The top 20 USAID women-led business implementers to work for

According to a recent Devex survey on the SDG talent gap, one of the key trends to improve hiring and expand SDG-related talent pools is by offering careers with impact. For some job seekers, working for an organization owned or founded by women fits into their definition of what it means to be part of a working culture that promotes diversity and collaboration. There’s even research to suggest that organizations with women in leadership positions have a more positive effect on the environment and more success in reaching environmental, social, and governance, or ESG, goals. Others generally prefer to be led by women as some research shows that women-led organizations tend to be more competently run and that productivity rates are higher. For job seekers looking to identify women-led global development organizations, Devex has identified the top women-owned business implementers of USAID funding, based on public data from the U.S. aid agency’s 2022 fiscal year. USAID works with a number of women-owned businesses that are implementing its projects around the world. One of USAID’s goals for 2023 is to ensure 5% of its total worldwide contract obligations go to what it defines as women-owned small businesses. Below are the top 20 women-owned contractors in the USAID market, including both small and large businesses and some of the current job opportunities that they’re offering. 1. Creative Associates International, Inc. USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $86.8 million Headquarters: Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States Founded: 1977 Founder and board chair: Charito Kruvant Number of employees: 1,001-5,000 Providing outstanding, on-the-ground development services and forging partnerships to deliver sustainable solutions to global challenges, Creative Associates International is a social impact company that focuses on building inclusive educational systems, transitioning communities from conflict to peace, developing sustainable economic growth, engaging youth, promoting transparent elections, and more. Creative Associates International is currently hiring for its anticipated USAID-funded Local Capacity Development, or LCD, activity in Vietnam. They are looking for a service improvement lead and an engagement-strengthening lead, both with at least eight years of progressive experience in public administration, local government support, or governance reforms in Vietnam. 2. EnCompass LLC USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $55.1 million Headquarters: Rockville, Maryland, United States Founded: 1999 CEO: Tessie Tzavaras Catsambas Number of employees: 251-500 EnCompass is a global development consulting firm offering innovative and customized solutions for leadership, capacity strengthening, technical assistance, and monitoring an evaluation with expertise in global health, inclusive development, education, human rights, and food security. EnCompass is currently implementing various USAID-funded projects and is hiring for some positions such as a director of research with at least 10 years of experience in the area of evaluation, results-based management, data quality control, and reporting for USAID projects and systems for its anticipated five-year Democracy, Human Rights and Governance, or DRG, Center Learning, Evaluation, and Research III (LER III) activity. For EnCompass’ gender equality and inclusive development, they are looking for a gender and MEL specialist with at least three years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, or research roles specifically focused on USAID gender equality and social inclusion, or GESI, topics or sector. They are also looking for a senior strategic communications specialist with at least seven years of experience in communications, public relations, mass media with governmental bodies, international development organizations, or relevant NGOs to contribute to their Ukraine Monitoring, Learning, and Support, or UMLS, activity. 3. Social Solutions International, Inc. USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $37.7 million Headquarters: Rockville, Maryland, United States Founded: 2005 CEO and founder: Susanna Nemes Number of employees: 201-500 Social Solutions is a consulting firm offering quality research and evaluation, training and technical assistance, and institutional support services dedicated to the creation of social and health solutions for underserved populations worldwide. The firm is currently hiring for their anticipated USAID projects such as a chief of party to provide overall leadership, technical direction, and oversight of day-to-day activity management for the Bureau of Development, Democracy, and Innovation, or DDI, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, or MEL, mechanism. They are also hiring for a technical learning adviser to review the current health programming, track trends in the health sector, and plan for future investments as part of USAID’s India Health Learning Activity. 4. Panagora Group Inc. USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $29.1 million Headquarters: Silver Spring, Maryland, United States Founded: 2011 President and CEO: Betsy Bassan Number of employees: 51-200 Panagora Group offers high-quality, high-impact international health, development, and learning consulting services and provides expertise as short- or long-term technical assistance through institutional support mechanisms. Panagora is currently spearheading the knowledge management and communications activities under the global community component of the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program — Procurement and Supply Management, or GHSC-PSM, project. With that they are looking for a senior manager for learning and strategic communication to support and manage the internal and external learning and communication activities of the project in Nigeria. They are also looking for a chief of party for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Health Technical Assistance project in Indonesia. 5. ZemiTek LLC USAID awarded funding in FY 2022: $28.9 million Headquarters: Bethesda, Maryland, United States Founded: 2007 President and CEO: Rosa Caldas Number of employees: 51-100 Providing information technology and management consulting services worldwide, Zemitek partners with the U.S. government in delivering innovative solutions to contribute to development worldwide. ZemiTek is currently looking for a workshop facilitator for a half-day leadership retreat for the USAID Bureau for Asia. They are also hiring for a legislative affairs program specialist with at least five years of experience working as a congressional staffer for the USAID Asia Bureau/Office of Strategic Planning and Operations. 6. Jefferson Consulting Group LLC USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $24 million Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Founded: 1988 CEO: Janet Clement Number of employees: 51-200 Jefferson Consulting Group is a professional services firm that provides results-driven advice and hands-on assistance to their industry clients and government customers. The group consists of two separate companies, Jefferson Business Consulting for their commercial clients, and Jefferson Solutions for their consulting services provided directly to the Federal government. The group is currently hiring for USAID’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub (GenDev). Specifically, they are filling for positions such as a senior gender integration advisor with a degree in community or international development, gender, social sciences, or other related disciplines and experience in implementing gender integration technical support, capacity building, and training. They are also looking for consultants to expand their pool of gender experts in support of GenDev and subject matter experts and technical advisors with experience related to gender integration in various sectors. 