Disinformation continues to spread throughout both traditional media and digital media. As part of our work, Sayara International shows how crucial it is to engage journalists and influencers in efforts to counter disinformation. In 2020 and 2021, Sayara led a program that aimed to counter malign...
Areas of expertise: Administration, Logistics, Personnel Management
Based in Nairobi, Tabitha Waswa joined Sayara International in October 2022 as our Administrative and Travel Assistant. As part of the Administrative and Operations team, she works with teams across the organization to support staff with various tasks including travel, logistics, contract drafting, and contract modifications – among other responsibilities.
Tabitha has a breadth of experience in administration, client relations, logistics, and personnel management. Before joining Sayara, Tabitha worked for over five years at oilfield services company Geolog International in their Kenya branch. There, she was instrumental in setting up the Nairobi office. She provided operational, administrative, personnel, and logistics support to the technical teams based in Nairobi and Turkana, and the regional team across projects in Tanzania and Ethiopia.
Tabitha is currently pursuing a B.A. in Communications at Daystar University (Nairobi, Kenya).
Education: Diploma in Communications and Public Relations, Moi University (Nairobi, Kenya)
Languages: Tabitha speaks English and Swahili.
Areas of expertise: Human Resources, Accounting, Operations, Events Management
Yasmin Abdelmagid is Sayara’s HR and Office Manager. Yasmin joined Sayara’s team in Sudan in January 2023 and is responsible for overseeing all areas of human resources management for the Khartoum office. She ensures that recruitment processes in Sudan comply with legal and industry standards.
Yasmin is responsible for the continuous training, career development, and performance evaluation of staff in Sudan. She also provides oversight of day-to-day office operations and liaises with finance staff for payroll purposes. She handles all sensitive data with uncompromised integrity and confidentiality. With additional training in accounting, she is able to fulfill and support budgeting and purchasing functions.
Before joining Sayara, Yasmin gained extensive experience in administration and operations management through various roles as Executive Assistant and Administration Manager in educational and private corporation settings.
Yasmin has also volunteered as an event organizer as part of initiatives such as TEDx Khartoum when it was first introduced in Sudan in 2011. She also organized a launch event for Dal Foods on the merging of their various food production lines.
Education: B.Sc. Business Administration, Canadian Sudanese College (Khartoum, Sudan)
Languages: Yasmin speaks Arabic and English.
Areas of expertise: Countering Disinformation, Social Media Analysis, Governance & Transparency, Youth & Civic Engagement
As Country Lead for Ukraine, Yurii Bondarchuk coordinates Sayara’s ongoing program operations in Ukraine and supports cross-cutting activities on media monitoring and narrative analyses. Yurii originally joined the Eastern Europe team in April 2022 as a Social Media Analyst, in which role he developed insights on disinformation methods and tactics to help Sayara’s global clients respond to contemporary challenges.
Before joining Sayara, Yurii worked as an Analytics and Research Consultant at the USAID Support to Anti-Corruption Champion Institutions in Ukraine Program (SACCI), implemented by Management Systems International (MSI). In this capacity, he kept a record of legislative and political developments on the anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, delivering research and analysis to inform MSI’s programming in Ukraine.
Yurii’s portfolio at MSI also included small project management responsibilities. In particular, as Youth Program Development Consultant, Yurii co-organized multiple youth events, facilitated partnerships with youth organizations, oversaw the development of youth engagement guides, and organized two iterations of a flagship USAID SACCI Integrity Leadership School.
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Languages: Yurii is fluent in Ukrainian and English and has studied Chinese.
Areas of expertise: Copy Editing, Accessible Communications, Political Discourse Analysis
Dani May joined Sayara International in November 2022 as Copy Editor. She is responsible for reviewing client and business development materials – among other copy for external and internal communications – for style, clarity, structure, and readability. As an editor with a background in political science, she draws on her academic and field experience to review documents and ensure they are finalized to the highest standard.
Dani has prior experience across a range of content, including papers, manuscripts, dissertations, and articles submitted to peer-reviewed political science journals. Having worked with both native and non-native English speakers, she is highly adept at helping authors present complex and nuanced information in engaging and accessible ways.
Dani has completed a Ph.D. on the topic of public opinion on state party funding, using surveys to analyze how the framing of political issues affects the views of European citizens on how political parties are financed. This experience has equipped her with skills to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, and an advanced understanding of how (dis)information in political communication influences public attitudes and behavior. As a Ph.D. candidate, Dani also taught two courses at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels: Political Institutions and Money in Politics.
