Help! Unable to find case studies for dev sector related roles. Will appreciate any leads.

Looking for case studies where an outline of a project is given and we have to solve for everything like theory of change, framework, variables, hypothesis testing, survey tool designing, solving for data set given and coming up with policy recommendations.

Hi, has anyone had an interview test for PM role with Oxfam that can advise? Thank you.

"If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that /needs/ no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all... why then perhaps we /must/ stand fast a little --even at the risk of being heroes."

Hey guys!

To give you some context, I am a law graduate from Brazil. I do not have a masters degree or any other advanced diploma. Regardless, I was fortunate enough to score a temporary trade policy analyst contract at the OECD starting this year.

The only caveat is that the salary they offered is very low for Paris standards. I will be getting around 3,2k euros per month, before tax. That probably amounts to 2,6k net.

Do you know if that salary is the norm for people in my situation in the OECD? Is that a liveable wage in Paris? Did I make a good choice?

I am a US citizen, working as a project associate at a USAID implementer. I have residency in Spain, giving me ability to live and work freely there. I can also legally work for remote EU orgs. My current job is most likely not going to allow me to work abroad, as we occasionally go into the office. Does anyone have any info/recs on finding jobs related to this field that are US remote (I’m okay working East coast hours in Spain) or EU remote? Feeling defeated!! Thanks

Hello,

I wanted to ask you for recommendations of podcasts about geopolitics and international development issues in English! I mostly listen to programs in French or Spanish, but would rather get familiar with the English speaking vocabulary and mindsets. Thank you!

Boat protests were staged today by members of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum as part of "Global Days of Action Against Gas Expansion" Find the video on X: https://x.com/DontGasAsia/status/1854551913993474556?t=UZUd7N06nVHvrbMBUhhUvQ&s=19

Boat protests were held today in the Bay of Bengal to oppose fossil gas projects threatening the lives and livelihood of coasta communities. Find the photos on X: https://x.com/DontGasAsia/status/1854528038983364664?t=WiR_ORODfmpJMRsGe2XOPA&s=19

Hi there! I am a Canadian citizen, have a master's degree from Sciences Po, currently work at the OECD in Paris on a temporary contract. My partner lives in London and I love this city. I've been thinking about relocating there for awhile.

As I embark on my job hunt, was just wondering if anyone has any advise for which institutions to watch out for in London for jobs in this field? I know that the International Maritimes Organisation is there, and some NGOs, and in terms of the private sector there's Eurasia Group and other political risk consulting firms. Many of them don't offer visa sponsorship... any advise?

And also, any advise on how to market IO experience to the private sector would be welcome!

So with Trump’s obvious disregard for multilateralism and based on the weight the US tend to have on different IO budgets, which one do you think is going to lose the most? World Bank? UNDP? Clearly those working with refugees or human rights will suffer also…

I am from the Global South and already have experience in the UN, though I don’t have a master’s degree. Most of my mentors agree that pursuing a master’s is essential to advance my career, and I've always aspired to study at a top university. My dream program are the MPA in Development, Technology, and Innovation Policy at UCL in London or the MSc in Digital Development in Manchester. I am looking for a very special program that combines technology and development affairs and not simply an international development course. To fund this, I’m considering a loan combined with my savings. Unfortunately, I missed the Chevening application deadline this year, and waiting for the 2026 intake feels like a long delay.

The loan I’d need would be around $40,000 USD—a significant burden for someone from my region. Given the cost, do you think it’s worth it for a program like this, or would you advise a different path?

I’m going to be a bit US centric here - I work at one of the big USAID contractors and am curious how people think Trump’s latest win might affect our industry, and how it might be different than the last time around.

Hi everyone,

Long time lurker and first time poster. Looking for insights into any certificates that may help my career. For context, I have 6 years of experience in comms and PR (worked with private sector clients but also NGOs and IGOs through agency work) and a couple of internships at the UN. I have been laid off in May and have been looking since with zero luck. I don’t particularly want to go back to the private sector because I’ve put off my passions long enough. So I am trying to see what I can do to help my resume/get more insights into this world. Ideally I’d love to work as a media coordinator or press officer, but anything would do just to get started. Based in Europe but open to relocating anywhere I can get a visa.

Is there a course/certificate you guys would recommend that may help propel my career?

