Top global development employers in Rome

Rome is a growing hub for organizations working on international development issues. Increasingly, the city has also become a hub for agricultural and biotech research, and the three United Nations food and agriculture agencies are all headquartered there: The Food and Agriculture Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and World Food Programme. There are also a number of other organizations focused on agricultural research and development based in Rome. In 2016, €21 million ($24.7 million) was granted by the Italian government to fund sustainable biotechnology and research. And recently this year, Rome hosted the sixth International Conference on Sustainable Development, organized by the European Centre of Sustainable Development to discuss economic, environmental, and sociocultural sustainability. The city also holds support office operations for multiple other branches of the U.N. and other global development actors, such as the Society for International Development. Additionally, the Sapienza University of Rome offers a master’s program in development and international cooperation, which looks at understanding, assessing, and managing the social, political, and economic contexts of developing countries and international cooperation programs. Here is a list of some of the biggest global development employers with more than 100 employees in Rome or the Vatican. Agriconsulting Type: Consultancy Staff: 101-250 Focus: Agriculture and rural development Established by a group of agricultural entrepreneurs, Agriconsulting has worked on many projects across Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe, assisting with the planning, design, and management of development initiatives in agriculture and rural development. Agriconsulting currently has projects underway in Honduras, Timor-Leste, and eSwatini — formerly Swaziland — among other nations, and has implemented hundreds of large-scale projects for organizations, including the World Bank and African Development Bank. With its headquarters in Rome, Agriconsulting also has a number of local and country offices. The company is currently seeking climate change experts for its database. Find out how to add your name. Bioversity International Type: Implementing NGO Staff: 251-500 Focus: Nutrition, agriculture, sustainability, and climate change Bioversity International is a CGIAR Research Centre working to improve the nutrition, resilience, productivity, and climate change adaptation with partners in low-income countries. The center also works to achieve sustainable global food and nutrition security using agriculture and biodiversity. It has three core initiatives: Healthy diets from sustainable food systems; productive and resilient farms, forests, and landscapes; and effective genetic resources conservation and use. The Bioversity International headquarters is in Rome, while the company as a whole comprises of 290 staff located across 19 offices, recruiting two categories of regular staff: international positions and local positions. Positions normally comprise of a three-year fixed-term contract with the following benefits: comprehensive medical, life, accident, and disability insurance; retirement contribution; 30 days of annual leave; and performance-based incentives, which link to strategic and operational objectives to annual performance. Bioversity International also run a fellowship scheme in collaboration with MSc and Ph.D. students undertaking research in the field. Caritas Internationalis Type: Implementing NGO Staff: 10,000+ Focus: Conflicts and disasters, health, food, migration, and development While Caritas Internationalis’ headquarters in the Vatican is small, the NGO is made up of more than 160 Catholic member organizations globally. The religious organization works across five sectors: conflicts and disasters, health, food, migration, and development. Caritas works around the world with a network of 1 million staff and volunteers. It deliberately keeps the Rome headquarters small to have more funds reach projects on the ground, but sometimes offers internships and volunteer opportunities in Rome. Food and Agricultural Organization Type: Funding agency Staff: 5,001-10,000 Focus: Food and agriculture As one of the U.N. agencies headquartered in Rome, the Food and Agricultural Organization acts as a forum where nations meet to negotiate and debate agreements and food and agriculture policy. The agency’s primary goal is to overcome global hunger and achieve food security for all. FAO has 194 member nations and works in over 130 countries worldwide with an extensive network of decentralized country offices. FAO offers many career development opportunities, including group training, workshops, and individual training courses. FAO also encourages career growth within the organization, with a staff mobility program that enables staff to move to different functions, as well as geographically within their duty station. Internationally, FAO recruits senior level and professional staff, while locally, FAO recruits general service staff and national professional officers. View FAO’s current openings here. International Development Law Organization Type: Intergovernmental organization Staff: 101-250 Focus: Law, social justice Headquartered in Rome, the International Development Law Organization was founded in 1988 and granted U.N. observer status in 2001. It’s the only intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law by empowering people and communities to claim their rights and providing governments with the assistance to do so. IDLO