Previously, Dani also worked in refugee advocacy and migration, supporting asylum seekers in Greece and internally displaced persons in Iraq. As Project Manager for grassroots NGOs in these locations, she designed and implemented projects in close collaboration with the local Greek and Kurdish authorities, and built relationships with representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
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Languages: Dani is a native English speaker. She also speaks intermediate Danish, as well as basic Spanish and Farsi.
Areas of expertise: Financial Management and Reporting, Budgeting, Compliance
Samar Mohammed Ali is Sayara’s Senior Finance and Administration Officer. Samar joined Sayara’s team in Sudan in January 2022 and is responsible for overseeing all areas of finance and administration for the Khartoum office. She also provides strategic analyses for our Director in Sudan to determine project and company profitability and provides technical expertise in preparing quarterly financial statements and client financial reports.
Samar ensures that all our regional work processes in Sudan comply with legal and industry standards. She also serves as the focal point for human resources management in the Khartoum office and liaises with external partners on insurance, accounting, and finance matters.
Before joining Sayara, Samar worked in various positions with financial responsibilities in the private sector. Her previous roles include Business Planner and Budgeting Associate at Kenana Sugar Company, Business Development Officer at Kenana Engineering and Technical Services, and Accountant at Rebar Engineering.
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Languages: Samar speaks Arabic and English, as well as basic French.
Areas of expertise: Operations Management, Financial Management, Contracting, Budgeting, Compliance
Mohamed Abdelazim joined Sayara International in July 2020. As Operations Manager, Mohamed leads all operational, financial, procurement, and human resources processes and oversees compliance of procedures in our Khartoum office. He is the focal point for Sayara’s team in Sudan on legal and financial audits. Working closely with project staff, he also provides technical support in proposal drafting, budgeting, and contracting.
Mohamed has a wealth of experience in operations and project management. Before joining Sayara, Mohamed served as CEO of the media production company Vanguard Services and as Operations Manager for Vanguard’s radio station, Vision FM. He also acted as a Project Manager for financial app developer Digitalize Group, among other roles.
Mohamed brings his valuable prior experience of successfully increasing organizational capacity and improving operational workflows to his role as Operations Manager at Sayara.
Education: B.Sc. Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Northumbria University (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
Languages: Mohamed speaks Arabic and English.
Areas of expertise: Research Design and Implementation, Qualitative Research, Sustainability, Inclusion, Global Health and Development
Arwa Babiker is a Research and Program Associate for Sayara International’s Sudan team. She is responsible for maintaining oversight of project lifecycles in Sayara’s programs in Sudan, coordinating the quality control of program design, monitoring, and evaluation, and conducting research.
Arwa has five years of experience working in the field of research, monitoring, and evaluation, with a strong theoretical background in research methods – specifically qualitative study designs and analysis. Before joining Sayara, she worked for the World Health Organization (WHO), evaluating the financial sustainability of global fund programs focusing on HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria and health system strengthening in Sudan.
Arwa previously worked as a researcher for Nayla Prosthetics, contributing to the social and economic inclusion of disabled people in the field of assistive technologies. She also founded a project whilst studying at the University of Khartoum aiming to improve the quality of medical education in Sudan through participatory action research approaches.
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Languages: Arwa speaks Arabic and English.
Areas of expertise: Business Development, Proposal Development Management, Project Management, Resource Mobilization, Fundraising, Grants Management
Marlous van Oorschot directs Sayara International’s business development activities. As a well-connected leader in the field with more than a decade of business development and project management experience, Marlous engages with Sayara’s clients, utilizing her strong interpersonal acumen and understanding of international political contexts.
Marlous has developed winning proposals to enable Sayara to deliver programs in countries affected by conflict and disasters around the world while building sustainable capabilities and impact. These proposals cover a spectrum of technical areas such as refugee return and reintegration, sexual and reproductive health and rights, emergency response, global health, democracy and governance, technical innovation, and international business investments.
Prior to joining Sayara, Marlous served as Business Development Manager for Act for Peace (Australia), where she was responsible for building partnerships and accessing funding for projects throughout Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Marlous has also provided business development, resource mobilization, and institutional fundraising services on a freelance basis to various not-for-profit organizations. She also served as Institutional Fundraising Coordinator for Rutgers and as Grants Consultant for Plus Projects (both in The Netherlands).
