AMA -UNer that entered the system two decades ago, 4 agencies, multiple divisions/roles/countries. How can I help you?

Hi everyone,

I see many people struggling on how to strategically target and enter the UN system. There are some harsh realities but also some unexpected inroads.

I have transitioned in and out of the UN for about 12 of the last 20 years. Worked in HQ settings, regional bureau and country offices (mostly Northern and Eastern Africa) including emergencies. Worked in other sectors in the rest of the time. I have also worn many hats from Strategy, Ops, Comms, KM, Fundraising, Tech, Finance etc. I have also navigated tricky issues, managers, ethical challenges and attacks from executive leadership. I have ALSO made a ton of mistakes but honed my knowledge to not repeat them.

For the few contributions I have tried to make here, I try to give people no BS thoughts. I would like to help folks through this AMA for the next 48ish hours (will respond only when I have the chance).

Ask away! Please try not to ask overly broad or general questions. Nuance is the key to navigating the system.

Else, happy holidays!

Update: seems AMA’s only last 1 day. I tried to extend it by changing the start date/time but it didn’t work. But thank you to everyone for your really great questions. I will do another one again soon.