Position Title:  Entrepreneurship and Innovation Project Manager

Category: Permanent position

Location: Tirana, Albania

Organization: Partners Albania for Change and Development (Partners Albania)

Background: Partners Albania is an independent Albanian NGO established in 2001, working to support civil society and facilitate inter-sector cooperation in order to strengthen democratic institutions and advance economic development. PA has organized its interventions into four key programmatic areas: 1) Enabling Environment and Sustainable Development of Civil Society; 2) Participatory, Accountable and Transparent Governance; 3) Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation; 4) Philanthropic Activity and Supporting Infrastructure.

One of the four programmatic areas of Partners Albania is “Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation”. The main objective of this programmatic area is to support the ecosystem of entrepreneurship and social innovation through 1) evidenced-based advocacy 2) integrated services as part of the DUA PARTNER INVEST platform 3) networking and institutional dialogue at the European level 4) promotion of self-employment through vocational education programs and support to enter the labor market for women and youth.

DUA PARTNERS INVEST is the latest initiative of Partners Albania in support of entrepreneurship and social innovation, launched in early 2021. DUA PARTNERS INVEST brings together start-ups from Western Balkans, looking for funding opportunities, with investors (companies, VC funds, donors, impact investment) in search of competitive business ideas, and consultants with expertise in start-up management and market issues.

Responsibilities (General)

Partners Albania is seeking a Project Manager, who will perform his/her roles and responsibilities under the Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation (ESI) programmatic area, with a focus on the DUA PARTNER INVEST platform.

The Project Manager, as a member of the ESI team, will be responsible for the management of the main functions and services of the DUA PARTNER INVEST platform. She/he, as a team member of ESI, will contribute to the further development and expansion of this programmatic area.

The Project Manager should carry out the responsibilities and duties described as below independently, with minimum supervision, but also in the context of a professional team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop research methodology and conduct research on issues related to the Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Programmatic area;
• Contribute to the expansion of the network of entrepreneurs, investors, and consultants in the Western Balkan region as part of the DUA PARTNER INVEST platform;
• Identify the demand for services in support of the start-up’s development and facilitate their delivery in collaboration with the network of external consultants;
• Design and manage online activities including but not limited to open lectures, workshops, presentations with the participation of experts, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors as part of DUA PARTNER INVEST;
• Ensure high promotion and outreach of the DUA PARTNER INVEST platform in the country, Western Balkan region, and at the European level using different marketing and communication channels;
• Nurture collaboration and exchange with Partners Albania’s institutional partners, European networks, academic and research institutions;
• Contribute as part of the team in sustaining and expanding the Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Programmatic area.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Economics or Social Sciences.
• At least 5 years of working experience in supporting start-ups ecosystem (i.e., consultancy services, research in the field, advocacy, financial schemes for start-ups, etc.). Regional working experience in Western Balkans is preferable.
• Experience in professional use and/or management of online collaborative platforms.
• Strong business pitching skills.
• Strong communication and networking skills.
• Good organizational and analytical skills including attention to detail and multi-tasking skills.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent command of spoken and written Albanian and English.

Salary:  Commensurate with experience

Expected Start Date: 5 January 2022

Application procedure:

Interested candidates are requested to apply by submitting: 1) a cover letter indicating your interest and motivation, 2) a relevant CV (EU format) and copies of documents supporting your academic and/or professional experience, 3) a short essay about your experience and how it relates to the position (up to 500 words), 4) Three letters of reference. Please, feel free to include any other documents that you think are relevant.

Only candidates that submit all the above-mentioned documents will be considered for review.

Please send your full application package with the heading “Application for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Project Manager” to ktavani@partnersalbania.org, no later than December 15^th, 2021.

Partners Albania will contact only those applicants who will be invited for an interview. Before applying, we encourage applicants to consult Partners Albania webpage in order to familiarize themselves with our work.

Partners Albania embraces diversity in its hiring, welcoming individuals of all religions, ethnicity, gender, and orientation to apply.