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Languages: Marlous is fluent in Dutch and English. She also speaks basic Arabic, German, and French.
Areas of expertise: Research Design and Implementation, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Health, Humanitarian Aid and Development, Resilience
Mohammed Abubaker joined Sayara International in June 2022 as a Program and Research Associate in Sudan. Mohammed is responsible for coordinating projects in Sudan from planning to evaluation stages. He oversees quality control program design, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as conducting research.
Mohammed has been working in the field of research design and implementation for eight years, with extensive experience in monitoring and evaluation. Prior to joining Sayara, Mohammed served as Research Consultant for the International Labour Organization (ILO) working on baseline assessments with a particular focus on WASH projects, alongside studying the consequences of water insecurity and its impacts on health.
Mohammed previously worked for the University of Glasgow as a Research Manager and as Regional Assistant for Africa in the IFMSA (The International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations), designing research projects focusing on neglected tropical diseases. In 2020, Mohammed founded Fill A Heart, a charity that aims to enhance the lives of abandoned and orphaned children in Sudan.
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Languages: Mohammed speaks Arabic and English.
Areas of expertise: Research and Political Analysis, Geopolitics, Baltic Sea – Eastern European Security
Katrīna Marija Sitniece is the Country Assistant for Latvia at Sayara International. Utilizing her research analyst skills, Katrīna supports Sayara’s activities in Latvia. Her work focuses on countering disinformation, political narrative analysis, and target audience analysis.
Katrīna has a strong research background in both academia and government. Before joining Sayara, she completed contracts at Uppsala University (Sweden) and the Latvian Embassy to the Netherlands. In academia, Katrīna’s research has primarily focused on the Arctic and Baltic Sea, Eastern Europe regions, assessing threat perception and regional military interventions, as well as the nexus of identity narratives and geopolitics.
Her research background is supplemented by extensive project support and administrative experience at Rīga Stradiņš University (Latvia) and several NGOs such as the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation (LATO).
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Languages: Katrīna speaks Latvian, fluent English, conversational Russian, and has studied French.
Areas of expertise: Media Monitoring, Social Media Analysis and Listening, Behavior Change Communications, Reputation Evaluation
As Research Analyst at Sayara International, Oksana Malychkovych works within the Eastern Europe team to conduct rapid-response research and communications projects. Oksana joined the team in June 2022 and utilizes her quantitative and qualitative analysis skills to support Sayara’s ongoing activities in Ukraine.
Before joining Sayara, Oksana gained 17 years of experience in communications and Public Relations. Oksana leads as Partner of LBI (Linking Business with Information), a consultancy based in Ukraine. She has extensive experience working with businesses, international organizations, and foreign embassies, providing advice and training on communications and content analysis.
Since 2020, Oksana has taught on the Media Analytics Course for Master’s degree students at the Ukrainian Catholic University’s School of Journalism and Communications (Lviv, Ukraine). Oksana previously served as Chief of the Analytics Department at The Information Agency – Context Media. In this role, she was responsible for the development of media analysis methodologies, and for monitoring political and social topics.
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Languages: Oksana speaks Ukrainian, Russian, English, and Polish; with a degree of proficiency in Czech.
Areas of expertise: Graphic Design, Photography
Madara Šrādere joined Sayara International in June 2022 as a Graphic Designer. Based in Estonia, Madara works within Sayara’s Communications team to support the production of creative communication products across projects for our clients (such as NGOs, governments, and major donors) and the organization’s development activities.
With extensive experience in graphic design and digital marketing, Madara worked as a freelance Graphic Designer prior to joining Sayara. She has also worked in various academic settings, private companies, and NGOs, such as the Old Dominion University (U.S.) and the Latvian Transatlantic Organization.
Madara’s previous roles include the creative design of print and online media such as newspapers and marketing materials, the production of videos using stop-motion photography, and the conceptualization of logos. Her academic background also includes professional training in photography.
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Languages: Madara speaks Latvian, English and Russian; and is studying Estonian.
Areas of expertise: Project Management and Strategy, Monitoring and Evaluation
Medea holds the position of Country Assistant at Sayara International and is based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Working within the Eastern European team since December 2021, Medea provides support to the UK’s FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) Counter Disinformation and Media Development Program, including monitoring and analysis of the media environment.