I have a bachelors in journalism and international relations - I know I could do a masters but I’d have to wait for September 2025 between applications, start of the courses etc. so mainly looking for something I can do in the next couple of months.

Thanks so much in advance!

Hi all! I recently attempted to summarize the microfinance literature across the "top five" economics journals. I tried my best to capture its nuances, especially since microfinance has received a lot of slack over the years for not being the "silver bullet" people once thought it would be. I also recognize that publishing bias means that we're more likely to see papers with significant results, compared to those that find no effect. I'd love to hear your thoughts on my article, and whether or not you think I've captured the consensus.

TLDR-- Wide breadth of experience in int'l development (research, M&E, now fundraising/philanthropy) and am considering a masters. Want something to improve my business skills but want to stay marketable in the ID field. I listed programs I'm considering at the bottom-- what do you think?

Hi all! New to this sub -- I've been working in international development for four years now, and I plan to apply for master's programs this year. I could use some insight into whether it's worth getting a master's degree and, if so, your thoughts on the programs I'm considering.

My background: I studied Political Science as an undergrad, did independent research immediately after via a prestigious fellowship (though nothing ever came of it/it wasn't published because COVID cut my fieldwork short), and did a certificate program afterward in econometrics and data analysis for policy.

I then worked for about 3 years at a monitoring and evaluation firm in West Africa, doing fieldwork and working on several really cool projects. This job was very research-focused, so I did everything from literature reviews to study design (for process evaluations—no RCTs), programming surveys, managing field teams, data analysis + coding, writing and presenting reports to stakeholders, etc. It was honestly a really great experience, but it left me burnt out.

From there, I switched to a new org and on the fundraising side of things, where I've been for about 2 years now. I work directly with major funders, manage those relationships, and drive more dollars to my current organization's interventions (which I deeply believe i). I still do field visits, but mainly to get a closer look at our on-the-ground work and gather stories to share with stakeholders.

I am at the Manager level and I speak English (native) and French (professional proficiency) and have lived in West Africa for 5 years now.

My current situation: I absolutely love my current job, but I don't want to do fundraising forever (though I would love to work at this organization forever). I feel like I have a pretty good range of experience so far (research, econometrics, fieldwork, fundraising, etc.), so I'm looking at master's programs that might improve my business acumen. However, I want to remain marketable in the International dev space, so I want to do part-time programs so I can keep working and build my career and skills at my current organization.

I'm currently considering the following programs --
Executive MSc in Social Business and Entrepreneurship at LSE (for business acumen)

Mst in International Relations at Cambridge (more academic but maybe more marketable?)

Mst in Social Innovation at Cambridge Business School (fav so far, for business acumen)

Executive Masters in Public Administration at Columbia (most marketable of all, but also costs $160k, which I would like to avoid)

based on my profile and what you know about the sector + these programs, would you recommend I get a master's? if so, which of these (or others if you know them).

Hi, I've been working in the development sector for over 4 years in a government agency, NGOs and UN agencies (one at country level and the other at HQ level) mostly on the ground, and have a Masters in Public Health.

Having no experience in a consulting firm, I always wondered what it would have been like and recently applied to work on a healthcare business strategy project at a big 4 company- I received an offer.

As a development professional, I would like to continue my career with IOs at all levels (or even development consultancies) in the future.

Would my new experience in a private consulting firm be useful to me if I return to the development field?

As far as I understood and saw, the Global Fund does recruit people with consultancy experience, for example. Apart from that, I want to know broadly in general.

Looking forward to hearing about your experience and insights!

For the background, I am based in one of the Indochina countries. I spent 2 years (2019-2021) working as a program officer for an international implementing agency for a program in entrepreneurship space. I was responsible for monitoring and business development (potential donor mapping, outreaching). I was naive and passionate back then, so I focused too much on completing the program without finding other jobs 3 months prior to the end of the program. I was struggling for a year to find other jobs, then got a job in consulting, but quit after 6 months since the sneaky colonialism dynamic was too much for me to handle. And now, I am applying for jobs at NGOs, implementing agencies as interns or junior staffs for program support or M&E, but haven't been successful.

My education background is BSc in accounting and finance, and BA in Professional Communication. Currently, I am applying for MA in Social Work.

Any advice is appreciated. TIA.

Anyone working with them who could share their experience ?

I recently heard that working as a consultant for firms bidding on UN agency and international organization projects is a lesser-known path in the sector. Do you know of any firms, groups, or platforms where I can find these types of consulting opportunities?

