Good organisation - Urban Planner ITDP Employee Review

The mission is fantastic, and the people who work here are genuinely kind and smart. The CEO is very accessible to staff and engaged with the work happening on the ground. There are a lot of opportunties to learn from the best of the best in sustainable transport across the globe. The health insurance is fantastic and has no deductible. There is a lot of time off and flexibility.

None really stand out to me.

I've worked at various international NGOs & community nonprofits, and my time thus far at ITDP has by far been one of the better workplaces and learning opportunities. If you have an interest in urban planning, int'l development and transport/mobility policy, and are willing and interested in learning with an open mind, this is the place where that can be possible. Of course, like with any global org, there are challenges and issues, but honestly I think ITDP is the sort of place where you get as much out of the experience as you're willing to put into it. Staff and leadership are generally friendly and willing to listen (even if they might not necessarily change their minds) as long as you are willing to meet them where they're at. I would say this is unlike other NGOs i've worked for where, unfortunately, ego and self-aggrandizement was much more rampant at all levels. Benefits and compensation is on par for the size and budget of the org in my experience. Post-COVID travel opportunities are also coming back.

As with many places, it's hard to juggle the personalities and opinions across culturally/politically/economically diverse offices with their own needs and projects and funders. I think a big challenge is finding unity across int'l offices and breaking out of the silos of the 'us' vs. 'them' mentality of separate teams, which honestly is not unique to ITDP but probably prevalent in all NGOs. Core functions like fundraising, development, comms could also use more integration with program areas and support.