Integrated experts – Recruited by GIZ

Integrated experts are highly-specialised professionals from Germany and other EU countries who put their skills to use in key positions in developing countries and emerging economies. They work directly for an employer in their country of assignment on a local employment contract and are fully integrated into that employer’s structures – hence the name integrated experts. They receive a customary local salary that is topped up by GIZ. Integrated experts typically spend at least two years in their country of assignment, working for state institutions, private companies, chambers, associations or non-governmental organisations. By passing on their knowledge, the experts help enable local people to move their country forward in its development.

Integrated expert positions are open to applicants who:

• have citizenship of an EU or EFTA member state
• posses relevant professional experience
• are keen to work in a key position abroad with a development focus

Integrated experts work in a wide range of roles, with many different occupational groups represented. Regardless of their role, they require several years of professional experience and specialist skills that are not available on the local employment market in the country of assignment. Working proficiency in the international business language used in the country of assignment is required, while professional experience abroad is desirable.

GIZ invites suitable applicants to an interview and proposes a shortlist of candidates to the employer once the selection process has been completed. The employer then decides who to hire based on the application documents and GIZ’s recommendation.

You sign your employment contract with a local employer based on local employment law. During your assignment you are fully integrated into your employer’s organisation and are under your local employer’s management. You receive a customary local salary, which is topped up by GIZ. The local employer is often a government ministry or authority, a state organisation, a chamber or an association that is involved in some way in development cooperation.

No. Employers abroad requiring experts first contact their local GIZ country office to request placement of an employee. If the vacancy in question aligns with the development objectives of the German Government, then the vacancy must first be advertised before applicants can be shortlisted. The job advertisement is published on our job portal.

GIZ also welcomes applications from those interested  in a foreign assignments who can take leave of absence to undertake the assignment. However, the decision on whether to grant leave of absence rests with your employer. The assignment facilitated by GIZ fulfils the criteria of Germany’s Special Leave Ordinance (SUrlV).

GIZ will prepare you thoroughly for your assignment prior to your outward journey, either in Eschborn or via online courses.

Depending on the individual circumstances and in coordination with your project manager, you and your accompanying partner may be eligible to complete additional preparatory courses.

You can obtain information about your country of assignment from the German Federal Foreign Office. [https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/]

No. You need to search for accommodation yourself, according to your personal requirements. Your employer or your local GIZ office will generally assist you by providing contact details for estate agents or relevant networks.

This depends on the country in question. In most cases, your family can travel with you to your country of assignment and we also provide travel and relocation allowances for accompanying partners and children. However, there are a small number of countries of assignment to which accompanying partners and children cannot travel for security reasons. This is already indicated in the job advertisement for those countries.

GIZ subsidises school fees in the country of assignment for any accompanying school-age children.

Yes, as an integrated expert, you benefit from the same security measures and services as GIZ staff in your country of assignment. You will be advised accordingly prior to your outward journey and will receive separate safety training where appropriate. Please get in touch with the contact specified in the job advertisement if you wish to clarify any safety and security questions prior to submitting your application.

GIZ will pay you lump-sum amounts for your pension, health and long-term care insurance contributions for the duration of your integrated expert assignment.

Your annual leave entitlement and working hours are governed by the customary regulations in your country of assignment and stipulated in your local employment contract. Nonetheless,  GIZ issues requirements to local employers that enable your annual leave and working hours to be based on standard practice in Germany.

This depends on a number of factors. If you, your local employer and the responsible GIZ offices in your country of assignment are in agreement, the commissioning German Government Ministry approves, and there is sufficient funding available, then your integrated expert assignment can be extended. However, you cannot serve as an integrated expert for more than six consecutive years. After this period, you must have a break of at least two years before undertaking another assignment.

Business Scouts for Development work as development experts in around 40 countries across the globe. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), they advise German, European and local companies on development matters and promote responsible business engagement through cooperation projects. The Business Scouts for Development work closely with partners from business associations and institutions and from TVET organisations both in Germany and in each country. As part of this programme, GIZ places integrated experts with German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHKs) and Delegations of German Industry and Commerce.