Despite the quantitative and qualitative growth that the non-profit sector in the Kingdom has achieved in recent years, the employment file remains one of the most prominent structural deficiencies that hinder its professional and institutional development.

While governance, transparency, and sustainability pathways are being strengthened, human resource management — from recruitment to career development — remains an unregulated area, often subject to individual efforts, lacking a unified national reference.

In this context, the proposal by Professor Abdullah Mustafa Al-Muhayfiith, which came in a special interaction with the Third Bank, presents a practical and actionable vision, represented by the creation of a national employment platform for the non-profit sector, managed under the umbrella of an official entity and serving as a smart reference to organize the relationship between talents and opportunities within this growing sector.

Background of the Need:

An article titled "Challenges of Employment in the Non-Profit Sector: Lessons from the World and Applications in the Saudi Reality" pointed to a fundamental gap related to the absence of clear employment strategies, high turnover rates, and weak employer branding for non-profit entities.

However, the proposal presented by Al-Muhayfiith goes beyond diagnosis toward organizational remedies by linking the employment file to a national incubator capable of unifying efforts, correcting pathways, and connecting entities with the best talents in a fair and reliable manner.

Core of the Proposal:

The proposal calls for the establishment of a national independent or semi-independent platform, specialized in employment in the non-profit sector, to work under the supervision of one of the following entities:

  • National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector
  • Council of Charitable Societies
  • or a joint entity supported by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

The design of the platform is based on successful models like the "Jadarat" platform in the educational sector, but adapted to serve the peculiarities of the non-profit sector.

Goals of the Proposed Platform:

  1. Organize the non-profit labor market and enhance its efficiency.
  2. Bridge the gap between supply and demand through technological tools and accurate data.
  3. Enhance the professional appeal of the sector and promote fairness in access to opportunities.
  4. Support emerging associations and peripheral areas that suffer from limited access to qualified personnel.
  5. Provide performance indicators and market information that serve decision-makers.

Components of the Platform:

  • National database of job seekers in the non-profit sector

    Includes accurate professional information, certifications, experiences, and classifications by skills and specialization.

  • Intelligent job vacancy advertisement system

    Links to the systems of associations and donor entities, allowing filtering, searching, and automated recommendations.

  • Unified employment file for each organization

    Includes a record of hiring performance, retention rates, job diversity, and training.

  • Partnership system with rehabilitation and training institutions

    To connect graduates and professionals with available job opportunities in the sector.

  • Dashboard and vital indicators

    Issues quarterly reports on the employment situation in the sector, gaps, and improvement opportunities.

Proposed Implementation Steps:

  1. Launch a national feasibility study in collaboration between the National Center for Sector Development and the Council of Associations.
  2. Hold a national participatory workshop gathering government entities, associations, donors, and professional talents.
  3. Develop an initial design for the platform in collaboration with a local technology company, in phases (MVP first).
  4. Launch a pilot with 100 selected non-profit entities in diverse regions.
  5. Evaluate the experience and expand in phases with legislative, technical, and promotional support.

Expected Impact:

  • Reduce the turnover rate in the sector by up to 30% within three years.
  • Increase the percentage of Saudi nationals in specialized jobs by targeting qualified talents.
  • Enable small and medium associations to access talents without high advertising or marketing costs.
  • Create a professional mental image of the sector as a viable and stable career path.

Conclusion:

This proposal, presented by Professor Abdullah Mustafa Al-Muhayfiith, is not merely an individual effort, but represents a strategic path that is actionable and aligns with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in empowering the non-profit sector, enhancing its contribution to the GDP, and strengthening its institutional professionalism.

We call on relevant entities to embrace the idea and transform it into a model national project,

and let the employment file be a gateway to building a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable sector.

Proposal Owner:

Abdullah Mustafa Al-Muhayfiith

Interested in developing employment in the non-profit sector and creating advanced national models to empower talents.