Finding and landing development jobs

I didn’t start my development career by searching a job board.

I had just completed a digital marketing certificate and built a website, mostly to learn by doing. A friend referred me to an NGO in the Philippines that was looking for someone to revamp their online presence. I ended consulting with them for over a few years, then took on other NGOs that came asking for similar services. One led to another.

Without setting out to, I had built a portfolio serving organizations with limited access to digital marketing skills. That portfolio was eventually what opened doors to larger international organizations.

I share this not to suggest that job boards don’t matter — they do, and I’ll get to them. But it’s a more honest picture of how many development careers actually begin. Not through a perfectly timed application, but through a skill that turned out to be useful, offered to people who needed it.

That said, there comes a point when you do need to search deliberately. Whether you’re just starting out, transitioning from another sector, or looking for your next contract, knowing how this sector works and where opportunities are shared saves you a lot of time and frustration. That’s what this guide is for.

Tips for searching for a job in development

The development sector doesn’t work like most job markets. Roles are shaped by funding cycles, filled through networks, and often posted quietly with short windows to apply. Before you open a single job board, it helps to understand how hiring actually happens here and how to position yourself for it.

Build the skill first. The opportunity often follows.

My first NGO clients didn’t find me through applications. They found me because I had built something demonstrable and word got around.

If you’re new to the sector without a defined technical background, the most direct route in is often through your existing skills, offered to organizations that need them. NGOs, community organizations, and local health agencies are frequently under-resourced in areas like communications, partnerships and resource mobilization, digital tools, and content production, and they’re often where your first real portfolio gets built.

But if you’re a doctor, nurse, epidemiologist, or other health specialist, you already have the core credential. The work will be about translating your clinical and technical expertise into the language of development. That means understanding how your skills map onto programme roles, health systems work, or technical advisory functions, and being able to articulate that clearly in your applications and conversations.

Know what you want and what you can offer

Once you’re ready to search deliberately, clarity matters more than volume. The development sector is full of very specific job descriptions written for very specific profiles, and a general application rarely survives the first filter.

Reflect and get clear on two things: what kind of work you want to do, and what you specifically bring to this sector. For technical and clinical professionals, this might mean deciding between direct service delivery, programme management, policy and advisory work, or research and capacity building — each of which draws on your expertise differently and points you toward different organizations and roles. For those coming from other fields, it means identifying where your skills fill a genuine gap.

This clarity could help shape the roles you pursue, the language you use in your applications, and the conversations you have with your network. I spent years refining this answer for myself, and every time I got more specific, my search got more efficient.

Understand the contract landscape

One thing I wish someone had explained to me earlier: development sector employment looks very different from a standard job. Most roles fall into one of three types.

Staff positions are full-time, with benefits, and often competitive to get. Short-term consultancies are project-based, paid by deliverable or daily/monthly rate, and this is how a lot of people break into the sector. Roster placements are pre-vetted specialist lists that organizations draw from during emergencies or surge periods, and they can open access to opportunities that never appear on any public job board.

Knowing which type of role fits your situation right now changes where and how you search. When I was building experience, consultancies were my entry point. Later, understanding how staff roles and rosters worked helped me with applications for long-term opportunities.

Network with intention

A significant number of roles in this sector, especially mid-to-senior level positions, are filled through referrals before they’re ever publicly advertised. Hiring managers go to people they know, or people their trusted contacts recommend.

Networking means being genuinely present in communities where your work matters: engaging with people’s ideas online and offline, showing up at sector events and webinars, setting up informal conversations with practitioners doing the work you want to do. In these situations, it’s also good to mention the type of work you’re drawn to and that you’re available to take on roles that make this possible.

Go directly to the source and apply with purpose

Many organizations post roles exclusively on their own career pages, sometimes days before those vacancies reach aggregator platforms. If there are specific organizations you want to work for, go to their websites and set up alerts directly.

