Got me into Development Sector but Gave Me PTSD - Anonymous employee IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) Employee Review

If the opportunity is to work with the Mandela Washington Fellowship, run away as fast as you can. The other reviews are not an exaggeration. I worked on the fellowship for a year and a half, which is much longer than many other junior staff (program associates & coordinators). It is a shock that the Department of State awarded the recompete to IREX for 2020-2025. The project management team has little respect for the diversity of the Fellows coming from across the sub-Saharan African continent. Most senior management is a comprised of white women who are out of touch with DEI initiatives and cultural respect. Your experience is heavily dependent on who your manager is on the team. For me, my manager was an obsessive micro-manager. Staff were required to send draft emails to them for review before any were sent (no matter the subject). Similarly, associates were required to detail every minute of their work days and submit for review. If you went to the bathroom, you had to mark how long you were away from your desk. It was demeaning and disheartening. My manager also gaslit me for months until I left questioning my sanity and any decisions I made. When I tried to raise the issue with HR, my concerns were acknowledged but no changes were made. My manager was protected and given a promotion. This only scratches the surface of what I endured; the recovery from this work environment is still ongoing. Bad managers and severe trauma aside, there is no work-life balance for junior staff, who are worked like horses and then replaced when they are burnt out. Many colleagues held master’s degrees and were overqualified for the roles they held, all below market rate pay. Growth opportunities are slim - you will spend 3+ years in junior roles, longer if you are a person of color. The appeal of breaking into the sector is not worth emotional trauma you’ll endure. Stay away!