It’s taken just over 100 days for U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration to dismantle America’s foreign aid apparatus. As a result, nearly 20,000 Americans — and over 176,000 globally — have lost their jobs, according to USAID Stop-Work.
Unsurprisingly, the global development job market has been transformed, with fewer job postings overall and more candidates vying for them. This has led many purpose-driven professionals to consider a pivot — into other social impact sectors, consulting roles, or other development areas with growth potential, such as climate, business development, and artificial intelligence.
In this edition of Career Hub, I’m aiming to help those exploring a career transition by sharing insights from our recent event, which focused on networking strategies for those looking to pivot. Plus, some of the best new job opportunities from Devex’s board, from leading organizations such as UNDP Independent Evaluation Office, Burnet Institute, and many others.
Top full-time staff jobs this week
1. Deputy Country Director - Operations, Papua New Guinea
Burnet Institute
Worldwide
2. Project Manager (Procurement)
UNOPS
Philippines
3. UNEG Program Specialist (home-based)
UNDP Independent Evaluation Office
Worldwide
4. HR Officer
DT Global
Fiji
5. Head of Research
Village Enterprise
Kenya | Uganda | Rwanda | Ethiopia
6. Director of Business Growth (hybrid)
ZINC Network
United Kingdom
Devex Talent Solutions, our boutique recruitment agency, is currently supporting several key hires. The African Development Bank is hiring a director of corporate programs in the office of the chief economist/vice president for economic governance and knowledge management. The position is based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and applications close on May 10.
+ See more roles DTS is helping to fill.
Career pivots, with a little help from your friends
“The point isn't really to do networking, in my opinion, it's really to become part of a network.”
— Simone Anzböck, international career coachIf you’re considering a career pivot or transitioning into a different sector, how exactly do you put yourself out there when you feel like you're starting from scratch? Anzböck offers guidance for those looking to kick-start their networking efforts.
Ask for introductions. Lean on your existing network to spur new connection opportunities, Anzböck says, and the simplest and most effective way to do this is to ask them who they know in whichever area you’re exploring. “If you are thinking too much or stuck with something, just talk to some people [and] tell people about what you want, because the other thing that happens … as you tell people … about what you are planning to do, you find more clarity,” she says.
Align efforts with goals. “If you expand your network with things you enjoy, you're more likely … to talk to people,” Anzböck says. For example, it’s not worth forcing yourself to attend an event just to check off a box on your networking to-do list. Spend the proper time finding events that excite you when you see what is on the agenda.
Start a project. A key to successful networking is having a reason to talk to someone you want to connect with. If something doesn’t immediately come to mind, why not create something? Ask yourself, “How can I [create something] on a topic that might relate me to this person [or] a topic that these people that I want to get to know can talk about?” she says. Writing is one way, and LinkedIn provides everyone with a platform with potential to get relevant eyes on your content.
Watch: How to network when making a career transition (Career)
Explore more: How to reset your networking strategy in 3 steps
Download: Insider networking tips for consultants (Career)
+ Sign up for a Devex Career Account membership today to unlock all our exclusive career resources and get full access to the world’s largest global development job board. We offer a 15-day free trial.
Top consulting and short-term jobs
1. Consultant for Water and Sanitation in LATAM and the Caribbean (FECASALC)
Inter-American Development Bank
United States
2. ABA CGP EU Proposal Consultancy
American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative
Worldwide
3. Team Leader - Cambodia Climate Resilience Program
Adam Smith International
Cambodia
4. Terms of reference: Short-term legal consultancy in Bhutan
Open Ownership
Bhutan
5. Economist
World Bank Group
Zimbabwe
6. National Researcher, Innovation Scaling and Partnership
International Water Management Institute
Egypt
+ For more opportunities, check out the weekly Devex Jobs Alert newsletter on LinkedIn and Devex’s job board.
Who's hiring short-term consultants?
To help assess the current state of development jobs, Devex has been analyzing job board postings since Jan. 24, when the U.S. aid freeze was first announced. Our most recent data deep-dive looked into short-term contract roles. We counted nearly 2,600 short-term consultant opportunities over the past three months, which is a 26.9% decrease compared to the same period last year.
Driving many of the opportunities were large multilateral development banks and United Nations agencies, led by the Asian Development Bank and UNICEF. These two posted over 900 jobs combined. Among the smaller organizations, Expertise France was among the most active, offering 38 roles. It is currently recruiting experts to support the Strengthening the Rule of Law and Justice for Central African Citizens project.
Read: Who's still hiring for short-term consultancy roles? (Career)
Explore more: Who’s hiring in the climate sector? (Career)
Around the watercooler
News and views from around global development worth knowing about.
• Looking back on 100 days of chaos. Three months after Donald Trump announced a pause on foreign aid, there is still no recovery plan in sight. Devex spoke to many of those affected and reported on what the future may hold.
• The U.N. may move staff to cut costs. Agencies in Geneva and New York have been asked to identify staff who can relocate to cheaper locations. This review process may also lead to some roles being “reduced or abolished if they are duplicative or no longer viable.”
• What’s at stake for MCC. As the Millennium Challenge Corporation faces an uncertain future, Devex took a deep dive into the agency’s $18 billion portfolio — exploring which programs, grants, and countries could be most impacted. (Pro)
To keep up to date with all the must-read global development coverage, be sure to sign up to the daily Devex Newswire.
Sign up to Devex Career Hub for global development’s top jobs, expert career advice, and practical tips to help you do more good for more people.
About the author
Justin Sablich
Justin is a contributing writer and editor who previously led Devex’s careers content strategy. Before joining Devex, Justin served as the managing editor of Springwise, covering sustainable and climate-tech innovation across all business sectors. He also spent over 13 years as an editor and writer for the New York Times, specializing in digital content production and strategy while producing written and multimedia content on a range of topics, including travel, sports, and technology.
