - $362,200 Location: Seattle or Washington, D.C., United States Social/inclusive development Consultant for gender and social inclusion for MMRDA and MMMOCL Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $436,663 Location: Mumbai, India Trade and policy Institutional, commercial, utility performance, and policy specialist Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $223,015 Location: New Delhi or Jaipur, India Urban development Urban and regional planner and infrastructure specialist Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $239,440 Location: India Water and sanitation Maritime specialist/engineer Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $300,000 Location: Suva, Fiji The top jobs by organization type Multilateral development banks are the most common organization type that offer high-paying job positions. Roles in these institutions made up 46 jobs of this year’s top 100 list, followed by foundations with 20 jobs and nonprofit organizations with 15 jobs. Bilateral organizations 1. Lead political adviser Hiring org: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Annual salary: $793,352.52 Location: Wellington, New Zealand 2. Director finance, integrated reporting and impact measurement Hiring org: Netherlands Development Finance Company Annual salary: $203,817.25 - $232,934 Location: The Hague, Netherlands 3. Senior performance and quality adviser Hiring org: Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Annual salary: $191,823.28 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Multilateral development banks 1. Project manager Hiring org: Asian Development Bank Annual salary: $577,535 Location: Pohnpei, Micronesia 2. Regional vice president, Latin America and Caribbean Hiring org: World Bank Group Annual salary: $340,100 - $460,200 Location: Washington, D.C., United States 3. Director and general counsel Hiring org: Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Annual salary: $279,700 - $419,600 Location: Washington, D.C., United States United Nations agencies 1. Senior forest management expert Hiring org: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Annual salary: $281,680.17 - $425,333.48 Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2. Communications and advocacy officer Hiring org: United Nations Resident Coordinator Office Annual salary: $243,550.44 - $340,456.64 Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 3. TB program review team lead Hiring org: World Health Organization Annual salary: $237,250 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Nongovernmental organizations 1. GDC program manager — Investment Catalyst Facility Hiring org: Practical Action Annual salary: $582,617.50 Location: Kenya 2. Executive director Hiring org: Human Rights Watch Annual salary: $475,000 - $535,000 Location: New York, United States 3. Senior vice president, global programs Hiring org: ORBIS International Annual salary: $325,000 - $340,000 Location: Worldwide Development consulting organizations 1. Senior director, new donor strategy Hiring org: Climate Lead Annual salary: $300,000 - $350,000 Location: San Francisco, California, United States 2. Managing partner, communications and marketing Hiring org: ICF Annual salary: $254,507 - $432,663 Location: Washington, D.C. or Reston, Virginia, United States 3. Experienced consultant Hiring org: NERA Economic Consulting Annual salary: $235,000 - $270,000 Location: New York, San Francisco, or Washington, D.C., United States Foundations 1. President Hiring org: The Wallace Foundation Annual salary: $813,000 - $904,000 Location: New York, United States 2. President Hiring org: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Annual salary: $750,000 - $850,000 Location: New York, United States 3. Vice president and chief investment officer Hiring org: MacArthur Foundation Annual salary: $750,000 Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
As the world faces complex, interconnected issues, from climate change and public health to political instability and economic inequality, there remains a demand for seasoned professionals who can manage organizations, influence policy, and deliver tangible results.
Despite a shake-up in the development landscape, with several organizations cutting down projects and staff due to the U.S. government funding cuts, organizations are still investing in critical areas and ensuring that roles with the highest levels of technical skill and leadership are filled.
In this article, we take a look at the highest-paid jobs in global development. Using data analyzed from the Devex job board, we used the top 100 jobs with the highest salaries from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30 of this year, and those with the highest salaries by region, sector, and organization type. To maintain consistency, all salaries that were not disclosed in U.S. dollars were converted from their original currencies.
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Genevieve Gregorio is a Data Quality and Knowledge Management Associate at Devex. She is part of the Data Collections Team, focusing on overall content strategy, ensuring quality and accurate data and providing support in research and analysis. She has a bachelor's degree in International Studies from Miriam College and a master's degree in Political Economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific.
Kristiana Louise Ortega is a Data Quality and Knowledge Management Associate at Devex. She is part of the Data Collections Team where she assists in the overall content strategy, ensuring quality and accurate data and provides support in research and analysis. She has a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies from the University of Santo Tomas.
