Search

2025 Management and Leadership Skills for Women in International Development

Overview

This course empowers participants to become more effective leaders and managers in the context of international development. The seminar offers practical advice on how women can more effectively utilize their skillsets in the workplace whilst overcoming unique challenges.

International development work involves multi-stakeholder cooperation and delivery in challenging environments. This seminar is tailored for women in governments from developing countries and practitioners in the international development community, focusing on leadership and management training as it pertains to the public service sector and public sector reform. The practical skill sets sharpened during the seminar will include leadership, strategic decision-making, organizational management, human capital development, navigating political waters, and effective communication.

Format

The seminars are currently offered both in-person and online simultaneously, at the choice of the participant. This choice must be indicated at the time of registration. A small number of courses are scheduled to be delivered exclusively in person or online, and are indicated as such in the schedule. In-Person Only seminars usually start at 9:30 am Washington D.C. time. Daily sessions usually end at 4:00 pm. Breaks (including the lunch break) are allocated as appropriate. Online Only seminars will be delivered through five (for 1-week course) or ten (for 2-weeks course) live online sessions via videoconferencing platform. Each session will last approximately 3.5 hours and will be scheduled to start within a time window of 7:00 am – 8:30 am Washington D.C. time. Hybrid In-Person/Online seminars will start at a time most convenient to both in-person and online participants, and will generally follow the In-Person seminar format. We expect the classes to be highly interactive. They will include presentations, case studies and exercises.

Course Outline

Leading Teams and Organizations

Leadership—aligning your leadership strategy and style with your own personal values and self-image
Values—emphasizing ethical communication and decision-making strategies across all levels of the organization
Build resilient and high-performing teams
Tactics for building effective, supportive, professional, and diverse networks
Best practices to achieve balance and cultivate personal fulfillment
Global and Local—understanding and implementing knowledge and ideas from international bodies, trends, and organizations

By the end of this course, participants will be equipped to:

Lead with confidence: Develop the skills and mindset to manage and lead effectively in challenging environments
Navigate complex systems: Understand the intricacies of international development and build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders
Drive positive change: Implement innovative solutions to address global challenges
Advance their careers: Gain recognition and opportunities to reach their full potential

Course Coordinator

Pascale Hélène Dubois has held senior leadership positions at the World Bank, including Vice President of Integrity. During her international development career, she shaped international policy and promoted global good governance through innovative strategies.

Before joining the World Bank, Ms. Dubois practiced corporate law in the US and Belgium.

Since retiring from the World Bank in 2019, Ms. Dubois remains a sought-after speaker, advisor, and board member. She has recently served as an international anti-corruption expert on two ICSID arbitrations.  She also functioned, from 2009 to 2023, as an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University Law School and continues to guest lecture at prestigious academic institutions.

A recognized leader in the field, Ms. Dubois received the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to the Compliance Industry and was named one of Ethisphere Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics for 2007.”

She holds law degrees from the University of Ghent, Belgium and New York University.