AI skills are scarce - and that's an opening for IT and development pros
AI skills are in high demand across global development, but true expertise is still thin on the ground. A recent Humanitarian Leadership Academy survey confirms the gap - which means proactive people have a real edge.
If you work in IT or software for NGOs, multilaterals, or social enterprises, this is your moment. Learn fast, show your work, and apply it to real problems. That combo stands out on hiring teams and inside your org.
How and where to develop AI skills
Experts from a recent digital event pointed to practical starting points: Coursera, HPass, Credly, and edX. Many courses include badges or certificates you can add to LinkedIn for quick proof of skill.
Take it a step further. Write a short LinkedIn post about what you learned and how you'd use it on the job. As one speaker put it, this signals you're engaged and already thinking about implementation.
Ali Al Mokdad, who advises organizations on AI strategy, recommends focusing on leadership, data management, and international affairs courses - and using AI tools themselves to suggest a learning plan based on what's publicly available.
A 30-day action plan for IT and dev roles
- Pick one problem at work to improve with AI (e.g., faster reporting, data cleaning, translation workflows).
- Complete 1 foundational course and 1 applied course on Coursera or edX. Aim for 20-30 minutes daily.
- Build a tiny, real project: a prompt library, a lightweight RAG prototype, or a data cleaning script with an LLM in the loop.
- Document before/after metrics (time saved, error reduction) and share a concise post or Loom video inside your team.
- Earn a badge on Credly or HPass; add it to your LinkedIn and resume. Include your project link or repo.
- Draft a 1-page AI use policy for your team (PII handling, human review steps, model selection notes).
- Ask an AI assistant to audit your stack and suggest quick wins. Validate the ideas, then test the top one.
Where AI drives value for global development tech teams in 2026
- Data cleaning and deduping for routine M&E tasks and survey pipelines.
- Multilingual content support: summaries, translation QA, tone alignment for community outreach.
- Knowledge retrieval: internal FAQs and SOPs via small RAG systems for field teams.
- Grant support: structure outlines, create checklists, enforce templates (always keep human review).
- Geospatial workflows: automate parts of data prep, classification notes, and reporting text.
- Offline and low-connectivity use: distilled models or batch workflows synced from the field.
- Safety and privacy: redaction, PII detection, and policy guardrails built into your apps.
Top full-time staff jobs this week
- New Business Developer - Dorcas, The Netherlands
- Special Assistant to the President and CEO - Corus International, United States
- Senior Communications Officer, Champion Engagement and Creative Partnerships - Gates Foundation, United Kingdom | United States
- Safeguarding Coordinator | APSP - Abt Global Inc., Papua New Guinea
- Regional Director, Europe - Amnesty International, United Kingdom
- Senior Manager, Laboratory Technical Expert - CDC Strengthening Public Health Systems - IMA World Health, Nigeria
Top consulting and short-term jobs
- Resource Mobilization and Stakeholder Engagement Lead - The Population Council, Kenya
- Strategic Transformation Adviser - Cowater International, Ethiopia
- Consultant: Infectious Diseases and Pathogens Prioritization Exercise - Project HOPE Worldwide (remote)
- Consultancy for AIM Research and Learning Partner - BRAC International, Rwanda
- Individual Consultant: Public Climate Finance - United Nations Environment Programme, Fiji
- Partnerships Specialist (Philanthropy) - UNICEF, India
Career pivots: lessons from former USAID staff
Several former USAID employees shared what came next after abrupt terminations. Some found similar roles; others made bigger shifts.
Brian Pedersen moved from a 20-year global health career to running a six-room bed-and-breakfast in Galena, Illinois. "I'm hoping that they feel cared for, which is the same thing we try to do in global health," he said - a reminder that service mindset transfers.
Around the watercooler
- Responsible Innovations spun up to preserve years of food systems research and partnerships after Feed the Future wound down.
- Critical minerals policy is tightening as demand for lithium, cobalt, and copper grows - with direct implications for energy access projects and supply planning.
- Malawi faces a tough path replacing U.S. aid; currency pressure and fiscal shifts could affect program delivery timelines and vendor payments.
Keep building
Pick one course, one workflow to improve, and one post to share your progress. Skills compound quickly when you ship small projects and measure outcomes.
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