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What has happened to the people who lost their jobs in the aid cuts?

Last March, Becky Band Jain was among the thousands of global development professionals who abruptly lost their jobs. She had spent more than two decades working in communications and writing roles with INGOs, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and U.N. agencies.Months later, while doing pro bono work with the advocacy group Aid on the Hill, Jain heard again and again how deeply the job cuts had reshaped people’s lives. According to the USAID Stop-Work site, over 250,000 global devel...
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Post-USAID survey of consultants finds many questioning the path

In February, after six years as an independent consultant, Lorenz Wild concluded his assignments and prepared to begin a personal service contract with USAID Ecuador as an economic growth and private sector engagement specialist.Then suddenly, like many others in the sector, he found himself with no work at all.

In February, after six years as an independent consultant, Lorenz Wild concluded his assignments and prepared to begin a personal service contract with USAID Ecuador as an economic grow...
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How the development job market in Africa shifted in 2025

Africa, like all regions, saw significant development job cuts in 2025. According to Devex’s job board data, opportunities are down 33% in the region.This includes full-time staff positions — down 30% — and long-term consulting assignments, which have dropped by 48%, as well as field assignments and short-term gigs.Funding cuts are the biggest external factor impacting the development job market in Africa this year, according to Adebayo Olowo-Ake, director and principal research fellow at the Af...
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Is it growing harder to find a development role overseas?

Facing a bleak job market at home, some global development professionals based in the United States and other donor countries may be considering their career opportunities overseas. These positions once typically came with a relocation package and other attractive perks. However, such roles are increasingly scarce. After months of budget cuts across the sector, organizations are looking to save money on hiring, leveraging local talent instead. According to Fatema Z. Sumar, Harvard Kennedy School...
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How BD roles have changed in development in 2025

In the wake of funding cuts, contract terminations, and staff layoffs, revenue generation became the priority for many organizations this year. While hiring remains generally slow across the sector, experts told Devex that there is a demand for business development expertise as organizations look for new ways to bring in money amid an increasingly competitive funding landscape.But business development roles today look quite different from what they once were.Unsurprisingly, many organizations ar...
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The roles most affected by aid cuts — and those which aren't

Hiring remains slow across global development organizations, with job opportunities limited. But certain roles have been hit harder than others.Devex heard from several employers — including United Nations agencies and international nongovernmental organizations — that ongoing internal restructuring means they are not yet ready to outline upcoming hiring priorities. But there are some indications of which parts of the job market have remained strongest.According to Kim Kucinskas, director of org...
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How will the next generation get into the global development industry?

The long-used pathways into global development work are having what some see as an unprecedented shake-up. Internships and training programs are being scaled back due to job freezes, artificial intelligence is able to take on much of the work normally handed off to entry-level hires, and NGOs are making an effort to hire more from the global south. What does that mean for those hoping to break into the industry — and who is well-placed to do so? Katherine Raphaelson, president of the U.S. chapte...
Devex •

How will the next generation get into the global development industry?

The long-used pathways into global development work are having what some see as an unprecedented shake-up. Internships and training programs are being scaled back due to job freezes, artificial intelligence is able to take on much of the work normally handed off to entry-level hires, and NGOs are making an effort to hire more from the global south. What does that mean for those hoping to break into the industry — and who is well-placed to do so? Katherine Raphaelson, president of the U.S. chapte...
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What development pros need to know about fisheries and aquaculture

With aquatic animal production expected to reach 205 million metric tons by 2032, the potential of aquatic foods to contribute to food security, nutrition, and poverty reduction is increasingly recognized across global forums. Fisheries and aquaculture are critical elements for global food security, said Carlos Fuentevilla, fishery officer for technical program coordination with the Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO. For 40% of the global population, aquatic foods provide at least 20% of...
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Staffing priorities for the Gaza humanitarian crisis

The ongoing war in Gaza has resulted in a devastating loss of life, with at least 44,000 Palestinians killed, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The humanitarian affairs agency also reports that more than 100,000 people have been injured, and an estimated 1.9 million — nearly the entire population of 2.1 million — have been forcibly displaced.Many aid organizations have shifted their programming priorities and scaled up the delivery of services o...
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The do’s and don’ts of competency-based interviews with the UN

Preparation is crucial for succeeding in the United Nations competency-based interviews. Also known as structured, behavioral, or situational interviews, this interview style is an effective predictor of future job performance and is widely used throughout the United Nations system. Christine Nylander, associate director of people in humanitarian action at UNICEF, advised candidates to begin preparing as soon as they submit their applications. In addition to drafting examples, candidates should...
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How to prepare for a competency-based interview at the UN

Competency-based interviews, also known as structured, behavioral, or situational interviews, are widely used throughout the United Nations system. According to Michael Emery, director of human resources at the International Organization for Migration, research shows that this interview format is the second-strongest predictor of job performance. The process focuses on “drilling down on the competencies that define success for that particular role and ascertaining if the candidate [can] demonstr...
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Globaldev careers: The community accountability coordinator

A psychologist by training, Jennifer Piñeros worked in data-related and programmatic roles in the field before starting as Mercy Corps’ community accountability and reporting mechanism coordinator for Colombia.

