Karsten Weitzenegger is a member of the JPO Alumni Association (JAA), the global network of former Junior Professional Officers (JPOs) across the UN System. This membership has a personal history: He served in tender years as a UNDP Program Officer in São Tomé and Príncipe, Regional Bureau for Africa, responsible for contract management and supervision of the UNDP-financed country program and coordination of economic transition planning. That assignment marked the beginning of a career in international development cooperation that now spans more than thirty years.
What the JAA Is
The JPO program was created as a pathway to bring talented young professionals into the world of development. Upon completing their assignments, a large proportion of JPOs go on to build careers in the UN System, NGOs, academia, or the private sector. The JPO Alumni Association was established to connect this diverse and far-reaching pool of professionals in a single, sustained network.
The JAA pursues three concrete objectives: to make use of the talents and resources of former JPOs in advocating for UN values; to foster a community spirit and knowledge-sharing among members; and to facilitate career development and job searches for former JPOs. Today, the JAA counts over 2,800 members worldwide and continues to grow steadily.
Why This Network Matters
For independent consultants in international development, the JAA is far more than an alumni directory. It is a living network of professionals who share a common starting point, a deep belief in multilateral solutions and in the values and mission of the United Nations. Those working across agencies benefit from a network that combines global reach with genuine mutual understanding rooted in shared experience.
Each year, the UNDP JPO Service Centre publishes the JAA Member Directory, making visible the full breadth of career paths taken by former JPOs around the world.
Join — Free of Charge
Membership of the JPO Alumni Association is free of charge and open to all former JPOs of the UN System.
👉 Find out more and join — undp.org/jposc
Those who have worked for the United Nations carry that experience throughout their careers. The JAA gives it a home.
Karsten Weitzenegger is an independent consultant and evaluator in international development cooperation with over 30 years of experience. He works with the European Commission, GIZ, BMZ, the World Bank, and UN agencies — across more than 40 countries. weitzenegger.de