7. CounterTrade Products, Inc. USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $17.8 million Headquarters: Arvada, Colorado, United States Founded: 1985 CEO: Sharon Norwell Number of employees: 11-50 CounterTrade Products, Inc. is a technology solution provider that solves technology challenges with a customized solution built for their clients’ needs and budgetary requirements by offering hardware, software, and services dedicated to improving a company’s productivity while decreasing operational and capital costs. 8. International Business Initiatives USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $14.7 million Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia, United States Founded: 1996 Founder and chair: Lucie Phillips Number of employees: 51-200 International Business Initiatives provides economic development consulting and training services to governments and companies by providing insightful analysis and practical, timely solutions to the challenges they are facing. IBI’s practice areas include public financial management, human and institutional performance improvement, digital development, economic growth, governance, and monitoring and evaluation. IBI is currently hiring for a vice president for economic growth with experience in managing USAID-funded projects, including work in business development or program management to lead the firm’s economic growth portfolio. They are also hiring for a collaboration, learning and adapting (CLA) specialist in Liberia for the USAID-funded Liberia Data, Evaluation, Learning and Technical Assistance (DELTA) Activity and is looking for a specialist with at least seven years of experience in the development sector with a background in coordinating research activities. 9. WWC Global LLC USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $13.9 million Headquarters: Tampa, Florida, United States Founded: 2004 Founders: Lauren Weiner and Donna Huneycutt Number of employees: 201-500 WWC Global is a management consulting firm that helps government clients navigate the complexities of policy-making and implementation by offering efficient, measurable, and tailored solutions to the structural, budgeting, and regulatory issues faced by federal organizations. In 2022, WWC Global LLC was acquired by Command Holdings, a holding company owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, to act as the platform infrastructure for the firm. Both founders joined Command Holdings and remained as members of WWC Global’s executive team, with Lauren Weiner as chief financial officer and Donna Huneycutt as chief business integration and risk officer. Jon Panamaroff, a member of the Sun’aq tribe of Kodiak, Alaska, is now the firm’s chief executive officer. The firm is currently hiring for senior information security analysts with more than 10 years of experience either defining information security standards, developing and implementing information security standards and procedures, or ensuring the functionality and security of information systems. They are also looking for senior systems engineers with more than 10 years of experience in performing system backups and recovery, major systems design, integration, and implementation, and implementation of support facilities and/or equipment for personnel, hardware, software, and budgetary requirements. 10. Q2 Impact (formerly The QED Group, LLC) USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $13.3 million Headquarters: Alexandria, Virginia, United States Founded: 1998 Founder: Neelima Grover Number of employees: 51-200 In September 2022, QED Group announced its merger with Georgetown Strategy Group, Inc., which marks the beginning of a new global corporation, Q2 Impact. The new firm leverages the 20-year experience of QED Group through the leadership of its founder, Neelima Grover, while Dave Harden, Georgetown Strategy Group’s former managing director, took the role of CEO of Q2 Impact. Q2 Impact is a consulting firm that provides data-driven, insightful, and knowledge-based solutions to transform lives through the use of cutting-edge technologies and innovation, organizational development, and evidence-based decision-making. Q2 Impact is currently searching for a business development manager with at least five years of experience in related business development or proposal management. As part of their USAID-funded Yemen Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Project II (YMELP II), the firm is hiring for a chief of party with progressive experience in project management of similar development programs and at least five years of experience related to research, evaluation, and statistics. 11. SSG Advisors LLC (now Resonance) USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $13 million Headquarters: Burlington, Vermont, United States Founded: 2005 CEO: Nazgul Abdrazakova Number of employees: 51-200 12. USmax Corporation USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $10.1 million Headquarters: Fairfax, Virginia, United States Founded: 1995 CEO: Erin Pak Number of employees: 51-200 13. Making Cents International, Inc. USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $8.4 million Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Founded: 1999 Co-owner and senior vice president: Tijana Dabic Number of employees: 11-50 14. Development Professionals Inc. (DPI) - Making Cents International, Inc. (JV) USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $8.4 million Headquarters: Vienna, Virginia, United States Founded: 2009 CEO of DPI: Natalija Stamenkovic Number of employees: 11-50 15. Connexus Corporation USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $7.8 million Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia, United States Founded: 2007 CEO and President: Anita Campion Number of employees: 26-50 16. Highlight Technologies USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $7.6 million Headquarters: Fairfax, Virginia, United States Founded: 2008 CEO: Rebecca Andino Number of employees: 1,001-5,000 17. Trigon Associates, LLC USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $7.6 million Headquarters: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States Founded: 2009 CEO: Lisa Fernandez Cookmeyer; PE (CEO Emeritus) Michelle Herbert Number of employees: 11-50 18. Social Impact, Inc. USAID-awarded funding in FY-2022: $7.5 million Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia, United States Founded: 1996 CEO and president: Shiro Gnanaselvam Number of employees: 51-200 19. Bixal Solutions Incorporated USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $6.2 million Headquarters: Fairfax, Virginia, United States Founded: 2001 CEO and co-founder: Carla Briceno Number of employees: 201-500 20. MindPoint Group LLC USAID-awarded funding in FY 2022: $6.2 million Headquarters: McLean, Virginia, United States Founded: 2009 President: Patti Chanthaphone Number of employees: 251-500 Update, April 28, 2023: This article has been updated to reflect that the 20 organizations featured include a range of small and large businesses. Ready to stand out from the crowd and get noticed by the recruiters who matter most? Update your Devex profile and start connecting with top global development recruiters now!