I'm kind of early in my career but I want to aim for being a manager. Climbing the ladder organically is difficult, I guessed having an MBA might push me towards a managerial/strategy position?

I’m in my senior/final year of an Economics and Management degree at a top 3 uni in the UK (an equivalent to harvard/yale/MIT). I was originally going to try and get a graduate job in banking immediately after uni but have been rejected from everything (50+ roles) so want to try something new.

I’ve always wanted to work in international development / somehow be involved in the improvement of infrastructure, education, health etc in developing countries. I don’t have as much interest in doing this in the UK but wouldn’t mind. Unfortunately, I don’t have a British passport so can’t join the UK Foreign office (but i am EU).

What sort of masters should I be looking at? A masters in International development seems a bit narrow and i’m worried it will not be as rigorous as other degrees if i end up not being able to get a job in that sector. I also can’t tell where to go for a masters because I’m worried that going to a “less prestigious” uni after my undergrad would look weird

Or should I be looking for an internship with an international agency? Or keep applying? I feel really lost right now.

I’d love a job that allows travelling, appropriate hours, is well paid. I know it’s. a lot :(

Hi, can anyone recommend courses for PMD certification. I know APMG used to offer it but now I can’t find it on their website.

I'm a data analyst with 4 years of experience in sustainable development. I'm interested in pursuing a public policy master's degree but am uncertain about meeting university requirements, given my academic background and limited policy experience. Could you suggest some programs that might be suitable for someone with my background?

I've been applying for multiple roles in the international development space but it's been mostly crickets. I never hear back. One job I applied for with UNICEF in May still reads, "Selection in Progress"! I'm getting very discouraged about applying for new roles and want to use my time more efficiently. Applying online feels like talking to a brick wall, the work of prepping an application and cover letter isn't unsubstantial.

I'm hearing recruiters from the private sector complain about having so many applications/bots from online submissions they don't even read all of them, I wonder if it's the same in ID.

Is it worth continuing to apply via UN sites/ Workday? Do other folks get any responses (interviews OR rejections) from applying online? Or am I likely sunk when applying externally/without a referral.

So I have a demo call with an advisor from DevelopmentAid job board, and it just feels way better than Devex, with many more options and features to find jobs. I find it a bit costly tho.

Have anyone here had any experience with it?

Hello. I'm a student who are thinking of applying OECD internship in Paris next year. I'll be senior at that time. I haven't been doing much about some academic things, and the only spec I have is that I am the awardee of the competition which is related to the division I want to apply(I wrote a paper. Data analysis, some mathematical methods by myself). Also when I apply, I would have certificate also related to the division. The certificate is an important factor to get a job, and can have with it. But usually have to pass another test. The last thing is that English is not my first language but I can be fluent enough to take a written test and interview until next year since I'm training hard. So, the question is, is it worth it to try or is it just a waste of time?

*ps. I wrote this question without searching anything. So I think you can guess my English level.

🌍 Hey everyone! 🌱

I stumbled upon this Reddit and thought it’d be awesome to share a project of mine while exploring potential collaborations!

📈 I've studied economics, worked in an IO, and am now in finance. I think that climate change is mainly an economics problem and I would like to do something about it.

So, I recently launched a newsletter where I post daily articles on climate finance, sustainable finance and climate change issues📰💼🌎

If you're interested in these topics or keen to help unf**k this climate crisis 🌍✨, it’d be amazing to connect!

Hi guys,

I just landed my first International Development job and I'm very excited. The only issue is that it pays significantly less than my current job. I'm currently the only one working to support my husband through his education so it will be a big hit to our finances. I'm conflicted because l've worked so hard to get this job and both my degrees are in International Development. What do y'all advise ?

Hey there! There is a fantastic consultancy that I have a good chance of getting with FAO in Rome. It would be for 100 days (maximum allowed as I am not on the roster), and I just have a few questions I hope others can help with!

1. Is there a resource document that has recent day rates that I can refer to?
2. Do consultancy contracts usually include flights, visa and allow for an accompanying dependent (as I am a single mom with a toddler)?
3. Do consultants get any sort of benefits, or do I need to factor in cost of health insurance etc?
4. I’m a US citizen. Do I pay taxes in Italy?
5. Can anyone living in Rome give me an idea of present day living costs?

Thank you so much!