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Creative Associates International

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Overburdened and Underpaid - Program Associate Creative Associates International Employee Review

2.0
Apr 7, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some great individuals work at Creative, especially at the lower levels. Good introduction into the international development space and with USAID contracts. Decent benefits.

Cons

Junior staff are disrespected and treated as secretaries. They are also severely underpaid despite most being overqualified for the job. Management is mostly old white men who pretend to listen to concerns but really just do whatever they want. Making money is the main priority, not achieving sustainable results. Little flexibility to work remotely and issues raised by junior staff around equity, inclusion, diversity, safety, etc. were disregarded. No room to grow and few opportunities for professional development/career advancement. High levels of turnover and understaffing led to inefficiencies and overburdened staff.

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Creative Associates International Response
4y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are glad to hear that you found value in your coworkers at Creative, and that your time here provided you with a solid introduction to the development industry. We take your feedback regarding the experiences of junior staff seriously and continually strive to ensure that development professionals at all levels feel that they are valued, respected and given opportunities to grow. Career advancement and fair compensation are essential to Creative’s hiring and retention. Additionally, Creative is proactively moving toward better and more informed DEI initiatives with the support of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and external consultants. A flexible, hybrid remote work policy has been introduced for our headquarters, and we will continue to adapt the nature of our in-person and remote collaborations. We encourage all current and former employees to utilize Creative’s hotline at Hotline@CreativeDC.com to share more detail on any specific concerns.

Explore other reviews about Creative Associates International

5.0
May 5, 2026
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Pros

Welcoming and collaborative community of professionals.

Cons

Can be difficult to shift into other departments.

5.0
Feb 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Very welcoming and a great learning environment

Cons

Nothing in specific, however I was only an intern, so others could have varying experiences

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