Program Consultant US 2026

Description

Shape and implement solutions to the world's most pressing challenges with the Dalberg Strategy Activation team.

ABOUT DALBERG

Dalberg is a global group that partners with organizations to design and implement strategies that deliver measurable impact, advancing a more sustainable planet and inclusive societies where all people can thrive. We work side by side with governments, foundations, companies, and communities to move from insight to action-translating bold ideas into programs, policies, and systems that work in practice.

As a diverse, purpose-driven community of professionals, Dalberg combines strategy and management consulting with hands-on implementation, equity-centered community design, data and research, and strategic communications. This integrated approach allows us not only to help clients define what needs to change, but to support them in making change happen-from piloting solutions to scaling them across institutions and geographies.

We are from everywhere, at home anywhere-an African and American organization as much as an Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, and European one. Dalberg is a place where people bring their full selves to work, practicing transparency and openness while maintaining independence of thought. Our culture is grounded in respect, inclusion, and a shared commitment to learning and growth.

Today, Dalberg is a team of 610+ people from 55 countries, collectively speaking 90 languages, with 48%+ female representation in leadership. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to how we work-with our clients, partners, and the communities we serve.

Established in 2001 by experienced private sector consultants, Dalberg operates from 25+ locations worldwide, supporting strategy execution and systems change across sectors and regions.

ABOUT OUR STRATEGY ACTIVATION WORK

Executing on a strategy or standing up a new initiative or program is when the 'real work' starts for most of our partners. Therefore, our Strategy Activation work is the practice of speeding up the initial stages of implementation using project management offices (PMOs) and other structures to deeply partner with clients over time to increase the chances of success for a new initiative, program, or learning agenda. It provides the foundational steps towards bringing a strategy to life, contextualizing it further and teasing out implications for business-as-usual, helping test critical assumptions, making strategic choices, adapting to emerging needs and laying the groundwork for implementation.

ABOUT YOU

You aspire to become a leader in global development by tackling global issues, from malnutrition to climate change to economic growth, ensuring no population is left behind. You drive the implementation of innovative and impactful programming for clients, proposing problem-solving and delivering tailored frameworks that address client challenges. You excel at leading change and delivering complex plans using high levels of empathy and creative thinking, and you want to put your skills to work - transforming organizations that drive change around the world. You are a committed self-starter with a passion for international development and an entrepreneurial spirit.

What You Will Do and How You Will Grow

Program Consultants play a significant role in driving the delivery of innovative and results-oriented long-term projects for our clients, with key responsibilities such as:

• Drive day-to-day problem solving and implementation of programs or initiatives through piloting, iteration, and data-driven learning
• Lead research and analysis to build topic expertise and inform decisions, which may include conducting desk research, stakeholder interviews, and/or quantitative analysis and translating insights into clear recommendations.
• Support strategic communications with executive audiences through content development and meeting facilitation
• Develop knowledge products to document progress and learnings of the program or initiative
• Work closely with managers, project teams, and clients to shape approaches and refine deliverables.
• Support program management by coordinating timelines, tracking deliverables, and strengthening team practices.

Not only do Program Consultants work closely with their managers, but they are also tasked with gaining trust and credibility by working directly with clients and changemakers, engaging more directly with where the impact is.

For a few examples:
• A Dalberg team is working to expand and deepen programs to transform the trajectories of children in Wilmington, Delaware from cradle to career while also providing housing opportunities to keep the neighborhood affordable for current and legacy residents.
• Dalberg supported the Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity to finalize the design of, and launch, a new Economic Mobility Initiative (EMI) aimed at supporting micro- and small businesses in the county by delivering services and programming in partnership with various community organizations.
• Dalberg supported USAID in launching a global Community of Practice (CoP) aimed at enhancing educational outcomes for underprivileged children and youth in the Global South through non-state education.

Dalberg is a platform for change. Our staff are empowered to start new programs, institute best practices, and develop traditions that will define the Dalberg experience for years to come. Innovation and entrepreneurship are not only valued at Dalberg; they are essential to our firm's success. In addition to providing training, management-level advising, and mentoring, we empower consultants to learn by doing, engaging them as core members of project teams from day one.

