Job vacancy announcement 

Research Officer 

Date posted: 13 November 2024 

The Balkan Forum is seeking for a skilled, energetic and committed professional to join our team. The Research Officer will conduct a range of research which supports the Balkan Forum’s policy/advocacy work in the Western Balkans. 

Deadline for applications: 6 December 2024 

Expected start date: 10 January 2025 

Contract: 12 months, part-time (20 hours/week), with a possibility of extension and working full-time

Salary range: Competitive NGO salary 

Location of the post: Prishtina, with limited travel in the Western Balkans region

Reporting: Research Officer will report to the Executive Director 

About the Balkan Forum 

The Balkan Forum (The BF) is a regional, multisector platform designed to advance cross-border dialogue and create a shared regional vision and agenda for cooperative action in the Balkan region based on economic integration, prosperity, and sustainable peace. We highlight good practices of regional cooperation to policy discussions and promote existing efforts to connect grassroots initiatives, knowledge, and successes to the decision-making levels that are responsible for policymaking and regional and/or EU integration. 

We adopt a positive approach as the guiding principle for our activities; rather than re-emphasizing the problems that have divided the Balkan populations for many years now, we focus heavily on the positive elements that unite them, including celebrating the diversity and highlighting shared aspirations and values of our societies. 

Geographic focus: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia. 

Thematic areas: the following broad thematic areas that have been identified as having a special dynamic in the Balkan region; thus, presenting great opportunities for cooperation and joint development, form the framework of The Balkan Forum’s initiative: Education, Energy, Tourism, Human Capital and Labor Market. 

Partnership and collaboration: we interact on regular basis with civil society actors in the Balkan region including youth, media and journalists, experts, academia, public officials, donors, international organizations, business actors, and diaspora. Together with these actors, we are identifying opportunities for collaborative action, connecting diverse initiatives and stakeholders to maximize impact, fostering experimentation and innovation, and amplifying progressive voices.

Responsibilities: 

• Design and coordinate/conduct policy-relevant research on the focus areas of the Balkan Forum; 
•  Collaborate with Communication Officer and other team members to develop and implement advocacy and outreach materials to promote research results; 
•  Produce high quality and varied research outputs for a range of audiences including analysis, report writing and presentations where necessary; 
•  Ensure our work is participatory, including working with peer researchers and valuing the importance of communicating with different audiences; 
•  Develop and maintain relations with key stakeholders and interlocutors in order to build networks through which to learn and to share advocacy messages; 
• Maintain relations with donors and work with team members to raise funds for research; Contribute to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, communications and knowledge management, and participate in organisation-wide events and discussions on related topics/projects. 

Person specification:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social sciences or related field or a combination of relevant educational background and experience; 
•  Experience of empirical research, data analysis and in writing evidence-based reports and advocacy materials with practical recommendations; 
• Previous experience with an NGO or a good understanding of how NGOs operate; Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills; 
• Good time management and organizational skills; 
• Fluent in English, including excellence in written English; 
• Able to work flexibly in a friendly and dynamic team; 
• A commitment to learn and be open for new ideas and approaches; 
• Willingness to travel in the region. 

Application process 

To apply, please send your CV (max 2 pages), and covering letter (max 1 page) in English stating your motivation with the subject line Application for RO position: [email protected] 

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

For further information about The Balkan Forum please visit https://thebalkanforum.org