How AI Is Shifting The Core Skills Development Professionals Need | Catalina Parker | devex
Sep 11, 2026
What Nonprofit Organizations Are Hiring Consultants for in 2026
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated within the day-to-day operations of development organizations, it’s driving demand for more tech-savvy candidates who can build an algorithm or create an agent while also bringing good judgment, curiosity, and other human skills, experts said.
“Like every sector, [AI] is shifting the skills gap, or at least shifting what employers are looking for,” said Austen Stranahan, managing director of Shortlist Futures, an Africa-based, future-of-work innovation lab. This is not only changing the type of profiles nonprofits, United Nations agencies, and other development organizations are seeking but also how candidates need to position themselves.
The 2026 State of Nonprofit Consulting Report
See what nearly 400 nonprofit consultants reveal about income, client work, business structure, and what makes consulting sustainable.
