JOB DESCRIPTION
Position: PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
Department: EastWest Institute Centre for Border Co-operation
Location: Skopje, fYR Macedonia
Reporting to: Programme Director (as supervisor),
and Project Manager, Prespa/Ohrid RTFC (for P/O-specific tasks)
Start Date: 1 March 2006 (or as soon as possible thereafter)
Application Deadline: 17 February 2006
Background
The EastWest Institute is an American and European NGO, sometimes described as a 'think-and-do tank' because of its commitment to high-level advocacy and policy work based on practical work at local level in the communities whose development it seeks to help advance. It has centres in New York, Brussels, Prague and Moscow, as well as offices and projects in other countries in central and eastern Europe
(including the Balkan states) and the former Soviet Union.
Since 2001 the EastWest Institute has been supporting border communities in three regions of south-east Europe in building trust and systematizing co-operation across frontiers. Three projects are currently underway: in the Prespa/Ohrid region, including areas of Macedonia, Greece and Albania; in the region of
Gjilan/Gnjilane-Presevo-Kumanovo-Trgoviste (GPKT) involving these four municipalities in southern Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia; and in triangle formed by Dubrovnik (Croatia), Trebinje (Bosnia-Hercegovina) and the Boka Kotorska region of Montenegro. All three projects form a single programme of EastWest Institute's Centre for Border Co-operation (CBC). CBC's south-east Europe activities are managed
from a newly established office in Skopje, where the Programme Co-ordinator will be a key member of the team.
The Programme Co-ordinator will have involvement with all three projects as well as any new projects that may be added to the Skopje office's portfolio over time, but he/she will have particularly close involvement with the Prespa-Ohrid project, which is now entering its fourth year and where there are established structures for
co-operation between local and regional governments, universities, businesses and civil society that are integrated under the umbrella of the Prespa/Ohrid Euroregion.
Basic Job Purpose and Function:
The Programme Co-ordinator's (PC) role will involve policy and co-ordination work for the programme as a whole, as well as field-based duties specific to the Prespa-Ohrid project.
The PC will assist the Programme Director for South-East Europe in the co-ordination of the three existing projects' activities, including monthly internal reporting and reporting to donors, as well as in the elaboration of new project proposals for CBC in south-east Europe. He/she will also provide specific support to particular projects as necessary.
In relation to the Prespa-Ohrid Regional Trans-frontier Co-operation (RTFC) project, on which the PC will spend up to 40 per cent of his/her working time, the principal focus of duties will lie in the field of business development and tourism, helping to bring the nascent Euroregion bodies and working groups involved in these sectors
to a level of independence and sustainability.
Responsibilities:
Overall Programme
 Develop project proposals in the framework of available funding sources targeted at cross border development in the region in close co-operation with Programme Director and Project Managers;
o Entertain regular communication with Project offices in Thessaloniki and Ohrid (P/O), Gjilan/Gnjilane and Vranje (GPKT) and Dubrovnik (Southern Adriatic);
o Closely co-operate with the GPKT Municipal and Economic Development Coordinator on economic development and local training;
o Travel across the region to uphold regular communication with stakeholders and ensure the smooth implementation of project activity;
o Provide input when necessary into the drafting of Working Group and Conference background briefs, agendas and reports in consultation with senior CBC staff;
o Assist the Programme Director with the co-ordination of programme reporting;
o Attend meetings on behalf of EWI in SEE, and occasionally make
presentations on project activities, as required;
o Assist the PD with travel and logistics of the programme, especially in relation to the Skopje office.
Prespa/Ohrid
o Coordinate research on the scope for cross border economic development undertaken by local and foreign experts under guidance of the project manager;
o Liaise with project partners and the business community in the region as well as relevant authorities on the local, regional and national level;
o Organize training seminars and conferences on cross border business and tourism development based on research findings;
o Keep abreast of latest development in EU Funding programmes namely
INTERREG/CARDS and later the New Neighbourhood Instrument as well as other funding sources;
o Cooperate closely with various project volunteers reporting to the Ohrid Project Coordinator.
General
o Ensure confidentiality of information related to the project;
o Responsibilities can include other activities not mentioned above that are related to the effective operation and implementation of the programme.
Requirements:
Essential
o Experience in project development, including proposal drafting/writing
o Reliable and credible with excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and
o Good knowledge of regional environment (culture, history, legal system, governmental structures, constitutional framework, etc.);
o Sensitivity to local perceptions of national identity on all sides of the borders and diplomatic skills in managing possible disagreements;
o Fluency in both English and Serbo-Croat (oral and written) as well as Macedonian essential, knowledge of Albanian and/or Greek a distinct asset;
o Minimum Bachelor's degree in International Relations, Economics or related subject;
o Very good written and oral communication skills as well as presentation skills;
o Good knowledge of PC applications (Windows, Ms Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database) and work with the Internet;
o Good team player; active approach and positive attitude towards work;
o Able to work under pressure of tight deadlines and difficult environment
o Familiarity with the Prespa/Ohrid region a distinct advantage.
o Flexibility to work longer hours and on weekends occasionally
o Ability to travel for several days at a time essential.
Desirable
o Ability to conceptualize regional economic development as sectoral
development strategies and projects
o Experience in business/economic development as applied to cross border co-operation
The deadline for receiving applications is 17 February 2006. Please submit a short cover letter and a your CV (including references) by email to Robert Garnett Busse (rgarnett@ewi.info) and Pavel Prochazka (pprochazka@ewi.info) quoting 'SKP N'
The EastWest Institute reserves the right to change this description at any time.
The EWI hires staff without regard to race, colour, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or disability. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.
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