Consultant / Senior Consultant, International Development - Strategy & Transformation

The Opportunity: your next adventure awaits

The Consultant / Senior Consultant will support EY’s International Development Hub in delivering strategy, transformation, and operating model engagements for the UN system and related international organizations. The role combines international development expertise with the core consulting skill set expected in leading strategy firms: structured problem solving, rigorous analysis, strong client service, executive-level communication, and project delivery discipline. The successful candidate will contribute to high-impact client work across topics such as institutional transformation, organizational effectiveness, digital and AI-enabled change, shared services, workforce and capability building, financial and operational performance, and reform implementation. The role will involve working closely with senior EY teams, multidisciplinary experts, and client stakeholders to diagnose complex challenges, develop actionable recommendations, and support implementation in politically sensitive, mission-driven environments.

Your key responsibilities

1. Strategy and transformation delivery:

• • Support the design and delivery of strategy and transformation projects for UN entities, international organizations, and development actors.
  • Structure complex problems, develop hypotheses, conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis, and translate findings into practical recommendations.
  • Own discrete workstreams, manage timelines and deliverables, and contribute to high-quality client outputs including strategy papers, business cases, operating model designs, implementation roadmaps, and executive presentations.

2. UN and international development expertise:

• • Develop a strong understanding of the UN system, international development architecture, humanitarian and global health ecosystem, and broader multilateral reform agenda.
  • Conduct research and benchmarking on institutional models, funding flows, governance arrangements, service delivery models, and reform trends across international organizations and comparable public sector institutions.
  • Translate international development context into actionable implications for strategy, transformation, operating model, and implementation work.

3. Data, digital, and AI-enabled analysis:

• • Apply strong analytical skills to assess performance, costs, capabilities, workforce, processes, and service delivery models using data-driven approaches.
  • Use advanced Excel, PowerPoint, data visualization, AI models, agents, and AI-enabled tools to accelerate research, analysis, synthesis, scenario development, workflow automation, and client-ready output creation.
  • Contribute to digital and AI-enabled transformation work, including use-case identification, process redesign, capability assessments, adoption roadmaps, agentic workflow design, governance considerations, responsible AI implementation, and change management.

4. Client engagement and stakeholder management:

• • Prepare and support client interviews, workshops, leadership meetings, and working sessions with diverse stakeholders across headquarters, regional, and country levels.
  • Synthesize stakeholder input into clear insights, implications, and decision points for senior audiences.
  • Build trusted relationships with client counterparts and EY team members, demonstrating professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and sound judgment in complex institutional environments.

5. Business development, knowledge building, and team contribution:

• • Support proposal development, pitch materials, client research, and account development activities for international development and multilateral clients.
  • Contribute to thought leadership, benchmarks, points of view, and reusable assets on topics such as UN reform, global health architecture, mission-enabling services, digital transformation, AI adoption, and organizational effectiveness.
  • For Senior Consultant level, coach junior team members, review deliverables, and help drive workstreams end-to-end with increasing ownership and client exposure.

What we look for

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business administration, economics, public policy, international relations, international development, public administration, data analytics, or a related field.
• Work experience: Previous work experience with the UN system or other international organizations is required, ideally combined with experience in strategy consulting, public sector consulting, international development, organizational transformation, foundations, NGOs, or development finance institutions. Senior Consultant candidates are expected to demonstrate prior ownership of workstreams and client-facing delivery.
• Consulting toolkit: Strong structured problem-solving skills, hypothesis-driven analysis, storyline development, executive presentation writing, quantitative modelling, benchmarking, and synthesis of complex information into clear recommendations.
• International development and thematic expertise: Strong understanding of the UN system, multilateral reform, and international development architecture, with subject matter expertise in one or more relevant themes such as diplomacy, peace and security, peacekeeping, humanitarian action, sustainable development, climate and environment, global health, financing for development, human rights, or digital and AI-enabled transformation.
• Analytical, digital, and AI skills: Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint is required, alongside strong working knowledge of data visualization, survey analysis, AI models, AI agents, and AI-enabled productivity and analytical tools. Candidates should be able to leverage AI responsibly to improve research, synthesis, modelling, content development, workflow automation, and project delivery, including through prompting, model selection, validation of AI outputs, and the design or use of agentic workflows. They should also understand the implications of AI adoption for organizational transformation, governance, risk, ethics, and workforce change. Experience with Power BI, Alteryx, Python, low-code tools, or other analytics platforms is an asset.
• Communication skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to draft concise, senior-level materials. French or another UN language is an asset.
• Project management: Ability to manage multiple priorities, workstreams, and stakeholders in parallel, while maintaining quality, pace, and attention to detail.
• Stakeholder skills: Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with multicultural teams and senior stakeholders in complex, politically sensitive environments.

Personal attributes:

• Intellectual curiosity: Strong interest in solving complex institutional and development challenges with analytical rigor and practical judgment.
• Impact orientation: Demonstrated commitment to international development, public value, and mission-driven transformation.
• Ownership mindset: Proactive, reliable, and comfortable taking responsibility for workstreams, outputs, and next steps.
• Client readiness: Professional presence, clear communication, and the ability to operate with discretion and confidence in senior client settings.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with evolving priorities, tight timelines, and diverse stakeholder expectations.
• Collaboration: Strong team orientation, cultural humility, and ability to work effectively across geographies, functions, and levels of seniority.
• Learning agility: Growth mindset and willingness to rapidly build expertise across new sectors, clients, tools, and transformation topics.

What’s in it for you

Here at EY, you’ll have the chance to build a truly exceptional experience. We’ll empower you with the latest technology and surround you with high-performing teams. Through our coaching and training programs, you’ll develop the skills you need - all while building a network of colleagues, mentors, and leaders who will be on the journey with you at EY and beyond.

Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to fostering a workplace where everyone has equal access to opportunities. If you require any accommodation during the recruitment process, we are happy to support you.

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