Project Designer – Western Balkans

Where and when: ALDA office in Skopje or in Belgrade, starting from April 2025.

ALDA – The European Association for Local Democracy is dedicated to the promotion of good governance and citizen participation at the local level. ALDA in particular focuses on activities that facilitate cooperation between local authorities and civil society. It was established at the initiative of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to coordinate and support the network of Local Democracy Agencies. ALDA developed into one of the strongest stakeholders in the field of cooperation between local authorities and civil society engaged in the promotion of local democracy and active citizenship. For more information, please see our website: www.alda-europe.eu

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Terms of reference

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ALDA, following the growth of the organisation, is searching for 1 Project Designer – focus Western Balkans – for its Fundraising and Project Design Department.

They will work under the supervision of the Director of Programs and of the Head of Development, by undertaking the main following duties and responsibilities:

• Project design: analysis of suitable funds (including calls for proposals and calls for tenders), project preparation, encompassing funds research and analysis, proposal writing, partners search, budget design and gathering of admin documents related to the proposal, preparation of the application package, submission procedures;
• Fundraising: research for grant and tenders opportunities, periodical checks of call for proposals and tenders for the Western Balkan region and Europe as well;
• Support/Technical assistance to members and partners for the development of European and international projects: analysis of the needs, identification of the funding sources, project development, consultancies, etc.
• Administrative and office tasks: activities related to the preparation and the submission of European and international projects.

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Candidate qualifications

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Applicants should meet the following requirements:

• University degree
• Languages: excellent verbal and written skills in English and a language from the Western Balkans countries 
• Previous professional experience in project design (at least 2 years)
• Knowledge of the European funding (especially IPA programme as well other EU programs) and other international donor strategies in the Western Balkans
• Previous experiences in the civil society sector 
• Strong research and analysis capacities
• Excellent writing skills
• Knowledge of relevant EU funds such as CERV, ERASMUS+, NDICI, HORIZON is a strong asset
• Soft skills, relevant for the position, will also be assessed:
  • Ability to work in a team as well as individually
  • Good interpersonal and communication skills
• High motivation and strong interest for international cooperation
• Specific skills in one or more of the following areas related to the thematic hubs of ALDA are welcomed: 1) digital and innovation; 2) civic engagement; 3) youth; 4) human rights and gender; 5) migration; 6) environment and climate; 7) territorial and local development.

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Terms of contract

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The contract will be issued for a period of 12 months and can be renewed subject to availability of resources and satisfactory performance evaluation at the completion of the first contracted period.

The contract will preferably start in April 2025 

Duration: initial contract of 12 months

Location: preferably in Skopje (North Macedonia) or in Belgrade.

Starting salary: Salary will be based on the experience and qualifications of the candidate. The proposed salary will follow ALDA’s staff regulation, depending on the experience and seniority in similar positions in Skopje. 

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Application procedure

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Please ensure that your Letter of Intent clearly states your interest in the position and highlights your relevant qualifications and experience. Additionally, include details about your proposed starting salary.

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Applications must be received before March 4, 2025.

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Interviews will take place the following days and might be followed by a written test.  

Please note that due to the expected high number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Thank you for your understanding!