works across seven main areas: Women and girls, economic opportunity, public health, sustainability, peace and democracy, access to justice, and rule of law. While headquartered in Rome, IDLO works across the globe and has a presence or representation in The Hague, New York, and Geneva. Staff are made up of international legal and development professionals, and IDLO is seeking to further diversify staff with an international team representative of the many people they serve. View IDLO’s current job openings here. International Fund for Agricultural Development Type: Funding agency Staff: 501-1,000 Focus: Food security, nutrition, and income Another branch of the U.N., the International Fund for Agricultural Development works with rural communities to help increase food security, improve nutrition, and attain higher incomes. IFAD has provided $18.5 billion in grants and low-interest loans to roughly 464 million people through projects since 1978. The agency works in very remote and fragile regions where most other development organizations do not venture, supporting small-scale agricultural projects. IFAD offers various roles, including permanent and consultancy positions. The agency is also part of the U.N. Junior Professional Officer Programme and has its own internship program. Employee benefits include a dependency allowance, an education grant up to university level, home leave, medical insurance, and social security. The selection process can take between two to four months. View IFAD’s current job openings here. Jesuit Refugee Service Type: NGO Staff: 1,001-5,000 Focus: Refugees and displaced persons Jesuit Refugee Service is an international Catholic organization working to accompany, serve, and advocate for refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. JRS has programs in 51 countries aiding refugees and asylum seekers in camps, cities, and detention centers, in addition to those displaced within their own countries. JRS has 10 regional offices and an international office in the Vatican. Staff and volunteers include international and local professionals, Jesuits, or members of a religious congregation. JRS seeks to recruit specialists in education, counseling, rehabilitation, management, and related fields, and particularly those with experience in training others. Additionally, JRS looks for people with technical skills — notably in communication, law, agriculture, project management, and small-scale development work. UNDESA Type: Implementing NGO Staff: 251-500 Focus: Economic and social affairs The U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs compiles, generates, and analyzes economic, environmental, and social information and data from U.N. member states to inform and advise on policies. The NGO’s Rome office particularly focuses on human resources development, liaising with Italian and European institutions, organizations, and businesses. UNDESA coordinates an Italian Fellowships Program that offers one-year placements for more than 30 young skilled professionals per year and is sponsored by the Italian government. Placements involve analytical, research, and operational activities to support development assistance delivery in developing countries. UNDESA also runs the JPO Programme — also sponsored by the government — for junior professionals with a master’s degree who are under 30 years of age and with excellent knowledge of English to gain two years’ work experience in an international organization. World Food Programme Type: Funding agency Staff: 5,001-10,000 Focus: Nutrition and food security, emergency response Born out of FAO in 1961, the World Food Programme now works in more than 80 countries worldwide and assists 80 million people each year by delivering food assistance in emergencies and helping to improve nutrition in communities. WFP offers internships usually lasting between two and eight months for current or recent university students and graduates, and also partakes in the U.N.-wide JPO Programme for young professionals. JPOs work in WFP’s country and regional offices, or its Rome headquarters, and receive intensive training and mentoring. Applicants must be under 35 years old; hold a master’s degree in a relevant subject; be fluent in English and have intermediate knowledge of at least one other official U.N. language; and have three to five years’ professional work experience in a relevant area. View WFP’s current job openings here. World Bank Type: Funding agency Staff: 10,000+ Focus: Finance, policy, and programs to eradicate poverty Italy became a member of the World Bank in 1947 following World War II, and as a member, it works with other member governments to finance projects, design policies, and deliver programs to eradicate poverty. The functions and responsibilities of the World Bank’s Rome office include building relationships with key stakeholders — including the government, private sector, academia, and the media — by promoting a better understanding of the World Bank Group’s work. The bank also organizes events and conferences on related topics, and serves as a contact point for Italian organizations to reach out to the group and its members for collaboration opportunities. View the World Bank’s current job openings here. Did we forget a major aid organization in Rome? Let us know by placing your comments below. Also check our lists of top aid groups in other global development hubs such as London, New York, Paris, and Washington. Looking to make a career move? Visit our career center for expert advice on how to navigate your job search — all you need is a Devex Career Account to get started.