Insights

International non-governmental organizations, or INGOs, are under tremendous pressure to meet tight donor deadlines while navigating complex compliance, audit, and funding restrictions. This is why so many organizations are increasingly turning to hiring independent consultants on a project-by-project basis to bridge the gap. Before Donald Trump’s executive order that froze all aid programs for 90 days in 2025, considered a starting point for massive cuts by the largest devel

As human capital increasingly becomes the most valuable resource any company possesses, having an objective and accurate way of assessing roles is critical. For example, imagine two employees working in the same department. One employee does a great job of handling complex client negotiations, mentors junior team members, and plays an outstanding leadership role, but the other employee primarily spends their time handling routine administrative tasks. What happens if both th

The way that capacity building is being handled in the context of international development has undergone a significant shift in recent years. Instead of solely relying on outside experts to implement a project, multilateral institutions and international NGOs are increasingly relying on building local capacity to ensure greater long-term sustainability. However, this can be a challenge for many organizations. For example, in rural sub-Saharan Africa, there was an initiative

In an increasingly automated digital world where advanced tools are being used to apply en masse to open job offers, many organizations are turning to specialized recruitment partners to augment their hiring processes. Especially in certain spheres like sustainable development, companies are facing unique challenges as they are looking to hire professionals with more than just strong technical and leadership competencies, but also share a deep commitment to the mission and ma

What to do when effort increases, but delivery slows down — or what is really breaking in your organization? In today’s humanitarian and development organizations, ongoing pressures, such as the disruptions following the closure of USAID and reductions in UN core funding, are turning temporary challenges into structural shocks. In this context, misalignment across HR, operations, and programs can silently erode organizational performance and impact. This Flagship Dialogue off

The world we live in is evolving at an ever-rapid pace, and many of the old ways of doing business are no longer viable. Today, the traditional “fly-in, fly-out” model of bringing in international experts is being replaced by a greater reliance on using localized expert consultants amid calls to “decolonize” aid, decentralize power structures, and increase donor pressure to achieve measurable, sustainable results for recipient communities. Starting with the Grand Bargain tha

As we rush headlong into a global information age, jobs in the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) field are increasingly playing an important role in international development. M&E professionals are the people who measure and evaluate the results (or the lack thereof) of projects in the development sector. They serve a dual role, simultaneously promoting accountability for both donors/financiers as well as recipients while enabling organizations to make smarter, more informed

We’ve all witnessed the staggering influence of AI in our daily lives, from fake photos on social media to artificially manipulated videos. But recruiters and HR professionals indicate that one of the most worrisome new trends for them is the use of AI tools by fake job seekers applying for open positions. In fact, Gartner predicts that as many as 1 in 4 job candidates will be fake by 2028. In a world where every job candidate wants to put their best foot forward, it’s no su