Top global development employers in Washington, DC

As the seat of government of the United States, Washington D.C. is also, not surprisingly, one of the most important cities in the country — and the world — for global development. Just a stone’s throw away from the White House, Congress and Supreme Court are foreign aid agencies U.S. Agency for International Development and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as well as two major multilaterals — the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The city’s vibrant global development scene also boasts a high concentration of nonprofits and development-focused consultancies and think tanks, many of which are based in the district’s Dupont Circle area. A few minutes’ drive can land you in neighboring Maryland or Virginia — home to another large number of development organizations. Washington D.C. is also a center for education in international development. It is perhaps best known for its top-notch graduate degree programs from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (Georgetown University), Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (Johns Hopkins University), Elliott School of International Affairs (George Washington University), and American University’s School of International Service among others. We’ve rounded up some of the largest global development employers in Washington, D.C. below. A combination of implementing NGOs and development consulting firms, they operate across a wide range of sectors from health and infrastructure to food security and democracy and governance. Check out our jobs page to find other development jobs in the U.S. capital and its environs. 1. Abt Associates Type: Consultancy Founded: 1965 President and CEO: Kathleen Flanagan Abt Associates has provided research, expertise, and technical assistance to improve the efficiency of healthcare systems, effectiveness of government programs, production of food, and measurement of public opinion for over 50 years. With a global staff of more than 2,700, the company employs experts across a wide range of disciplines, including economics, engineering, environmental analysis, epidemiology, food security, health, housing, psychology, social science, statistics, and survey methodology. They have a sizable department focused specifically on international development projects based in Bethesda, Maryland, working with USAID and other bilateral and private sector funders. Interested in working with them? Check available jobs here. Read news about Abt Associates here. 2. ACDI/VOCA Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1963 President and CEO: Bill Polidoro ACDI/VOCA provides technical assistance and integrates approaches covering five practice areas — agribusiness, enterprise development, financial services, community development, and food security — to promote holistic, broad-based economic growth in developing countries. The organization, whose principal objective was once to help develop and found farming cooperatives, now has 48 active projects in 28 countries and about 1,300 employees all over the world. ACDI/VOCA receives funding from USAID, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, MCC, the World Bank, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as from private sector firms, individuals, and other ACDI/VOCA member cooperatives and farm credit banks. Check out some of the latest ACDI/VOCA job openings here. Read news about ACDI VOCA here. 3. AECOM Type: Consultancy Founded: 1990 Chairman and CEO: Michael Burke AECOM is a Fortune 500 company that offers professional, technical, and management support services to public and private sector clients in over 100 countries. An engineering design firm, they serve a wide range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government.The AECOM International Development division, works with funders like USAID in five practice areas: infrastructure and cities, agriculture and economic growth, human rights and governance, human development, and disaster and crisis management. AECOM hires experts in these five areas as well as architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management professionals to join its 85,000-member team. Check if you qualify for any of their open positions. Read news about AECOM here. 4. CARE Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1945 President and CEO: Michelle Nunn CARE aims to fight global poverty by equipping women with the resources they need to help their families and communities become self-sufficient. Its efforts are focused on improving basic education, preventing the spread of HIV, increasing access to clean water and sanitation, expanding economic opportunities, protecting natural resources, delivering emergency aid and rehabilitation, and influencing policy decisions at all levels. While headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, they also have a sizable presence in Washington, D.C. CARE currently works in 90 countries to support almost 900 development and humanitarian projects. Interested in joining their team, either as a full-time staff member or short-term consultant? Check our jobs page to see which positions are open. Read news about CARE here. 5. Chemonics Type: Consultancy Founded: 1975 President and CEO: Susanna Mudge One of the larger development consultancies in Washington, Chemonics has worked in over 140 countries, designing and implementing developing country projects funded by bilateral and multilateral donors and the private sector. USAID is one of the biggest clients and you can consistently find Chemonics on the list of their top award recipients. It offers management, research, training, grants, technical and communication services across a range of sectors: agriculture and food security, gender, economic growth and trade, health, democracy and governance, and conflict and crisis. It has been owned entirely by employees since 2011. Interested in joining Chemonics? Check the latest opportunities here. Read news about Chemonics here. 6. Creative Associates International Type: Consultancy Founded: 1977 Co-founder and CEO: Charito Kruvant Creative Associates International’s team of experts works to help build inclusive educational systems, transition communities from conflict to peace, develop sustainable economic growth, engage youth, enhance