Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Dynamic and purpose-driven professional – passionate about inclusive policies and programs strengthening democracy, rights and social cohesion, peacebuilding. With 15+ years’ international experience serving government and non-profits on policy and program coordination, grant & project management, impact evaluation and cross-sector engagement, I aim to continue my career supporting multi-stakeholder engagement for positive and sustainable change. Changed priorities in the donor landscape for MENA are driving my search for a next role in a wider context supporting policy makers, practitioners, and donor organizations on - the development, management and coordination of programs, events, and grants, - design and conduct of cross-sector convenings for meaningful partnerships and collaboration, and - contributions to policy and program assessment to identify lessons-learned and actionable solutions to address domestic and global challenges. Building the capacities of MENA civil society leaders and women legislators, and increasing youth participation, I was able to support their effective engagement on issues of citizens' concern, including democratic and inclusive governance, conflict prevention and social cohesion, women's political participation and their role in peacebuilding (Women Peace and Security Agenda, UNSCR 1325). Overseeing multi-faceted programs and events in the fragile and quickly shifting environment of Iraq fostered my ability to adapt workplans and budgets to changing priorities, and to maintain stakeholder engagement for continued support, while ensuring the compliance with agreed objectives, donor and grant requirements. In public policy, when serving the Standing Conference of German Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, first as Technical then Policy Advisor, I harnessed policies, programs and services to improve access to quality education and work mobility with countries in West and Central Africa, and ensured the design, coordination and management of programs and special events with multilateral organizations, such as UNESCO and the Countil of Europe, to promote democracy & human rights, inclusive quality education, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the World Cultural Heritage. Specialties: Policy research, analysis & development; strategic program design & oversight; grant and project management; monitoring & evaluation; event organization; stakeholder & donor engagement. Values: Commitment to the cause and trustful relationships are key to drive positive change.
Providing conceptual guidance and contributions to Proposals, program design & management, supporting partnerships and networking, and representing IF at external events in and outside the U.S.
As Senior Program Manager I ensured oversight and coordination with the local IF country leadership on several concurrent projects. My responsibilities included: - strategic design and management of programs and events, - budget development & monitoring - team supervision & recruitment - grant & project management, evaluation and reporting; - proposal development and partnerships; - donor relations - external representation of IF work with partners in the U.S. and overseas. My specific activities included (but were not limited to): - managing sub-grantees; - ensuring effective stakeholder engagement (donors, policy- & law-makers, civil society partners) for cross-sector collaboration, continued support & ownership of the projects; - agile & adaptive project and grant management (workplan, timelines, budgets, donor relations), supporting teams in a fragile, quickly-changing environment, - ongoing risk assessment for high quality results on time and budget - designing, monitoring & contributing to MEAL processes - quarterly, annual & final reporting - external communications (IF website, Newsletter), and presentations to U.S. and European donors, program partners, policy advisory bodies (USIP, Atlantic Council). My oversight on IF projects included: • a 3-year $3.1 million program (Sida) to improve responsiveness of policies and legislation, facilitating a mechanism of parliament-citizen engagement, and a strategy for policy advocacy by Iraqi female Members of Parliament with local women’s rights organizations and multilateral organizations for the UNSCR 1325 agenda; • a 30-month, $1.4 million program (Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs): “Building resilience of youth & communities to violence and extremism”, enhancing the skills of women, youth and community leaders for inclusive peacebuilding & social cohesion; • a 30-month, $ 1.2 million program funded by the UN Assistant Mission for Iraq to increase political participation of women in the 2021 elections.
Project management for the 3-year $3.1 million program funded by Sida: “Improving Policy, Service Delivery, Gender Equality and Responsiveness to Iraqi Citizens” 2018-21, aimed at: - strengthening responsive and gender-sensitive policies and legislation, - facilitating a mechanism of parliament-citizen engagement for increased accountability and inclusive legislative processes, and - launching a joint strategy for policy advocacy and cooperation by Iraqi female Members of Parliament with local women’s rights organizations and multilateral organizations to advance the UNSCR 1325 agenda in Iraq. Responsibilities included, but were not limited to: - developing and monitoring work plans, timelines and budgets - management and coordination of sub-grantees - oversight and support for conferences, trainings and events - ensuring agile and adaptive project management to achieve the projects' objectives on budget and time - contributions to procurement and recruiting local contractors - ensuring effective stakeholder engagement for ownership and ongoing support - leading periodic progress reviews and evaluations with implementing partners - supporting the design and implementation of MEAL processes - ensuring effective and trustful donor relations - providing quarterly and annual narrative and financial reports.
Consultant on Democracy, Human Rights, International Migration and Arts Education - supports capacity building and leverages partnerships in education and culture - helps design, implement and evaluate policies and programs to strengthen civil society and institutions - builds and leverages networks to allow exchange of best practices and develop new approaches on challenging issues - works with vulnerable communities as an arts teacher (for Art with a Heart, Baltimore).
Project consultancy on capacity-building for women and youth against violent extremism.
Project consultancy on capacity-building for women and youth against violent extremism.
Helped design projects and built public-private partnerships in education, science and culture, especially for the Alliance for Education, Science and Culture and its related Business Network with domestic and international partners.
Mitwirkung an Machbarkeitsstudie zu einer Berufsschule in Bodh Gaya / Bihar (Indien) mit Blick auf Reformprozesse im indischen Bildungswesen, Curricula-Entwicklung und besondere Bildungsgänge für Mädchen.