[LIVE] - Working at IsDB: Pathways to a Global Career in Development

Strategic Context and Indonesia–IsDB Partnership

• Indonesia holds 7.09% of IsDB’s shares, but Indonesians account for 31 of 1,268 staff (2.44%)—a representation gap of about 4.65 percentage points relative to Indonesia’s shareholding.
• Speakers cited similarly limited Indonesian representation at other multilateral institutions: 66 of 8,436 at ADB and 2 of 677 at an institution captioned as “IIB.”
• The 2026–2030 Member Country Partnership Strategy (MCPS) sets an indicative financing envelope of approximately US$2.5 billion. Priorities include infrastructure and connectivity, resilience and industrial upgrading, health, education and workforce skills, as well as Islamic finance, climate action, and women’s and youth empowerment.
• Speakers emphasized that financing and infrastructure must be matched by investment in human capital, strong institutions, effective implementation, and measurable outcomes.
• Indonesia can share its own expertise with other member countries, particularly in public finance, infrastructure, and sovereign green sukuk.

IsDB’s Operating Model

Founded in 1975, IsDB works across 57 member countries and with Muslim communities in non-member countries. Its headquarters are in Jeddah, and its workforce represents about 77 nationalities.

Project work brings together multiple disciplines. For example, a hospital project involves more than financing construction: teams must address health services, procurement, financial management, staffing, training, and operational readiness. Education projects similarly require attention to teaching quality, facilities, student needs, and graduate opportunities.

IsDB’s talent-acquisition approach is intended to build long-term capability and leadership, not simply fill vacancies. The bank seeks technical competence alongside integrity, collaboration, adaptability, communication skills, and the ability to work across cultures.

Recruitment Pathways and Practical Details

Internships

Internships are short-term, full-time opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students. They may be based at headquarters or regional hubs, including Jakarta.

Openings depend on departmental demand, so there is no fixed annual schedule. One speaker said demand often arises around August.

Young Professionals Program (YPP)

The presentation described the following eligibility criteria:

• A relevant master’s degree, completed within the previous four years
• An age limit of 32
• Less than three years’ experience

Selection may include screening, interviews, technical review, aptitude testing, written work, and a presentation. The process can include an in-person interview in Jeddah.

Participants enter a two-year structured development program, with rotations described as eight months, exposure to projects and regional hubs, training, and coaching or mentoring.

IsDB recruited 10 participants in the previous intake and expected around 10–12 for the next one. Speakers emphasized that selection depends on assessment results rather than a fixed quota.

Experienced Professional Vacancies

Recruitment is based on the requirements of each advertised role. Speakers cited five years’ experience as a common minimum, but clarified that applicants with a bachelor’s degree may apply for regular professional vacancies if they meet the specific job criteria.

Other Routes and Roles

IsDB also uses a talent-pipeline database and short-term or project-based assignments. Short-term work does not itself guarantee a longer-term career path.

Roles span project and sector operations, health, education, infrastructure, procurement, risk, legal, governance, strategy and research, finance and Islamic finance, technology and data, partnerships, and program evaluation.

Application Process

Regular vacancies are published on the official careers portal: careers.isdb.org.

Candidates may apply for more than one position. Once one application is accepted, other applications are closed. Regular recruitment was described as typically taking under two months from vacancy closure to offer, although visa processing can take several months or, in some cases, a year or longer.

English communication is generally required. Additional languages are an advantage, while language testing is used when a specific role requires it.

Recruitment is described as fair, transparent, and merit-based. YPP candidates should note that the age criterion is enforced strictly by the application system.

Actionable Guidance for Applicants

• Connect your technical background—whether in finance, economics, infrastructure, public policy, climate, education, law, HR, or another field—to concrete development outcomes.
• Tailor your CV to the advertised role and show evidence of relevant experience, not just general interest.
• Learn about IsDB’s mandate, strategic priorities, organizational structure, and the competencies required for your target position.
• Prepare for both technical assessments and behavioral interviews. Speakers highlighted analytical thinking, judgment, communication, integrity, collaboration, adaptability, and an international outlook.
• Treat a global development career as public service: professional success should contribute to better outcomes for communities, countries, and future generations.
• Check the careers portal regularly, create a profile in the talent community, and turn seminar information into concrete preparation steps.
• Speakers encouraged the Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders to circulate vacancy announcements through ministries, universities, and relevant agencies.

Examples of Development Impact

A staff video described an eye-care initiative that began with a US$40,000 operation in Niger and expanded into a program across 13 countries. It was reported to have helped more than 100,000 people regain sight and enabled almost 700,000 people to access eye services.

Other staff examples included a hospital project in Beirut and an Islamic university for women in Niger, illustrating how project work can combine technical delivery with long-term social impact.

Presenters and Sources

• Mr. Arif — Opening remarks on behalf of Indonesia’s Minister of Finance; his surname is rendered inconsistently in the subtitles.
• Mr. Samir Elisawi — IsDB Regional Hub representative in Jakarta.
• Ms. Rafida — IsDB Manager of Talent Acquisition and Management, also described as responsible for performance and development; her surname is inconsistently transcribed.
• Mr. Ahmed Surono and Ms. Rahalia Vitri Devita — Indonesian IsDB professionals who shared career experiences.
• Mr. Gandhi Satyawan — Moderator and Director of Program and Performance, National Committee for Sharia Economy and Finance.
• Mr. Bobby — Closing remarks for the Ministry of Finance; his surname is unclear in the subtitles.
• Additional IsDB staff appear in an unnamed career-experience video.