community resiliency, and promote transparent elections. It currently has active programs in 20 countries, and has undertaken projects in more than 85 countries. Each project or program is carried out by any of four separate program divisions — education, communities in transition, economic growth, or cross function. Check out the latest available jobs in this organization here. 7. DAI Type: Consultancy Founded:1970 President and CEO: James Boomgard Wholly owned by employees, DAI seeks to combine technical expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines to tackle social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI’s areas of focus include environment, energy and climate change, governance, health, education, stability, monitoring and evaluation, and the private sector. Also consistently found in the list of top USAID award recipients, in 2014, DAI acquired HTSPE Ltd., a United Kingdom based international development consultancy — a move which has helped scale the company’s business with European and British donors. If you’re interested in joining the DAI team, there are numerous job opportunities all over the globe, from support and administrative staff to technical experts and researchers. Read news about DAI here. 8. Engility International Development Type: Consultancy Founded: 1978 President and CEO: Anthony Smeraglinolo When Engility Corporation purchased International Resources Group in 2013, it combined its own large resource base and ability to scale with the experience and expertise of its 37-year-old subsidiary, now its international development division. Today, Engility builds on IRG’s legacy of delivering innovative, breakthrough solutions in agriculture and food security, energy, environment and water, disaster preparedness and assistance, and transition and stability. It also continues to provide a wide range of training services to the staff of USAID, which has been a client of IRG since 2004. Click here to see a comprehensive listing of the latest development-related jobs under Engility Corporation. Read news about Engility International Development here. 9. FHI 360 Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1971 CEO: Patrick Fine FHI 360 was formed in 2011, when its predecessor, Family Health International, merged with Academy for Educational Development. The organization works closely with other NGOs, foundations, educational institutions, bilateral agencies, multilateral organizations, governments and the private sector to catalyze positive change across over 70 countries. Its services include capacity building, clinical trials, research, data analysis, monitoring and evaluation, training and technical assistance, and marketing and communication. While it’s headquarters is based in North Carolina, they also have a very large Washington presence. FHI 360’s staff is composed of experts from a wide range of sectors — from health and education to economic development and research and technology. Click here to see if FHI 360 has any opportunities that interest you. Read news about FHI 360 here. 10. Global Communities Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1952 President and CEO: David Weiss Formerly known as CHF International, Global Communities works with vulnerable communities in the developing world, including many recovering from conflict and instability. It believes in collaborating closely with those on the receiving end of development in order to create lasting change in the countries where it operates. Global Communities’ expertise covers economic development, micro and middle-market finance, infrastructure, governance and urban development, civil society, health, and emergency response. Interested in contributing to their work? Global Communities is hiring. Read news about Global Communities here. 11. International Medical Corps Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1984 President and CEO: Nancy Aossey Established by volunteer doctors and nurses over three decades ago, International Medical Corps has done extensive work in the areas of global health, emergency relief and response, and development. With training and capacity building underpinning all the organization’s efforts, IMC not only provides relief, but also focuses on helping underserved communities in the developing world complete their journey toward self-reliance. Today, IMC has a staff of more than 8,000 working in over 35 countries. Check out the latest job opportunities within this organization here. Read news about International Medical Corps here. 12. Management Sciences for Health Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1971 President and CEO: Jonathan Quick MSH seeks to elevate health services for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations, primarily by working with in-country partners to analyze and evaluate existing health data, streamline healthcare financing, manage human resources, improve health service delivery, and build stronger health systems overall. MSH’s interventions are focused on five critical areas: HIV and AIDS; tuberculosis; maternal, newborn, and child health; family planning and reproductive health; and other communicable diseases like malaria and avian influenza. Interested in joining MSH’s staff of over 2,000? Check out the organization’s latest opportunities here. Read news about MSH here. 14. Management Systems International Type: Consultancy Founded: 1981 President: Keith Brown MSI is currently implementing over 100 analytical and field projects in the areas of democracy and governance, economic growth, organizational capacity building, education, security and stabilization, and natural resource management. While MSI works closely with civil society organizations, media, and local, regional, and national governments, a majority of its technical work is performed by a group of 100 in-house professionals working all over the world. MSI was acquired by Coffey International in 2008 which was recently acquired by development consulting giant Tetra Tech, a move that is expected to expand the company’s technical expertise and market reach. Often known for their unique offices on houseboats on the Washington waterfront, those prone to getting sea sick will be happy to know they moved to solid ground in Arlington, Virginia as part of the recent merger. Visit our jobs page for a comprehensive