Now responsible for ensuring that the organization is accountable to the participants and the communities it serves, her team of seven reviews feedback and brings forward allegations of fraud, waste, and corruption.
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Globaldev careers: The reproductive health expert

For more than five years, Dr. Mirela Rista has been working with Youth Center “PO” — the only clinical center in Tirana, Albania, that provides free services related to sexual and reproductive health, or SRH. It is a branch of the Albanian Center for Population and Development, or ACPD — a member association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation — and trains health personnel in reproductive health, post-delivery contraception, and safe abortion techniques.

As a gynecologist, Rista
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Globaldev careers: The humanitarian policy director

As director of humanitarian aid policy at the International Rescue Committee, Lauren Post leads on strategies to improve humanitarian assistance and ensure aid dollars are spent more efficiently. Her role involves reading to develop deep subject expertise and analyzing policies on, for example, the economy or the impact of sanctions on humanitarian access. She is currently overseeing a new report on how the United States government can improve its response to the COVID-19 pandemic in fragile and
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Recruiter insights: How to land a job with NORCAP

While part of the Norwegian Refugee Council, NORCAP operates in quite a different way from its parent organization. Established in 1991 to provide support to the UN Refugee Agency, NORCAP is now one of the largest providers of standby expertise and, through a roster, deploys personnel across the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors.

Last year, NORCAP recruited over 200 new experts, said Peder Apall-Olsen, head of recruitment and development unit at NRC. And with 300 individuals
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Globaldev careers: The mental health coordinator

While COVID-19 has helped shift attitudes around mental health and highlighted the need for greater investment in this area, it has also created new challenges for teams working to support the well-being of vulnerable populations in humanitarian settings.

Glaucia Pereda, coordinator for HIAS’ mental health and psychosocial support — or MHPSS — program, heads up a team in Venezuela that provides training and designs interventions to prevent further harm to the mental health of the communities it
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Globaldev careers: The technical adviser

Molly Schneider is a technical adviser for rural livelihoods at the International Rescue Committee, a role that is similar in function to a program officer at many other organizations in bringing technical expertise to program development, grant applications, trainings, and projects.

Schneider is the focal point for country programs in Africa’s Francophone Great Lakes region and the Sahel region of West Africa. Depending on the country, she supports a range of emergency and recovery programming
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UN Women launches program for aspiring globaldev leaders

UN Women is hoping to support women's rights advocates from the global south in launching its international development careers through a new professional development program.

The initiative is motivated by ongoing discussions around diversity and representation at UN Women, said Irena Sabados, a human resources specialist at the agency and focal point for the program. The events of the last year also prompted considerations around access to career opportunities at the agency and what barriers
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Globaldev careers: The chief of party

Chief of party is not only one of the most senior positions on a project team but also one of the most intriguing and unusual job titles in the global development sector.

It’s essentially a fancy word for a project director, said Mama Laryea, who is based in Ghana as FHI 360’s chief of party for USAID’s Partnership for Education: Learning. This role is responsible for overseeing a project, including operational, technical and financial activities, and ensuring deliverables are met.
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Recruiter insights: How to land a job with Tetra Tech

BARCELONA — Whether you are a seasoned development professional or transitioning from another sector, tailoring your CV and demonstrating those all important soft skills is key to landing a job with Tetra Tech.

Maria Chaney, a staffing specialist with the organization, gave Devex some insights into how to make your application stand out. She discussed the importance of cover letters and shared tips for professionals looking to transition to development work or make a career move within the sect
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Globaldev careers: The advocacy specialist

BARCELONA — A career in advocacy is not for those easily disheartened. Making change happen and ensuring that progress isn’t reversed involves constant hard work and there can be a few knock backs along the way.

But it’s also an extremely rewarding career for anyone who cares about an issue and wants to help create change, said Joanna Shepherd, policy and advocacy adviser with Plan International. A genuine passion for the issues is important because the job centers around them.
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Recruiter insights: How to land a job with ICRC

BARCELONA — The International Committee of the Red Cross is undergoing a digital transformation that requires bringing new skill sets to the team. This is creating opportunities for professionals from other sectors, such as business and information technology, to find roles with the organization, in addition to seasoned humanitarians or development professionals who can demonstrate adaptability and negotiation skills.

But anyone applying to work for ICRC should have a strong understanding of th
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