Skip to contentSkip to footer
employer cover photo
employer logo
employer logo

IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board)

Engaged Employer

IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) reviews

3.7

78% would recommend to a friend

(198 total reviews)

Aleks Dardeli

100% approve of CEO

43% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.2

Career opportunities

4.0

Diversity & inclusion

3.9

Culture & values

3.6

Work/Life balance

3.4

Senior management

3.3

Compensation and benefits

IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 198 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

198 reviews
3.0
Aug 18, 2021

Good benefits but HR is awful

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

15 days a year PTO, 20 days of sick time, flex schedule, and 5% matching on retirement, but the benefits are really the only good thing.

Cons

HR is an absolute nightmare - the interview and onboarding process is a mess and so is leaving! They messed up almost every single thing that they could have when I both started and left. Pay at IREX is really unreasonable for how hard people work and where the office is located. The structure for promotions makes it really hard to be promoted. Lower level employees are often treated as such both in pay and respect. There is a serious hierarchy at IREX. I wouldn't recommend someone join IREX unless they think they'd get a higher position because they pay lower level employees nothing.

avatar
IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) Response
4y
Dear Former IREXer, We appreciate your feedback and time taken to provide it. We are happy that you enjoyed the benefits that IREX has to offer, but we are sad to read that this was the only pleasant experience you had at IREX. It is also unfortunate to read that your experience with our HR team was not the best. It is the goal of the HR team to ensure that all staff members have an amazing onboarding experience as well as a smooth offboarding experience. As such, the team has been working to revamp both processes by reviewing and implementing feedback from our colleagues and making necessary adjustments to provide the best experience possible. Four months ago, the HR team launched and now implements a structured New Employee Orientation (NEO). This is a one-week orientation held twice a month. Every new employee is paired with a model employee (an Ambassador) who exemplifies the values of IREX. Our Ambassadors provide our new colleagues with work-related information, guidance, support, and encouragement as they settle in their role. We also lauched and now implement a personalized off-boarding for exiting employees, to make their transition a smooth one. Feedback from staff on both processes have been positive, so we are happy with our efforts so far and will continue to improve our processes as the organization sees fit. IREX values every member of our team. Our goal is to make everyday work life experience a pleasant and positive one for all staff and we understand that compensation is a major factor in attaining this goal. IREX recently completed a three-month comprehensive salary analysis the outcome of which was a an upward salary adjustment for 42% of our staff members based at Headquarters. The entire organization takes pride in this accomplishment. We will continue to evaluate all staff compensation to attract and retain great talent at IREX. Our current promotion policy clearly outlines the process for when promotions may occur and the approval process. It is the responsibility of the HR team to implement our policies equally and fairly across the entire organization. We encourage our staff at all levels to speak with HR if they do not understand any aspect our policies. The success of IREX depends on its human capital and we are confident that with continued investment in our staff, our organization will grow stronger. We hope that you will continue to champion the cause and mission of IREX and we wish you all the best in your career. Regards, The HR Team
3.0
Jan 6, 2015

Great mission, Professional development opportunities, and Low compensation

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

+Mission-based non-profit organization, focusing on education, media, civil society, and technology +Great office building with lots of perks (coffee, tea, nespresso) and great location in downtown DC +Professional development opportunities and in-house trainings +Youthful organization with approximately 150 employees in the Washington, DC office and people who are passionate about their work +Opportunity for professional growth if you align yourself with the right people in the organization and fit within the organizational culture at IREX

Cons

-Divisions are somewhat siloed both physically as well as by projects/programs, therefore while there is cross-divisional collaboration, employees tend to gravitate to their own divisions to conduct business as well as to socialize -Low compensation -Professional development may be limited if you are not aligned with the right people and do not fit within the organizational culture at IREX -Toxic senior leadership (Advice: Investigate who your primary supervisor will be before accepting a position)

1.0
Jan 1, 2023

Got me into Development Sector but Gave Me PTSD

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good career stepping stone. I made a lot of close friends with whom I can trauma bond over our shared negative experiences.

Cons

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!

avatar
IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) Response
3y
Dear former IREXer, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and feedback regarding your experience at IREX. We are glad to hear that you considered IREX to be a steppingstone in your career and found friends among your coworkers. It saddens us to read that you did not have a positive experience. Upon hire, employees are provided with information for reporting concerns to HR. Employees are also informed that there will not be any consequences for reporting a violation, provided the report was made in good faith. IREX has a duty to thoroughly investigate any allegations made against any employee and take appropriate action. Every employee should also have the basic and fundamental expectation to work without fear of being the victim of false and harmful allegations. IREX has a duty and obligation to provide such an environment for all staff. Our managers also continue to receive coaching and training they need to be more effective and successful in their roles. IREX compensates all staff equitably and in line with the pay ranges in the internally published compensation structure which is freely accessible to all staff. HR also conducts periodic surveys to ensure there are no internal inequities and that pay is competitive with similar organizations in the sector. We want every employee to balance work and life. We also recognize that there may be times when we are all required to work more than 8 hours in a workday, to meet the demands of our partners and donors. We encourage staff to discuss how to strike a good balance with their manager. Staff may also wish to access resources provided by our employee assistance program. The HR team is committed to providing support and guidance to staff. Again, we thank you for the information you provided and are sorry you did not enjoy your time at IREX. We wish you good health, The HR Team
Viewing 22 - 24 of 198 Reviews
Related searches: IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) jobs | IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) salaries | IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) benefits | IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) interviews
ReviewsIREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) reviews

Glassdoor has 224 IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) reviews submitted anonymously by IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) is right for you.