Program Associate, Southeastern Europe

Company Overview

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) strengthens democracy around the world through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. CIPE is one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy and is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Since 1983, CIPE has worked with business leaders, policymakers, and civil society to build the institutions vital to a democratic society. CIPE’s key program areas include Enterprise Ecosystems, Democratic Governance, Business Advocacy, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Anti-Corruption & Ethics, and Trade.

Position: Program Associate, Southeastern Europe

Reports to: Program Manager, Southeastern Europe

Scope: CIPE is seeking a full-time position based in Skopje. The Program Associate will provide essential support to the Program Manager for Southeastern Europe (SEE) to ensure smooth project management, logistics, and administrative operations. The position requires strong analytical skills, proficiency in administrative tasks within CIPE’s internal systems, and the ability to coordinate effectively with various stakeholders. The Program Associate will work closely with regional and field office staff to achieve programmatic goals while maintaining high standards of documentation, compliance, and reporting.

Responsibilities:

• Project Coordination:
  • Assist the Program Manager in coordinating and managing program deliverables and activities across Southeastern Europe.
  • Collaborate with the Program Manager and other regional staff to support projects and partners in achieving high-quality deliverables.
• Data Collection and Documentation:
  • Support data collection, documentation practices, and the preparation of internal reports.
  • Ensure timely and accurate submission of financial and narrative reports by active project partners.
• Monitoring and Compliance:
  • Monitor the performance of grantees, contractors, and consultants, ensuring full compliance with CIPE’s procurement policies, financial reporting requirements, and evaluation plans.
  • Assist in quality control processes for all project-related deliverables.
• Administrative Support:
  • Manage logistics for SEE-related meetings, both domestic and international, including drafting agendas, facilitating discussions, and tracking action items.
  • Operate and maintain CIPE’s internal systems for financial, administrative, and operational purposes.
• Event Coordination:
  • Assist in organizing CIPE regional events, including logistics for events in southeast Europe.
  • Coordinate communications and ensure all aspects of events run smoothly in collaboration with the Program Manager.
• Interdepartmental Collaboration:
  • Work closely with multiple CIPE departments, such as Centers of Excellence, Field Offices/In-Country offices, Communications, Grants and Finance, and other regional teams to support programmatic goals.
• Contract Management:
  • Oversee contract fulfillment under the supervision of the Program Manager, maintaining regular communication with contractors, reviewing reports, vetting final products, and ensuring submission of final paperwork.
• Documentation and Reporting:
  • Draft, review, and edit reports, proposals, and other documents for submission to donor agencies and other stakeholders as directed by the Program Manager.
• Additional Duties:
  • Perform other relevant tasks and assignments as required by the Program Manager or CIPE leadership.

• Bachelor’s degree in international relations, Political Science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience in project management, analytics, and logistics, ideally in a nonprofit or international organization setting.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other relevant software.
• Excellent knowledge in English and Macedonian is required.
• Working knowledge in Serbian and Albanian language will be an asset.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work in a multicultural environment.

CIPE is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sexual orientation, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity or expression, and marital status or any other legally protected class or characteristic covered by applicable law. CIPE is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals and bases all employment decisions on qualifications, merit, and business need. CIPE believes diversity and inclusion across our organization is critical to our programs, mission, and success as a globally operating business. We strive to recruit, develop, and retain talent from a diverse candidate pool.