Development Sector Partners

What Development Sector Partners does

Development Sector Partners is a boutique consulting firm founded in 2012 and headquartered in Gurgaon, India, with a branch office in Bangalore. The firm specializes exclusively in serving the not-for-profit sector — including national and international NGOs, funding agencies, and corporate CSR divisions — through two core service lines: Recruitment & Selection, and Research & Consulting. Recruitment services span end-to-end talent acquisition including vacancy support, resume database management, large-scale recruitment drives, campus hiring, and selection-tool development, while consulting work covers research studies, organizational policy design, fundraising support, proposal writing, competency mapping, job analysis, compensation benchmarking, transition planning, and sustainability plans.

The firm is co-founded by Siddharth Nagpal and Sonali Puri, whose prior experience spans McKinsey, KPMG, Ernst & Young, CRY, CARE, and Mobile Crèches, lending the firm credibility in the development-sector talent market. There is no proprietary technology platform; all services are delivered by a team of approximately 8 employees through a participatory, collaborative engagement model that positions the firm as an 'extended virtual team' to its clients.

Revenue is generated entirely through professional-services fees on a customized, quote-based engagement model. Distribution is direct-to-client via senior-led business development, supported by a basic digital presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and the company website. Notable reference clients include Azim Premji Foundation, Aga Khan Development Network, Bharti Foundation, CRY, CARE, Charities Aid Foundation, and Naandi Foundation.

Name

Development Sector Partners

Legal name

Development Sector Partners

Website

https://dspartners.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Development Sector Partners is a boutique India-based consultancy providing recruitment and research/consulting services exclusively to NGOs, funding agencies, and corporate CSR divisions across the not-for-profit sector.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Not-for-Profit Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN), Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG), Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• NGO recruitment services
• Not-for-profit consulting
• Social sector talent acquisition
• CSR advisory services
• Development sector HR

Headquarters

HQ city

Gurgaon

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Recruitment & Selection Services: End-to-end talent acquisition services including vacancy support, resume database management, large scale recruitment, campus hiring, and selection tool development for NGOs and CSR programs.
2. Research & Consulting Services: Strategic and operational consulting including research studies, organization policies, fundraising support, proposal writing, documentation, competency mapping, job analysis, and compensation benchmarking.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Development Sector Partners is a boutique advisory firm that provides recruitment and selection services and research-based consulting to the not-for-profit sector. The firm serves national and international NGOs, funding agencies, and corporates running CSR programs with customized, strategic support delivered by sector-expert founders and a small dedicated team based in Gurgaon and Bangalore, India.

Product overview

Development Sector Partners offers two primary service lines: Recruitment & Selection and Research & Consulting. Their Recruitment & Selection service provides end-to-end talent acquisition including vacancy support, resume database management, large-scale recruitment drives, campus hiring, and custom selection tool development. The Research & Consulting service encompasses research studies, organizational policy development, fundraising support, proposal writing, and documentation services. Additional deliverables include transition planning, organization restructuring, sustainability plans, competency mapping, job analysis, and recruitment strategy design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Recruitment & Selection Boutique talent acquisition service for the not-for-profit sector, covering position-specific vacancy support, recruitment strategy design, large-scale recruitment drives, and resume database management for NGOs, funding agencies, and CSR programs in India.
• Research & Consulting Strategic consulting for not-for-profit organizations covering transition planning, organization restructuring, sustainability plans, organization policy and employee handbooks, competency mapping, and job analysis, delivered as customized engagements to NGOs and CSR-driven corporates.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Azim Premji FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment Sector Partners has forged partnerships with Azim Premji Foundation as part of their national-level tie-ups with reputed National & International NGOs.
• Aga Khan Development NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Aga Khan Development Network as part of national-level collaborations with leading development sector organizations.
• Bharti FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong national-level partnership with Bharti Foundation for talent acquisition and consulting services.
• CRY (Child Rights and You)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with CRY for recruitment and consulting assignments in the child rights sector.
• CAREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CARE for talent acquisition and organizational consulting across multiple program areas.
• Charities Aid FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational-level partnership with Charities Aid Foundation for CSR and development sector consulting.
• Naandi FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Naandi Foundation as part of collaborations with leading social sector organizations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Dalberg Advisors: Global development sector advisory firm serving foundations, NGOs, and multilaterals with strategy and organisational consulting; a larger, well-funded peer operating in the same vertical.
• Dasra: Indian philanthropy and nonprofit advisory firm that works with foundations and NGOs on capacity building and talent support; closely comparable to DSP's CSR and NGO consulting engagements.
• The Bridgespan Group: Global nonprofit and philanthropic consulting firm offering strategy, leadership, and organisational development services; comparable to DSP's consulting work for foundations and large NGOs.
• Geneva Global: Global philanthropic advisory firm supporting foundations and nonprofits with strategy, capacity building, and talent; comparable consulting service line targeting similar client profiles.
• Intellecap (part of Aavishkaar Group): India-focused advisory firm serving the social sector, social enterprises, and development institutions; comparable business model offering consulting and capacity-building services to similar clients.
• Sattva Consulting: India-based management consulting firm focused on the social sector; directly comparable as it serves NGOs and foundations with strategy, talent, and organisational development services similar to DSP.

Broad incumbents

• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with a Social Sector practice; comparable to DSP's leadership recruitment services for foundations and large NGOs.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Social Enterprise practice that serves foundations and nonprofits; a broader incumbent whose nonprofit practice overlaps DSP's recruitment offering.

Regional players

• Synergia Consulting: India-based consulting firm with a foundation and development sector practice; comparable to DSP's India-focused consulting and organisational development offerings.

Emerging players

• Nonprofit HR: US-based HR consulting firm exclusively serving the nonprofit sector with talent acquisition and HR advisory; comparable niche positioning but in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dspartner
• Facebookfacebook.com/dspartners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/development-sector-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Development Sector Partners