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Directory of Development Organisations - a fairly exhaustive directory of organisations.
NGO database - from One World UK: over 1,500 organisations from across the globe.
Worldwide NGO Directory- from WANGO. Search or browse by region.
"Careers in Overseas Development" - a short article with helpful advice from ethicalcareers.org.
“Getting Into International Development”, on the University of London Careers Group website, has great advice for anyone interested in this field.
"Getting your first development job" - some advice from Rowena Harding, who works for VSO (from ethicalcareers.org).
"Working In International Development" from the University of Sussex is also helpful.
World Service Enquiry - publishes advice on working in development. You can buy their latest booklet from the website.
OverseasJobs.com - not specific to jobs in development.
RedR - run a recruitment service for humanitarian professionals specialising in engineering, health, and logistics.
Commonwealth Secretariat - Under ‘vacancies’ on the home page there are a large variety of posts, many of which are specifically relevant to economists.
European Central Bank - Although again there are no specific entry level programmes available, the site lists plenty of good advice on publications which are of interest to economists, as well as ‘working in Europe’ pages where
current vacancies are posted.
European Commission - This website provides reliable information about recruitment to EU institutions and advertises a range of career opportunities within the European Institutions which are updated very regularly.
International Finance Corporation - The IFC does run internship programmes (see below) but also has graduate entry level positions available.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - The site lists current vacancies for economists, the majority of which are located in Paris
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa - This has largely post-graduate or experience-related vacancies, but there are a variety of roles advertised here.
United Nations Development Programme - Vacancies are broken down into categories ranging from ‘Poverty Reduction’ to ‘HIV/AIDS’ to ‘Millennium Development Goals’.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization - Runs an Associate Expert/Junior Professional Officer Programme which provided young professionals who have limited or no working experience with an opportunity to work in the field. Currently the British Government is not involved with
the JPO and the AE programme is reserved for those already working in government but other nationalities or those with dual nationality may still be eligible.
European Investment Bank - It posts vacancies in numerous fields, from Banking to Finance to Environmental Planning, most of which require a post-graduate degree and some of which ask for previous work in relevant fields.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - Under ‘jobs’ there are consistently a variety of situations vacant, the majority of which require postgraduate study and some previous work experience.
International Monetary Fund - There are a number of job sections listed which recruit all year round. Some target experienced economists but there are a number of roles available for those without, or with less, experience.
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - The OECD attaches considerable importance to the recruitment of the highest quality professionals and to increasing mobility between Directorates. The Young Professionals Programme is a 2-year programme with two assignments in different OECD activities. It is a highly competitive programme which attracts an average of more than 2000 applications for seven positions. These Young Professionals hold mostly a Master or PhD in Economics, with a specialisation in some OECD-relevant fields. In particular, they all have several years of professional experience and international exposure, speak fluent English and very good French. Visit the website for more details; the Young Professionals Programme starts recruiting during the last quarter of every year.
UNICEF - UNICEF’s Young Professional Programme recruits young talent with the potential to grow into managerial and leadership positions in the organization. The scheme runs every two years and is aimed at
those with between three to five years of work experience, plus fluency in either French, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. Please also see the Internships section below. There are also a series of Junior Professional programmes which are available to those between 28 and 32 years of age belonging to UNICEF donor countries; the candidates government sponsors them through the programme.
The World Bank - Under ‘Jobs’ there is a list of vacancies which require for varied levels of qualification and experience; please see the internships section for details of the Summer Internship Program which the World Bank run. It also has a Young Professionals Programme, which is designed to attract outstanding young and motivated individuals from around the world, who have demonstrated a commitment to development, supported by academic success, professional achievement and potential for leadership. The Program recruits through a highly selective and competitive process and then facilitates their rapid integration into the World Bank's business and culture.
AMEX International - A small, minority-owned business located in Washington, DC. AMEX has provided international consulting, shipping and procurement services to US government agencies, foreign governments, international institutions and private corporations worldwide for over 23 years. The job page is updated regularly and covers a wide variety of vacancies, not all of which are economics specific. All levels and experiences are considered, although this is of course job-specific.
Chemonics - Chemonics offers an entry level scheme for economists WITH US WORK PERMITS or PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN THE US. Recruitment is all year round and the scheme aims to train graduates to become versatile development professionals.
Crown Agents - An international development company delivering capacity-building and institutional development consultancy services in public sector transformation. They work with the public and private sectors in more than 100 countries, as well as for international development agencies and institutions.
Currently, Crown Agents asks that you contact their personnel department for details of vacancies, but they also run a recruitment service for national and international jobs which you can sign up to on their website.
Deloitte - A leading international professional services company. There are undergraduate and graduate opportunities available; please see the Internships section below also.
The International Institute for Environment and Development - An independent, non-profit research institute working in the field of sustainable development. In alliance with others we seek to help shape a future that ends global poverty and delivers and sustains efficient and equitable management of the world's natural resources. Based in London, IIED currently has 63 staff from 16 countries and an annual budget of £7m. At the time of writing, there were only two vacancies available, but these are updated on a regular basis; keep an eye on their jobs page for current availability.
Kaiser Associates Economic Development Programme - Kaiser Associates works with national and regional governments, development agencies and NGOs to ensure sustainable economic development by expanding trade and enhancing competitiveness. There are three capacities in which you can work for the company; as a consultant, a professional associate or as a partner organisation. To be considered for any post you need to submit an application to joinus@kaiseredp.com.