When you do apply, tailor every application, but work smarter, too. Development hiring managers read a lot of submissions. What stands out is specificity: an applicant who clearly understands the organization’s mandate, connects their experience to the role’s context, and addresses the job description directly. Keep a strong core CV and cover letter that you adapt meaningfully for each role.

Job boards

These job boards vary in their functions and features. You may opt to sign up in any or all of them and figure out which ones work best for you.

• Devex (website)
  • Scope: International, all sectors
  • Search functions: Multiple filters based on keywords, location, contract type, etc.
  • Alerts: Create an email alert based on your search filters
  • Other features: A paid individual account ($9.50/month) gives you unrestricted access to all jobs and their Career Center

• ImpactPool (website)
  • Scope: International, all sectors
  • Search functions: Multiple filters based on keywords, organization groups (e.g. multilateral organizations like the UN, NGOs, foundations), occupational groups or sectors, grades or contract type, and country
  • Alerts: Create an account and add your job preferences on your profile to receive a weekly job alert
  • Other features: Good interface and highlights closing dates

• DevelopmentAid (website)
  • Scope: International, all sectors
  • Search functions: Use ‘advanced search’ to filter based on languages, locations, job types, sectors, organization types, and work experience
  • Alerts: Create an account, upload your CV, and set up a job alert based on your preferences, including frequency, job types, and organization types
  • Other features: Offers a CV Generation Tool for free for consultants who want better exposure to specific donor agencies and organizations

• ReliefWeb
  • Scope: International; strong emphasis on humanitarian response, with development roles also listed
  • Search functions: Filter by career category, job type, location, experience level, organization, and humanitarian theme
  • Alerts: Subscribe to bi-weekly job notifications via your ReliefWeb account under “Manage your subscriptions”; you can also create a custom RSS feed from any filtered search
  • Other features: Run by UN OCHA, it’s free to use and includes internships, consultancies, and roster postings alongside staff roles; useful for those interested in field-based or emergency response work

• Development Sector Jobs – Philippines (Facebook Group)
  • Scope: Philippines, all sectors
  • Search functions: Limited to search on Facebook Group
  • Alerts: Limited to in-app and push notifications on Facebook; no filters
  • Other features: Those who publish the job ads are often the hiring managers or employed in the organization, so you can ask quick questions in the comments

• Careers for Health Philippines (Facebook Group)
  • Scope: Philippines, health sector
  • Search functions: Limited to search on Facebook Group
  • Alerts: Limited to in-app and push notifications on Facebook; no filters
  • Other features: Those who publish the job ads are often the hiring managers or employed in the organization, so you can ask quick questions in the comments

United Nations (UN) and international agencies

If you’re aiming to work with a UN agency or a multilateral institution, going directly to their career portals is essential. Many roles — especially short-term consultancies and roster placements — are posted exclusively on these platforms and may not appear on general job boards.

One thing worth knowing upfront: most UN agencies use separate portals, which means you’ll need to create an account on each one you’re targeting. It takes time to set up, but it’s worth doing early, especially for agencies like WHO, UNICEF, and others, where applications require a fully completed profile before you can even apply.

The UN and most of its agencies will never charge a fee at any stage of recruitment. If you see a listing asking for payment, it’s a scam.

• WHO Careers
  • WHO uses its own portal for staff positions, consultancies, and roster registrations. If you’re interested in public health work at the country, regional, or global level, across areas like health communication, outbreak response, or health systems, this is the primary entry point. Some country-level consultancies are not listed on the portal, so check the pages of the WHO Country Office you’re interested in working for.

• UNICEF Careers
  • UNICEF’s portal covers staff positions, consultancies, and internships across its country offices and headquarters. You can set up email alerts directly from the search results page, filtered by keyword, location, and job type. UNICEF’s Country Offices often hire locally, so it’s worth checking for roles you wish to apply for.

• IOM Careers
  • The International Organization for Migration operates in over 170 countries and recruits across a wide range of functions, not just migration-specific roles, but also communications, health, administration, and programme coordination. Their careers gateway links out to active vacancies and provides guidance on how to apply.

