How are the broad policy objectives of international organizations like the UN, the WTO or UNCTAD, or NGOs like Oxfam International or Doctors without Borders converted into concrete actions? The answer is through program and project management carried out by professionals. The starting point is awareness of economic and political realities, cultural and institutional differences.

This is the background against which the concrete program implementation must happen. How are resources procured correctly and to whom? How is the financial side of the operation managed and what data flow is necessary to track the program and inform the public about progress?

Non-profit objectives do not suspend the need for management skills; indeed, these will often be even more critical due to the multiple stakeholders involved. Planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and ongoing corrective actions are key to success. But so is cross-country and cross-cultural collaboration.

Can you adapt to fast-changing scenarios while maintaining critical thinking? And can you combine analytical thinking with the ability to make decisions when required? Then you might well be a good fit for International Development and Program Management.