I completed an HR screening interview, an interview with the hiring manager, a 3 hour written assessment and an additional interview with the head of the department. I was also requested to provide 4-5 references. After spending an immense amount of time going through this process over the course of two months, I was initially told I was the final candidate and that an offer would be sent shortly. However, at the last minute I was contacted by the recruiter to say that they would no longer be able to accommodate me working remotely and the position had to be based in NY. During each of the THREE interviews I was assured that working remotely (from another state) would be totally fine. I was told this was a shift made by senior leadership. I'm not sure how HR or the hiring manager didn't know about this shift beforehand. Luckily I had not given notice to my current job, otherwise I would have been in real trouble. This was my dream job, I was so excited to work with both the hiring manager and director. I found it really disappointing that neither the hiring manager or director reached out to me to apologize about stringing me along through this process out of respect for my time. I only received a curt email from the recruiter. It was a difficult experience that has affected my mental health. I have worked for the IRC in the past and I have tremendous respect and admiration for the organization. However, the treatment I received during this interview process was incredibly disappointing. I would also caution those considering working for the organization that they are sorely behind in their DEI practices. While they do hire diverse candidates for the lower levels of management, representation at the leadership at the HQ level is lacking. There are incredibly limited opportunities for growth which is why I left the organization initially, and contributes to high turnover. I'm also not sure how I feel about the organization being based in one of the most expensive cities in the country... how does that help to recruit diverse talent? As a person of color (and first generation immigrant) myself, I am already struggling to make ends meet where I live currently. Moving to NY would not be an option for me or my family. Furthermore, consider the immense overhead costs incurred by having a NY based HQ office. The org is extremely hierarchical and has not been receptive to feedback in my experience. Again, it pains me to say this, because I really have so much respect for this organization's mission. I hope that they review their hiring and DEI practices soon and are more transparent about changes they make and the breakdown of diversity at all levels of the organization.