About Our Clients

Our clients come to us with some of the most difficult global problems, seeking solutions where the obvious ones have failed. We are entrepreneurs and innovators, designers and creative problem solvers, thinkers, and doers who supply new ideas, drawing from a deep base of knowledge that cuts across sectors and geographies and is growing every day. We partner with and serve communities, governments, and companies throughout the world. Some of our recent clients include foundations such as the Gates Foundation, corporations such as Pepsi and Vodafone, multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, UN Agencies such as UNICEF and the UNEP, and government agencies such as DFID and the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency.

What We Offer:

• A collaborative and entrepreneurial organization that provides the platform to make an impact on day one
• Engagement with complex and stimulating projects across various content areas, geographies, and types of clients
• A uniquely talented, highly diverse, passionate, and fun team
• Hands-on mentorship
• Robust knowledge base and client networks to explore and engage as you build your platform
• Reduced travel schedule compared to typical management consulting positions
• A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism in our culture, beliefs, systems, and processes
• Competitive benefits and career development opportunities

Join Our Team

Our current opportunities are in Washington DC, New York, and San Francisco

Candidate applications will be considered after applications close on February 27th at 12pm eastern and should include a resume and cover letter, both written in English

Onboarding date is May 11.

Interview Process: Candidates selected will be invited for a round of interviews to test analytical and conceptual thinking skills through consulting case questions, and to discuss interests and experience. A candidate's specific title and level of entry will be assessed during the interview process.

Salary: The annual compensation for this role is $76,500. Our salary structure is designed to be in line with that of non-profit and social impact organizations, reflecting our dedication to social impact work. This is distinct from management consultancies, which predominantly cater to commercial clients.

Benefits: Additionally, our comprehensive benefits package encompasses medical, dental, and vision coverage, mental health support benefits, parental leave, disability leave, 401k match, US student loan repayment assistance, and paid time off.

You are expected to work near one of our offices and work 2-3 days/week in the office.

Employment in Dalberg's US offices is contingent on the candidate having the requisite authorization to live and work in the US.

Dalberg values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. Qualified and interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion, background, or ethnic affiliation are encouraged to apply for the vacancy.

We have also pledged to three commitments for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) across the firm:

• COMMITMENT 1: We commit to publishing internal Dalberg DEI reports annually, to hold ourselves accountable, report on progress and share lessons from our regional DEI plans.

• COMMITMENT 2: We commit to delivering regular training for all staff (including leadership) on how to engender inclusive workplaces and mitigate unconscious bias.

• COMMITMENT 3: We commit to addressing imbalances in how power and privilege are formally distributed and informally exercised across the firm.

Owing to the large number of applications we receive; unfortunately, only successful candidates will be contacted.

Requirements

Experiences and Skills we are looking for:
• A clear commitment to domestic and/or international development , demonstrated through prior work on issues such as economic development, global health, education, climate, gender equity, justice, mobility, or financial inclusion
• 2-4 years of relevant professional experience in social impact consulting, international development, public sector delivery, philanthropy, or other mission-driven organizations, including experience supporting programs, projects, or workstreams
• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Public Policy, International Relations, Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences, Education, Social Entrepreneurship, or a related field is a plus (or equivalent experience)
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality work, learn quickly, and take on increasing responsibility in complex, evolving environments
• Experience supporting program and project management , including coordinating timelines, tracking deliverables, supporting partner or client engagement, and contributing to performance management processes
• Ability to build trust and work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders , including peers, partners, and client counterparts
• Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills , with experience using data, research, and stakeholder input to inform decisions and improve program delivery
• Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team in entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and mission-driven environments

• Exposure to working across different cultural and geographic contexts; time spent working in low- and middle-income countries is a plus but not required
• Professionalism and sensitivity to political, cultural, and institutional dynamics in complex environments
• Familiarity with project delivery approaches and tools (e.g., Agile, Scrum, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, Jira, Asana, Smartsheet) is helpful; we value adaptability and a willingness to learn

In addition, if you have skills or abilities in the following areas, please share them in your application:

• Fluency in foreign languages
• Experience with Excel or PowerPoint
• Demonstrated ability to innovate new programs, ideas, or initiatives