Abebe joined World Vision Ethiopia as the Organizational Effectiveness Director in March 2011 and transitioned to the role of People and Culture Director in 2013. In January 2016, he moved to World Vision Rwanda as the People and Culture Director, based in Kigali. During his tenure in Rwanda, he also served as the People and Culture and Administration Director for World Vision Kenya for six months on secondment. After seven years in Rwanda, he rejoined World Vision Ethiopia as the Human Resources and Organizational Director.

Before joining World Vision in 2011, Abebe held senior roles in government, including Advisor to the Mayor of Addis Ababa, Director for the Housing Agency, and Chief Managing Officer at College of Health, Addis Ababa University. He also had many years of teaching experience.

Since March 2011, Abebe Nigatu has served World Vision in various leadership roles, gaining extensive experience in organizational development, human resource management, change management, organizational culture, organizational development, and process improvement. His work in different countries and diverse cultural settings has equipped him with unique skills in understanding, appreciating, and managing diverse cultures.

Abebe has done the “Senior Professional in Human Resources International (SPHRi)” training with HR Certification Institution, USA. He also completed the course on WV Digital Business Strategy,  training on the Senior Leadership Development Program(SLDP), and Global Leadership Orientation(GLO) with World Vision.

Abebe holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Management; a Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA), a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Management; and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physics. He is a Certified Business Process Improvement (Lean Six Sigma -Black Belt level).

Abebe has participated in academia as a researcher and speaker on 'The Lean Thinking of Humanitarian Leadership' at academic workshops and public forums. Since March 2024, Abebe has been elected as the Lead of the Human Resource Forum for International Humanitarian Non-Governmental Organizations (IHNGOs) In Ethiopia for a one-year term.