• UNHCR Careers
  • The UN Refugee Agency recruits across legal protection, community services, public affairs, health, and support functions. Field-based and roving roles are common alongside headquarters positions, making it a strong option for those open to working in challenging or emergency contexts.

• UN Careers (Inspira)
  • This is the UN Secretariat’s official portal, covering agencies like UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS, and others within the UN system. Applications are submitted through Inspira, the UN’s talent management platform. You can save up to five job search criteria and set up alerts. Inspira also manages roster placements. Once rostered, you may be contacted directly for roles without having to apply each time.

• ADB Careers
  • The Asian Development Bank, headquartered in Manila, is particularly relevant for those of us based in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region. Staff positions are applied for through ACES, their career and employment system. If you’re interested in consultancy work with ADB, opportunities are published as Consulting Services Recruitment Notices (CSRNs) through the ADB Consultant Management System (CMS). You’ll need to register on CMS separately, create a consultant profile, and submit expressions of interest for specific assignments. The CMS is also where ADB manages the full consultancy lifecycle from application through contract and deliverables.

Job curators

Beyond the official portals and job boards, a growing number of practitioners share development opportunities directly on LinkedIn, often surfacing roles that never make it to the bigger platforms, or adding context that a job listing alone can’t provide. These are some of the curators worth following.

LinkedIn feeds are personal and change over time. Follow these accounts and observe what they share over a few weeks to see whose content is most relevant to your specific area and geography.

• Lilani Goonesena / Comms 4 Development Jobs Board
  • A strategic communications specialist with over 20 years of experience across international development, humanitarian aid, and government. Founder of the Comms 4 Development Jobs Board, a specialized Substack curating communications roles in the global development sector, with a focus on positions based in developing countries. If you’re a comms professional specifically looking for work in the Global South, this is one of the most targeted resources available.

• Arianna Flores Corral
  • A communications and public outreach specialist who has worked with the UN across climate, education, and sustainable development. Shares job opportunities and insights on LinkedIn relevant to communications professionals in multilateral and research settings.

• Tanya Kathuria
  • A strategic communications professional working at the intersection of international affairs, climate, and development. Regularly shares job openings, career reflections, and opportunities relevant to communications professionals in the sector. Also mentors early- and mid-career practitioners and advises NGOs on communications strategy.

• Mariana Castaño Cano
  • A journalist and climate communications strategist with over 20 years of experience, including work with the UNFCCC. Founder of 10 Billion Solutions, a platform helping organizations communicate on climate and sustainability. Regularly shares job alerts for communications and climate roles in international organizations, particularly relevant if your work sits at the intersection of climate and health.

• Éva Papadakis
  • A strategic communications expert with over a decade of experience working with international organizations at the intersection of climate, refugees, and human rights. Runs a well-followed comms jobs board on LinkedIn under the hashtag #CommsJobsBoard, regularly sharing communications, media, and NGO roles, with particularly strong coverage of European Union and Brussels-based positions. Worth following if your work or ambitions extend toward European multilateral institutions or human rights organizations.

• Jobs that Makesense Asia
  • A Southeast Asia-focused platform curating impact-driven jobs across the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and beyond. Posts a weekly job bulletin on LinkedIn covering social impact, sustainability, and climate roles, including opportunities you won’t find on general development job boards. Particularly useful if you’re based in the region and looking for purpose-driven work outside of the traditional UN and INGO pipeline. Their platform also lets you filter opportunities by SDG, which is a useful way to align your search with your area of focus.

• Eliana Summer-Galai
  • Curates monthly impact funding opportunities and runs the Impact Funding Substack, worth subscribing to if funding and grants are part of your career path.

• Women in International Affairs Network (WIAN) (founded by Demiladé F.)
  • Shares professional fellowships and opportunities with a focus on international affairs, particularly for women practitioners.