Excellent work, bad leadership - Anonymous employee Oxfam Employee Review

5.0
Feb 3, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The results of our work at Oxfam can be seen on the ground, and even if there may be even one colleague who clearly slipped through the cracks for the past 15 years, focusing on the work makes up for it by far.

Cons

It's certainly discouraging when you work alongside career-focused colleagues who have lost all sense of altruism or sympathy for those we are trying to help - even though it was only one colleague, they were in a high-level position that made me question Oxfam's internal promotion.

Explore other reviews about Oxfam

5.0
Feb 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great people and culture in the space.

Cons

Not as many people in the office.

2.0
Jan 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

working with people who really care about the work and the mission; mostly remote work

Cons

Oxfam America's senior leadership team has presided over three consecutive years of layoffs with little evidence of accountability or learning at the executive level. Despite repeated rhetoric about fairness and equity, leadership decisions consistently undermine those stated values. New initiatives are rolled out frequently, only to be quietly dropped, creating instability, confusion, and deep skepticism among staff. Directors are routinely excluded from key strategic discussions, yet are expected to deliver decisions to their teams with no meaningful context, rationale, or ability to answer questions. The CEO appears insulated from the day to day realities of the organization, reinforcing a growing disconnect between leadership and staff. As a result, employees are chronically overworked, morale continues to erode, and trust in senior leadership has been significantly damaged by unmet commitments and constantly shifting priorities.

2
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All