We are looking for a Project Manager for our country office in Kosovo starting from 15 November 2024.

Who we are

Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e.V. (forumZFD - Forum Civil Peace Service) supports people involved in violent conflicts on the path to peace and strives to help overcome war and violence.

forumZFD is currently working with peace consultants in Germany, as well as eleven other countries in Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia. Its Academy for Conflict Transformation offers a learning space for professional, international peace work. Through dialogue events, educational work and campaigns, forumZFD actively advocates civil peace policy.

forumZFD is recognized by the German federal government as a member of the Civil Peace Service (CPS) consortium. It finances its work through public and private grants, donations and membership fees.

Your tasks and responsibilities

forumZFD is seeking a full-time Project Manager for its country office in Kosovo, who would also be working in close cooperation with colleagues in all forumZFD offices in the region (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia). The overriding thematic area of the programme in the Western Balkans and in Kosovo is Dealing with the Past (DwP), whereas the focus of the work in this particular position will be within the Regional Project on Youth and Peace Educational Actors.

As Project Manager you will use your expertise in work with Youth and Educational Actors, as well as a keen knowledge of regional and national contexts in the Western Balkans, to encourage constructive public discourse on topics of the past within Kosovo and throughout the region.

As Project Manager you will contribute to the Western Balkans Program of forumZFD as part of the country office team in Kosovo and forumZFD’s regional structure, particularly within the Regional Project on Youth and Educational Actors. Responsibilities will include ensuring the implementation and financial stability of the projects and activities related to this position and the topics of Dealing with the Past (DwP), Peace Education (PE), Youth Activism, Transitional Justice, Memorialization, and Peacebuilding.

Additional tasks of this position include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:

• Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with relevant actors working on issues related to the above-mentioned topics. These actors include civil society organizations, representatives of government authorities, academics, researchers, educational professionals, etc.,
• Actively participate in the Regional Project on Youth and Educational Actors by working together with partners and the wider team to design and further develop the overall project and implement activities relevant for reaching the project goals,
• Manage project-related activities in Kosovo and the region in line with forumZFD's regional strategy, including organizing and/or conducting trainings, workshops, and conferences and creating project-related products such as exhibitions, research, publications, and video/audio materials.
• Collaborate and support colleagues in Kosovo and other country offices, particularly on activities contributing to encouraging constructive public discourse on topics of Dealing with the Past within Kosovo and throughout the region,
• Manage activities and projects to meet financial requirements and fulfil internal standards and procedures for project planning, monitoring, and evaluation,
• Actively participate in fundraising efforts with partners towards local, regional and international donors,
• Based in Prishtina, the position entails frequent travel within Kosovo and the region,
• Report to Kosovo Country Director.

Your profile

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, conflict transformation, peacebuilding, international development or other relevant fields,
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in relevant fields - preferably, but not limited to Dealing with the Past (DwP), Peace Education, Youth Activism, Transitional Justice, Memorialization, and Peacebuilding,
• Further qualification in the civil peace service or comparable knowledge of methods for civil and non-violent conflict management,
• Thorough knowledge of the political and social environment with a deep understanding of the challenges regarding the implementation of the programmes in the field of Dealing with the Past in Kosovo and the Western Balkans,
• Minimum 3 years’ proven professional project management experience, including initiation and implementation of projects in cooperation with activists, networks, movements and/or NGOs,
• Experience in third-party fundraising with partners is an asset,
• Distinct experience and ability to work effectively in teams with diverse backgrounds, including experience working in virtual team settings,
• High level of social competence, flexibility, and intercultural sensitivity,
• Excellent written and spoken command of English, good knowledge of one or more official languages spoken in Kosovo is an asset,
• Solid IT skills (office applications and social media),
• Driving licence and driving experience.

Our offer

As a project manager working for forumZFD, you will have the opportunity to contribute your ideas and skills within the innovative field of conflict transformation and peacebuilding.

We offer an attractive position with responsibilities for a minimum of two years in a growing organization. We also offer participation in qualification and professional development courses (among others, at forumZFD’s Academy for Conflict Transformation), a project-based preparation, regular coaching and, where appropriate, participation in a language course. As the position is based on the German Development Aid Workers Act (EhfG), it is restricted to those who are citizens of countries outside of forumZFD’s four programme countries in the Western Balkans. The position is remunerated according to the provisions of this law, including comprehensive social security benefits and financial reintegration assistance upon return.

Start of assignment

Ideally, you are available to start working on November 15, 2024 (preparation courses, followed by at least two years’ work within the project with the option of extension).

Your application

Please apply online at www.forumzfd.de/en/node/2979/apply (letter of motivation and CV) latest by 29th September 2024.

Interviews are tentatively planned to begin on October 17th in Cologne (Germany). If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Jennifer Hagemann at hagemann@forumzfd.de.

Please find further information about our organization and our assignments online at www.forumZFD.de.

Our work in the Western Balkans is described in more detail at www.forumzfd.de/en/western-balkans.

You will also find more information about our and our partners’ work in the area of Dealing with the Past in the Western Balkans at www.dwp-balkan.org

This job advertisement as well as further employment postings can be viewed at www.forumzfd.de/en/jobs   

We are looking forward to your application!