Moody’s Economy.com - An independent provider of economic, financial, country, and industry research. Entry level jobs are posted at the above link for those with graduate and post graduate qualifications in economics.
Shared Interest - “a co-operative lending society that aims to reduce poverty in the world by providing fair and just financial services. We work with fair trade businesses all over the world, both producers and buyers, providing credit to help them trade and develop.”
Bannock Consulting - A small but rapidly developing consulting firm handling a wide range of financial and economic advisory services to governmental and private clients in developing and transitional countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Former Soviet Union and Africa. Their main career offerings are in public sector development, bank advisory and SME financial services. The work largely requires previous experience but again there are a wide range of vacancies regularly updates on the site.
DPK Consulting - DPK Consulting provides technical, management, and advisory services to help developing and transitioning societies navigate the challenges they face. They work around the world to help establish and strengthen productive relationships between state and society and develop sustainable government and justice systems that are responsive, transparent, accountable, fair, and efficient. Under the ‘opportunities’ section there three job categories listed. These are; Long Term International Positions, Short Term
International Positions and Home Office Positions. In general, these positions need previous working experience; the positions are very varied, ranging from 'Anti-Corruption Officers’ to ‘Auditors’ to ‘Democracy and Government’ experts.
Emerging Market Economics Limited - EME brings together skills in development economics, business strategy and corporate social responsibility (reputational risk assurance) into one set of advisory services for public and private sector clients. Again, there are a variety of posts available, ranging
from consultancy to project work. The degree of experience required also varies, so it is worth checking the web-page regularly.
Frontier Economics - The link takes you straight to the graduate vacancy pages for Frontier Economics, an economic consultancy. Recruitment is typically between October and February but applications will be considered throughout the year. Frontier employ an average of 10 postgraduates a year and look for a detailed and intuitive understanding of microeconomics to postgraduate level.
Genesis - Genesis offers an entry-level program for economists with a Masters Degree. They are keen to recruit African and non-African nationals to work based from their Head Offices in Johannesburg, South Africa. There is an application deadline which is usually in the January of the year that work will commence, but recruitment is annual. There are also internships available of up to one year, see the Internships and Placements section below.
HTPSE - An international consultancy company which aims to develop solutions which incorporates international best practise with a sensitive understanding of local conditions. Jobs are advertised on their website and are divided into Consultant and Employment opportunities. Typically, Consultant positions require some previous work experience and are based in developing countries. The majority of positions expect candidates to hold at least a Masters in a relevant field.
Hub Consulting - Hub Consulting is an international development consultancy. It was formed in 1996. Its two main offices are Cyprus for contracts with EU countries and the EU itself, and US for other contracts outside the EU. There are a wide variety of posts on offer, but the majority require some five years of experience; although not largely specifically suited to a graduate or post-graduate, the jobs are an interesting point of reference and certainly offer something which an economist may wish to work towards.
IDB: Inter-American Development Bank - A long-standing initiative of the Latin American countries, the Inter-American Development Bank was established in 1959 as a development institution with novel mandates and tools. The Junior Professional programme is for Masters or equivalent degree holders who are fluent in Spanish or English. There are also internships on offer; please see the Internships section below.
ODI: Overseas Development Institute - An independent research centre which annually offers 18-20 fellowships for economists or those studying related areas to work for two years in the public sectors of developing countries. Graduates have worked in Belize, Fiji, St. Vincent, Swaziland and Zanzibar under this scheme. The closing date is usually towards the end of December to mid January, see the website for more details.
Oxford Policy Management - OPM has an international reputation for independence, rigorous and informed analysis, and the ability to provide practical policy advice and implementation support to solve clients' problems. Jobs are posted when they are available under the ‘recruitment’ section of the site.
Public Administration International - Provides advice and support to public
sector organisations and other bodies involved in the delivery of public services, and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences. They specialise in management consultancy and development services for organisations in and associated with the public sector worldwide. PIA offer advice to governments that are undergoing political, constitutional, economic and structural change and they quote ‘the promotion of good governance and best practice’ as their key objectives. There are no direct vacancies posted on the website; if you are interested to work for PIA send your CV and a covering letter to pai@public-admin.co.uk.
SNV - SNV is a Netherlands-based international development organisation which provides advisory services to a large number of local organisations in developing countries. Generally, SNV is looking to recruit senior staff with profound working experience, mainly in development. There are some openings for those with limited work experience but these are not abundant. Current vacancies are listed on the SNV website. Unfortunately there are no positions available for students or volunteers.
Transtec International Project Management - A leading European multidisciplinary consulting firm. It provides consultative and technical
assistance services to public institutions, private sector organisations and individual enterprises. You can post your CV on the Transtec website for consideration in numerous positions, or apply individually on their vacancies site. Most positions require a minimum of 5 years experience in development
but are worth checking regularly as the site is continually updated.
Practical Action - a development charity using simple technology to fight poverty. Employ nationals in their offices around the world. In the UK there are opportunities for short term research and voluntary work, as well as rare permanent vacancies which are advertised in the press and on their website.
Skillshare International - works to reduce poverty, injustice, and inequality through "sharing and developing skills and ideas, facilitating organisational and social change and building awareness of development". They recruit staff and overseas development workers through the 'vacancies' section of their website.
Student Hubs is a registered charity, number 1122328
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