Last year, Save the Children US — like many other U.S.-based international NGOs — laid off hundreds of staff following the U.S. Agency for International Development funding cuts that began after President Donald Trump took office for his second term in January.
It was a challenging time, especially early in the year when the majority of contract terminations happened, said Douglas Mercer, managing director of talent attraction and acquisition with the organization, during a recent Devex event.
The first wave of layoffs at Save the Children US, which involved just over 300 positions, largely impacted the organization's international programs division and positions in award management, new business development, and programming, Mercer explained. Global health programming was significantly impacted, as well as international education, child protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene, or WASH, programming. A second wave of layoffs followed in the summer, affecting many more positions tied to USAID funding.