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IMPACT Initiatives

Is this your company?

The perfect job for backpackers. If you are more into a formal professional career, then run away as fast as you can. - Assessment Officer IMPACT Initiatives Employee Review

1.0
25 Nov 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1) R&R every three months + stipend. 2) Get to interact with an international community, including locals (Although not as diverse as it should be. There's clearly a bias against foreign applicants that are not European or from the U.S. - this also applies to career mobility).

Cons

I don't even know where to start. Here goes a loooooong list that will probably take you more than a couple of minutes (please really digest it): 1- No meritocracy. If you are friends with high-level executives, then chances are you will receive a higher-level position. It doesn't matter whether you have experience or not. Chances are you will have more experience and knowledge than your senior managers. (This is surprising and certainly makes you raise an eyebrow as this is atypical for an international organization). 2- Research is being carried out by people who do not know how to do quantitative or qualitative research so it should technically be invalid. The methodology is not even an existing methodology. It is made up and does not follow quantitative or qualitative standards. 3- There are no security and safety measures besides the onboarding induction session (which is not adapted to your base location). You'll most likely have to ask UN to include you in their very detailed, top-notch induction. If nothing has happened to anyone so far, it is just out of pure luck. 4- A lot of manual work as nothing is automated or standardized (which takes a loooooot of time. This considering that in a humanitarian setting everything should move faster). 5- Security managers have no previous security experience. Most likely are bartenders. 6- Guesthouses are old and dirty, infested with rats and cockroaches, and have a foul smell all the time. Bedsheets are NEVER washed. 7- If you are field-based then logistical arrangements will fall on you (you'll have to look for a place yourself unless they have an ACTED GH on the field location or they allow you to stay at the UN compound). 8- Besides leaving the logistics up to you in unsafe environments (esp. problematic for girls), there are no follow-ups regarding your whereabouts, don't expect anyone to carry out an inspection of the place where you'll be staying, no safety measures installed, etc. Again, if nothing has happened to anyone so far, it is just out of pure luck. 9- Underpaid for the work you do. R&R does not suffice. 10- Bias against foreign applicants that are not European or from the U.S. in terms of career mobility but also recruitment. 11- It's 100% true what they say in the comments below (my bad for not taking them seriously before accepting the offer) - when you raise alarms about something that's not working in the organization, they will find a way to kick you out as punishment for not keeping silent. 12- HR management clearly has no experience or training in HR management, besides having an uncivil attitude. 13- Offensive, discriminatory treatment with local staff, which should be unacceptable, especially for a so-called "humanitarian organization". 14- Monotonous work (most likely, you'll be doing spreadsheet cleaning and copy-pasting information into a factsheet, published two months too late, daily). 15- If you were kicked out of the organization for not putting up with how things unfairly work, they'll blacklist you for the rest of your life (e.g. if you apply again, they will not even be cordial enough to send you a reply regarding the status of your application). Basic courtesy. . . . And the list goes on... If you are a serious professional, PLEASE PLEASE read the reviews (esp. the low reviews) and trust everything they say. THEY ARE ALL TRUE. Don't expect to join the organization and god willing something bad happens to you, then you will regret having had this experience for the rest of your life (plus, it will ruin your CV). After I left, colleagues from my mission and other missions started leaving by the dozens as well, related to the reasons I mention above. This all is deeply concerning, and unacceptable for a humanitarian organization.

Explore other reviews about IMPACT Initiatives

2.0
25 Jun 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Depending on base, the work can be interesting. Quality of data/research varies, but is often well-presented. High career mobility (but varies, not based on skill/experience but on filling staffing gaps as they arise)

Cons

Chronically understaffed, often leading employees to work 70+ hours a week, at low wages. This is the standard, not the exception. -Very poor work-life balance, high rates of burnout. Poor benefits and living conditions. -HQ is out of touch, in every sense. They are not helpful when issues arise and expect the burntout staff in-country to handle everything by just working more and sacrificing their personal life and mental health. -You can request 'surge' support from HQ, but rarely will it happen. Even if your mission can afford the surge, they prioritise which missions they support based on how much money the mission brings to HQ and their political/financial interests. -They are primarily concerned with expanding their portfolio, not with implementing quality projects or filling information gaps. -Cult-like dedication required to the organisation and your complaints will be ignored or reframed to gaslight you. -High-skilled national staff rarely get opportunities to expatriate, however they pretend this is a goal of theirs. -HR/Finance units at HQ are understaffed and often don't even respond to your requests/questions. -They will lie shamelessly during recruitment process.

17
1.0
11 Apr 2019
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you need a job, this is a job. Get six months of experience and then move on.

Cons

- They are primarily concerned with expanding their portfolio, not with implementing quality projects. - There is no clear system of promotion. Some people get fast-tracked to higher management within six months and others are left doing the work of a manager but denied the promotion. This exists across multiple countries and programs. - They severely understaff their projects so everyone is forced to work around the clock. - They pressure employees to skip their vacations and expect people to work through burn out. - One senior manager grossly mismanaged a project and made considerable effort to cover up and then blame others for the problems he created. The same manager regularly made veiled threats that people would be fired. - They are closely aligned with ACTED as well who are among the worst of the worst. - One colleague who had been working with the organization over a year in a complex, understaffed program requested a raise and was told they were "being greedy." The fish rots from the head and I highly suggest you avoid any long-term career plans involving this NGO.

21
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