listing of available opportunities at MSI. Read news about MSI here. 14. Pact Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1971 President and CEO: Mark Viso Pact works with poor and marginalized local communities, as well as other foundations, NGOs, and agencies, to come up with integrated programs that combine interventions to tackle poverty on multiple fronts. It concentrates on capacity development, governance, and improving business and markets to create lasting impact in the areas of health, livelihood, and natural resource management. Pact is present in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America, and is a founding member of Locus, a movement that drives locally owned, integrated solutions for development. See if you qualify for any of the latest Pact jobs here. Read news about Pact here. 15. Palladium Type: Consultancy Founded: 1965 Group Managing Director and CEO: Kim Bredhauer In 2015, project management leader GRM Futures Group joined with strategy consulting firm Palladium Group and development company Development and Training Services to form the new, unified Palladium, one of the largest development consulting firms today. Palladium’s services include policy development and advocacy; project management; research, monitoring, and evaluation; financing, modeling, and economic analysis; project design and strategic planning; technical assistance and training; and procurement and logistics. Its professional network seeks to deliver results in the areas of economic growth, education, environment, governance, health, humanitarian assistance, and workforce development. This development powerhouse has a number of exciting employment opportunities in D.C. and beyond, which you can check out here. Read news about Palladium here. 16. Population Services International Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1970 President and CEO: Karl Hoffman PSI markets affordable, lifesaving health products and services to people in the developing world, helping them overcome serious challenges like a lack of family planning, barriers to maternal health, the spread of HIV and AIDS, as well as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition. The organization claims to measure its impact on health as a for-profit would measure its profits. Its major donors include the governments of the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; U.N. agencies, private foundations, corporations, and individuals. Check out the latest PSI job opportunities here. Read news about Population Services International here. 17. Save the Children USA Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1919 CEO: Carolyn Miles A development industry veteran, Save the Children has been advocating and investing in impact for children across 120 countries for almost 100 years. Its programs and initiatives cover child protection, child sponsorship, education, health and nutrition, and emergency response. Save the Children’s global staff of 14,000 people allows it to mobilize rapidly anywhere in the world, in order to help children recover from the effects of natural disasters, conflict, and war. Interested in contributing to Save the Children’s legacy? See if you qualify for any of their job openings here. Read news about Save the Children here. 18. Tetra Tech Type: Consultancy Founded: 1966 President and CEO: Dan Batrack Tetra Tech’s global staff of 16,000 provides consulting, engineering, program management, construction management, and technical services to public and private sector clients with interests in water, environment, infrastructure, resource management, energy and international development. Tetra Tech’s international development expertise includes monitoring and evaluation, grants management, compliance, and public-private partnerships in the areas of agriculture and economic growth, architecture and engineering, democracy and governance, rule of law, and security and stabilization. Check out the company’s latest employment opportunities here. Read news about Tetra Tech here. 19. University Research Co. Type: Consultancy Founded: 1965 President: Barbara Turner Together with its nonprofit affiliate, Center for Human Services, URC manages global health projects in the areas of maternal, newborn and child health, HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, food and nutrition, and reproductive health and family planning in over 45 countries worldwide. Its clients include USAID, the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. government. Check out the organization’s latest job opportunities here. Read news about University Research Co. here. 20. World Vision Type: Implementing NGO Founded: 1950 President: Richard Stearns This Christian relief and development organization works with children, families, and communities worldwide to tackle the root causes of poverty and injustice. In addition to their advocacy and long-term development work, World Vision is also present in the aftermath of disasters and emergencies, helping provide immediate, lifesaving needs such as food, water and shelter. World Vision’s projects and programs impact about 100 million people in nearly 100 countries all over the world. Interested in joining their 40,000-strong staff? Here is a comprehensive listing of their current job opportunities. Read news about World Vision here. Here are some other notable global development organizations and companies in the D.C. area: American Institutes of Research AMIDEAST Cardno Emerging Markets Checchi and Company Consulting, Inc. CNFA Crown Agents USA Dexis Consulting Group Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Every Mother Counts Every Woman Every Child Initiative FINCA International Finpro International City/County Management Association International Executive Service Corps International Monetary Fund Juarez and Associates mHealth Alliance NCBA CLUSA Oxfam America PAI Pan American Health Organization Peace Corps Plan International USA Public Health Institute PYXERA Global Sibley and Associates, LLC SNV USA TechnoServe The Corporate Council on Africa The KonTerra Group The Mitchell Group U.N. Foundation Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance WWF International Who did we miss? Feel free to add additional employers in the comments below! 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.