Pros
When you work on the programs team, and depending on what programs you are given, you may get the opportunity to travel. They also have a very good WFH policy that is very flexible. Benefits are good. There is good health insurance, 401k matching, and yearly stipend for professional development. You will meet some of the most amazing, passionate and driven people working at ICFJ. ICFJ is an amazing entry level job if you’re just looking to get international development skills and unique experience. It is a resume booster.
Cons
There are too many cons to list and I warn all people currently looking at applying here to read this review in full before submitting an application or accepting a job offer. 1. The management is extremely toxic, non communicative, and they do not care about their staff. Upper management is wildly mismanaging this company and fighting tooth and nail against the union that formed due to ICFJ’s toxic culture and low wages. Upper management does not know what their junior employees do day to day, what the workload is like, and give measly 4% raises for the best workers annually. The management is wildly out of touch with today’s rent prices and COL. There is an inner circle that informs all the Presidents decisions - ICFJ is based on who you know and who likes you - not your merit or performance. 2. They will underpay you. The starting salary for a PA (one of the most labor intensive jobs at ICFJ) is $46k at the time of this post. This is how management views their junior employees. When you ask for a raise a year down the line from your awful salary, they will say no and cite budget problems every time. Do not work for a company that does not value you. This is why Program Assistants leave after 1-2 years. They get a whole new batch of new employees on a cycle. Once junior employees figure out there is no room for growth or raises, they leave, rehire a new PA at the same low wages, and the cycle continues. Always negotiate your starting salary as that’s the best position you’ll ever be in to get a better salary. 3. The promotions and raises they do give are sexist. They will promote men quicker in comparison to their female peers who have more experience. When confronted, they will lie to you. Their DEIA is a joke. 4. Managers rarely know how to do the work of their junior employees. This creates a large gap in knowledge and how much workload PAs have. There is a willing ignorance for some PMs and PDs to not learn how to do their jobs or the jobs of their supervisees. This creates a cycle of mismanaged programs, and high workload on PAs.