ENGIM ALBANIA

Vacancy – Project coordinator SkillALB

ENGIM ETS is seeking a Project Coordinator to join its operations in Albania as part of the SkillALB initiative, launched in September 2025. The position entails operational coordination, monitoring, and consolidation of activities carried out in the regions of Tirana, Berat, Fier, Korça, Shkodra, and Lezha.

ENGIM (www.engim.org) is an Italian NGO operating in 16 countries worldwide, implementing international cooperation projects. In Italy, ENGIM is accredited for compulsory education and training, continuing training, higher education, career guidance, and employment services, through 30 educational centers attended by more than 8,000 students across Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Lazio.

ENGIM has been active in Albania since 1995, promoting initiatives for the development of vocational education and training, support to youth entrepreneurship, and the socio-economic inclusion of the most vulnerable groups.

THE SKILLALB PROJECT

The project promotes Albania’s sustainable economic growth through the strengthening of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, the development of career guidance services, and the incubation of innovative youth enterprises.

Main areas of intervention:

  • Innovation in the VET system: digitalisation, equipment, teacher training, skills competitions.
  • Career guidance and school-to-work transition: career guidance services, internship grants, and self-employment grants.
  • Support for youth entrepreneurship: training, incubation, networking with Italian and European stakeholders.

The project reaches approximately 4,800 young people aged 13 to 35, including students from vulnerable groups (Roma minority, persons with disabilities, return migrants, and residents of remote mountainous areas).

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Project management and strategic planning

  • Coordinate and supervise the overall implementation of the project, ensuring compliance with the work plan, milestones, and expected results.
  • Develop and update planning documents, defining priorities, indicators, and operational scenarios.
  • Ensure efficient and sustainable management of human, technical, and financial resources.
  • Set up internal coordination systems, organise regular technical meetings, and disseminate shared management tools.
  • Monitor impact indicators and ensure alignment with donor objectives and local development strategies.

2. Coordination of local staff and partnership relations

  • Manage and supervise the local team, fostering a collaborative, learning-oriented, and results-driven work environment.
  • Coordinate interactions between Italian offices (trainers, desk officers, administration) and field staff.
  • Develop and maintain strategic relationships with institutional partners, private companies, business associations, and VET organisations.
  • Strengthen partnership processes by defining roles, responsibilities, information flows, and shared operational procedures.
  • Maintain structured institutional dialogue with the National Agency for Employment and Training (AKPA) and other government bodies.
  • Manage and enhance the involvement of SCU volunteers, Civil Peace Corps, or Humaid operators, integrating them into project operations and management.

3. Monitoring, evaluation, and methodological quality

  • Supervise the entire MEAL system, including data collection tools, baseline, follow-up, and impact evaluations.
  • Ensure the preparation of narrative and financial reports for AICS, local partners, and other stakeholders.
  • Identify technical, operational, or relational issues and propose data-driven corrective strategies.

4. Financial and administrative management

  • Oversee the project budget in close collaboration with the administrative office, ensuring compliance with PRAG rules.
  • Supervise procurement procedures, ensuring transparency, competitiveness, and traceability.
  • Verify the project’s compliance with local and international regulations, ensuring adherence to accountability, anti-money-laundering, and anti-corruption standards.
  • Manage contracts with suppliers, consultants, and partners.

5. Communication, visibility, and networking

  • Coordinate the project’s institutional and public communication activities.
  • Ensure dissemination of results through appropriate tools and channels.
  • Promote the project within national and international networks, supporting participation in thematic working groups, dialogue platforms, and inter-organizational clusters.

6. Sustainability, scalability, and strategic development

  • Identify synergies with other international cooperation initiatives, public programmes, and private investments.
  • Develop proposals for continuity and scalability, including replicable models.
  • Explore new funding opportunities, particularly EU programmes such as Erasmus+, DG NEAR, DG Employment, and contribute to drafting new project proposals.
  • Integrate risk analysis tools, participatory planning, and adaptive management into project processes.

REQUIREMENTS

Experience

  • Minimum of 3 years of experience in the technical and operational management of international cooperation projects.
  • Preferable experience in:
    • vocational education and training (VET),
    • career guidance and school-to-work transition,
    • youth entrepreneurship and startups.

Language skills

  • Excellent command of English (C1) — mandatory.
  • Knowledge of Albanian at B1 level or strong motivation to learn it rapidly.

Technical skills

  • Excellent command of project management methodologies (planning, logframe, budgeting, MEAL).
  • Ability to coordinate multi-stakeholder processes (public institutions, schools, private sector, CSOs).
  • Skills in managing training activities, VET digitalisation processes, business incubation, or career guidance.
  • Experience in labour market needs assessment.

Soft skills

  • Excellent relational, negotiation, and institutional partnership-building skills.
  • Operational autonomy and proactiveness.
  • Ability to manage stress and work in dynamic contexts.
  • Strong communication skills, including institutional communication.

Previous experience in Albania or the Balkans, as well as availability for an initial training period in Italy at ENGIM’s Rome headquarters, will be considered an asset.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application by 7 January 2026 to hr@engim.org, indicating Project Coordinator Albania in the email subject line, and attaching:

  • Updated CV with signed consent for the processing of personal data;
  • Cover letter and motivation statement;
  • Contact details of at least 3 referees (email and phone), preferably with reference letters attached.

Applications not meeting the required qualifications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.