Development sector calls for a dynamic and diverse workforce

By Ashwajit Singh

Development sector is cause-driven and focuses on welfare and social development projects with a sense of compassion towards its main stakeholders –the society. It may sound like a tall claim when one says “they want to make a difference” but a career in development can be extremely rewarding for young graduates, to follow their calling of both the ‘head and heart’. In this sector, the multiplicity of work opportunities, mission driven routines and alignment with intrinsic human values offer great opportunities, to young professionals who seek lucrative job opportunities. Besides, there are great perks for those who forfeit their profitable jobs and choose to work with development driven projects.

The issues in the social sector are complex and multifaceted and require the expertise of professionals from various backgrounds. There was a time when jobs in the social sector were equated with volunteerism in non-profit organisations. The fact that the profession requires specialised skill set was generally overlooked and not taken into serious consideration. There was very little understanding that the profession requires know-how to effectively design, implement and manage projects for delivering results leading to social change. But with time, the mindset is also changing and young professionals are beginning to appreciate the challenges involved in managing development projects.
With the landmark Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the heart of global agenda, governments have been very responsive in formulating large scale development programs. In recent years, India has initiated several new welfare programmes such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Make in India campaign etc. These are clearly indicative of the government’s thrust in achieving its MDGs goals. This has also led to concepts such as “Smart City”, to accommodate the huge influx of rural population to urban areas. As the government is still exploring these new concepts, the expertise of consultancy and advisory services has come to the forefront. Several services provided by various consulting companies like programme management, impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation and even capacity building require experts who are well versed with such concepts. The sector has experienced an increased demand of professionals from multi-disciplinary backgrounds including economists, doctors, engineers, and architects who can become valued development practitioners.

Further, impetus has been given to the sector with a shift in focus towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This has generated demand for young professionals who can integrate social and environmental concerns in the business model. Corporates are now been asked to allocate 2% of net profits towards programs supporting education, ending hunger and poverty, promoting public health addressing gender inequality, environmental protection and funding cultural initiatives and the arts. This would ensure streamlining of philanthropic activities and more accountability and transparency. The CSR division of multinational companies requires professionals for designing and implementing social programmes leading to tangible outcomes. Since, the practice is relatively new in the development sector; there are no pre-defined qualifications that one requires. Rather, there should be a clear understanding of the company’s core values, policies and business strategy.

According to the latest trends backed up in a recent Devex “Career Trends in 2015” survey, “An ongoing increase of project funding and private sector engagement in Africa means global development hiring won’t be slowing down this year. And as funders and implementers alike are putting more importance on measuring the results and impact of their work, the field of monitoring and evaluation has taken off.” This certainly indicates increased opportunities for young graduates in the practice of Monitoring and evaluation is on the rise.

The global development sector makes one accustomed to navigate complex or vague career paths and constantly look to innovate and stay one step ahead. With multiple skillsets and an understanding of how they impact each other, one is sure to excel in fostering collaboration among stakeholders especially those who are not accustomed to working together—governments, private sector and civil society.

Traditionally there have been two career paths for development practitioners where there are specialists and then there are generalists managing project, operations, and implementation. But with international development becoming more corporatised and specialised, there is a demand for integrators. Young graduates should aim to fill in this gap wherein they can use their specialised skills and also overlook the general management, coordination and liaison for development projects.

About the Author:
Ashwajit Singh is Chairman and Managing Director, IPE Global.