International Development Careers

Are you working for an international development agency? Combining over 25 years of experience in international development policy, diplomacy, programme and research, with a specialist accreditation as a career coach, my skills may be the solution you need to move to the next level.

As a client in Kenya commented recently: “to find someone who knows the sector so well, we even know people in common, and then to find you as a career coach was amazing, I couldn't believe my luck”.

Who I Work With

I help people develop their careers within a development organisation or move to new organisations. Examples include:

Positioning for Promotion

Helping technical advisers and generalists hone their skills and make the next level.

Transition to Management

Supporting technical advisers to transition into management positions and perform at their best.

Reframe Skills

Helping reframe skills and experience to work in a different organisation eg from donor to NGO or vice versa.

Executive Coaching

Supporting you to navigate the challenges of your role and perform at the highest level

Horizons Careers has worked with clients in, or helped secure work with, key development agencies including:

What Support Do I Provide?

Each person’s support needs are different and we figure those out through a free Career Consult.

Common areas where I am asked to support development professionals include:

Career direction, helping you prepare for your next position or think through your longer term career goal.
Executive coaching, helping you perform at your best through regular reviews including analysis and action planning around 360 feedback
Recruitment support including job selection and application development
Mock interviews, providing recruitment centre practice in a safe environment.
Refreshing your dossier including CVs and LinkedIn profiles.

Career Consult: 40 Mins and yes, it's Free

* I am pausing Career Consults from 1 June 2024 - existing clients please email me for a session*

Before I work with any client, I offer a free Career Consult. This is your time to talk about what is on your mind career wise, what you have tried already and seek clarity on whether I can help you reach your goal.

Schedule time with me if you want to find out more about my coaching practice. Click below to book a free Career Consult (please note I cannot coach FCDO employees).

Book Now

Ongoing or Ad-hoc Career Coaching

* From 1 June 2024, I am not taking new clients - existing clients please email me for a session *

If we are working together already, click here to book your personalised 1-on-1 coaching session. You will go straight through to my calendar to find a time that works for us both.

Sessions last 90 mins and you can book and pay securely online with Stripe.

(If we haven't started working together, click on the left for a free Career Consult. Please note I cannot coach FCDO employees.)

Book Now

Meet Jo Abbot

Educated to PhD level, I have worked in conservation and international development for over 30 years in academic institutions (University College London), international NGOs and think tanks (International Institute for Environment and Development IIED, CARE International and Christian Aid) and for a large bilateral donor, the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (formerly DFID, the Department for International Development).

At the FCDO, I served in an advisory capacity (social development, results and evaluation), as results team leader (DRC), Head of Programme and Deputy Head of Office (Civil Society Department in the UK, Kenya and Zimbabwe) and as Development Director & Deputy Ambassador in Zimbabwe.

With this depth of career experience, I am able to help a wide range of development professionals develop, rethink or strategise their careers.

What People Say

Long term career support: AK (female, 40s)

I worked with Jo over a couple of years, to help build the skills to take the next step on the career ladder from a technical leader to senior management in the UK civil service. Jo helped me think through my career plan and the different areas I needed to focus on. We worked through how to communicate with impact, be a confident and consultative leader, and horizon scan. Jo challenged me to continue to work to my strengths, acknowledge my weaknesses and find strategies to minimise them. She helped me identify which techniques didn’t work for me and what alternatives I could use. I ended up with a huge range of leadership tools at my finger-tips that I still use. Jo took her coaching role incredibly seriously, she wanted me to succeed and enabled me to find the confidence and capability to do so. She used her own wealth of experience, tailoring her approach to my needs. Jo challenged me. At times it was uncomfortable to look at myself but she judged impeccably how far to push. Most importantly she put me in the driving seat of identifying choices I make. This has set me up very well for the future and I continue to build upon all the skills she helped me gain.

Technical advisory promotion 2022: TH (male, 40s)

Just got feedback from the accreditation team. I was successful at G7 Expert Level and am so happy. And thank you sooo much for all the coaching and support you provided - it just made such a huge difference, thank you again.

Promotion support: David R (male, late 20s)

As I was looking for promotion in [bilateral aid agency], I sought out a coach to help me through preparations for the next steps in my career…..our work enabled me to identify what role would best suit me, and to successfully apply for a promotion. The practical focus of the sessions with Jo really helped drive home some key messages, and her ability to ask about what is really important allowed me to think more strategically about my career pathway....I was also able to improve my interview skills. Her inputs really made a difference and I would strongly recommend her to others.

Wamuyu Gatheru (female, Kenya)

Jo helped me overhaul my CV. This has freshly introduced me to prospective clients and employers. I can confidently apply for positions using current language in my field and in a professionally designed CV format. This CV, and its tentative presentation on LinkedIn, has gotten three organizations interested in hiring me. I will be signing a contract with one shortly.

Jo kept our work and time focused and so provided value for money. She will be a great fit for you and your organization if you know what you are looking for, are willing to put in the work and wish to achieve results

Jo is accredited with career coaching bodies in the UK, US and South Africa.

Jo is a professional, accredited Master Career Coach. She adheres to the International Association of Career Coaches (IACC) Code of Ethics, which includes standards on the highest levels of professionalism and absolute client confidentiality. So you can have confidence that Horizons Careers is guided by this Code, that Jo undertakes continual professional development and has a wide professional support network.