Position Title: Project Manager

Category: Permanent position

Location: Tirana, Albania

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

Background: Partners Albania is an independent Albanian organization 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.

Since 2013, Partners Albania conducts the “Monitoring Matrix on Enabling Environmental for Civil Society Development”, an annual monitoring and advocacy instrument that introduces the key essential principles and standards for a supportive and enabling legal environment for the functioning of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country.

In the frame of its efforts to protect and advance the enabling environment for CSOs in the country, in the last years, following the developments in the legal and regulatory framework affecting the sector, Partners Albania is working on the prevention of over regulations from the state to the Non-Profit Organisations (NPO) in the name of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF). The initiative includes monitoring of the legal framework, information, awareness-raising and education, capacity building for NPOs, and facilitation of multi-stakeholder risk-assessment processes.

Responsibilities (General)

Partners Albania is seeking a Project Manager who will perform his/her roles and responsibilities under the Enabling Environment and Sustainable Development of Civil Society (EESDCS) programmatic area. The Project Manager, as a member of the EESDCS team, will be responsible for the preparation and management of projects and initiatives that will contribute to further development and expansion of this programmatic area, with a special focus on the legal framework for NPOs.

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 of national and international experts involved with this programmatic area.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor the legal framework regulating the NPO sector in the country, conduct legal research, prepare relevant legal analysis to identify the impact of legal changes in the sector, and provide recommendations for legal improvements.
• Prepare written inputs that lead to the evidence-based advocacy efforts of the organization on the EESDCS programmatic area, such as policy papers, briefings, monitoring reports, legal opinions, etc.
• Provide legal assistance to NPOs on organizational development issues such as, but not limited to NPOs obligations to register and report according to the legal framework regulating the operation of NPOs, including reporting to the state for tax and anti-money laundry purposes.
• Provide training and individual coaching in the above-mentioned legal-related issues.
• Contribute as part of the team in sustaining and expanding the Enabling Environment and Sustainable Development of Civil Society (EESDCS) programmatic area.
• Perform other work-related duties as required.

Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law is required.
• Previous professional legal experience with issues relevant to NPOs operation and reporting.
• At least 3 years of previous working experience in project management in NPOs is preferable.
• Very good understanding of the national legal framework and institutional structure and authorities responsible for the supervision, monitoring, and investigation of NPOs.
• 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:  1 March 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 Project Manager” to ktavani@partnersalbania.org, not later than 30^th January 2022.

Partners Albania will contact only those applicants who will be invited for an interview. Before applying, we encourage applicants to consult Partners Albania’s 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.