Before joining Sayara, Medea worked for the British Council as a Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF) Program Coordinator. She managed the operations of 13 Learning Hubs in remote areas and facilitated the delivery and evaluation of the UK government-funded program in Georgia.
Medea is skilled in strategizing and leading cross-functional teams to bring about fundamental change and improvement in strategy, process, effectiveness, and impact. Medea is currently a master’s student in Gender Studies at Tbilisi State University.
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Languages: Medea speaks Georgian, English, and Russian.
Areas of expertise: Media Analysis, Qualitative and Quantitative Research, EU External Relations
Alexandra Yatsyk joined Sayara International as Country Assistant in April 2022. As part of Sayara’s Eastern Europe team, Alexandra implements media monitoring and conducts rigorous qualitative and quantitative sociological research on Estonia and Ukraine.
Prior to joining Sayara, Alexandra served as a researcher in leading European and U.S. think tanks and universities, notably Tartu University (Estonia), Free Russian Foundation (U.S.), The Polish Institute of Advanced Studies (Warsaw, Poland), IRES – Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies in Uppsala University (Sweden), IWM – The Institute for Human Sciences (Vienna, Austria), and The George Washington University (Washington, D.C., U.S.).
Alexandra’s research background examines a range of topics, including the EU’s foreign and domestic policies, sport mega-events, and external influences in Europe and the South Caucasus.
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Languages: Alexandra speaks Russian and English. She has intermediate proficiency in French, Polish, and Ukrainian.
Areas of expertise: Countering Disinformation, Target Audience Analysis, Strategic Communication
As Sayara’s Country Lead for Latvia since March 2020, Martin specializes in monitoring and analyzing foreign disinformation methods and narratives. He supervises Sayara’s research projects on these topics.
Martin has been researching foreign influence in Latvia – as well as disinformation techniques – in various roles and projects since 2015. He has extensive experience consulting on these issues for local and international organizations and governments, including GEC (U.S. Department of State Global Engagement Center), NATO, CEPA (The Center for European Policy Analysis), and think tank GLOBSEC.
Martin has had extensive training in behavioral psychology, target audience analysis, and strategic communication. Martin is a certified media literacy and critical thinking teacher and delivers workshops and interactive lectures on these topics. He also teaches courses on International Security and U.S. Foreign Policy at the University of Latvia and Riga Graduate School of Law.
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Languages: Martins speaks Latvian, English, and Russian.
Areas of expertise: Law, Human Rights, Project Management, Administration
Zuzanna Filipowicz joined Sayara International in August 2020 Zuzanna supports Sayara’s Eastern Europe operations as a Project Coordinator engaged in supporting Sayara’s project delivery in the Eastern European region, working in close collaboration and under the supervision of the Regional Director.
Zuzanna supports all aspects of Sayara’s projects in the Eastern Europe region, from its life cycle to successful delivery, and also supervises the administrative work. Prior to becoming a Project Coordinator, Zuzanna served as an Admin Coordinator for Sayara’s Eastern Europe division.
Before joining Sayara, Zuzanna worked as a lawyer at international law firms and completed several internships, including one at the Office of the Polish Commissioner for Human Rights.
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Languages: Zuzanna speaks Polish, fluent English and French, and is proficient in Italian.
Areas of expertise: Operations Management, Administration, Grants Management, Training, Compliance
Saloni Gandhi joined Sayara International in March 2022. As Director of Administration and Operations, Saloni leads Sayara’s compliance systems and internal operations. Based in Nairobi, she is also responsible for the organization’s essential human resource functions across our international team.
Saloni has a wealth of experience in grants management and administration in both private and public sectors. Before joining Sayara, Saloni served as Senior Grants Manager for The Palladium Group. She also acted as a consultant for the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF for Africa) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Saloni successfully built organizational capacity in these roles by developing staff training and implementing administrative structures.
Saloni’s expertise in administration and operations is grounded in her early career serving as Administrative Specialist for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She is currently completing her studies for an M.B.A. in Business Administration at United States International University (Nairobi, Kenya).
Languages: Saloni speaks English, Kiswahili, Hindi, Gujarati, and conversational German.
Areas of expertise: Communications, Copy Editing, Content Creation
Sherri Wong Hearing joined Sayara International as Communications Officer in May 2022. She works with various teams across the organization on finalizing client materials and proposals. She also supports the Communications team in presenting research and communications outputs via Sayara’s website, social media, and internal channels.
Before joining Sayara, Sherri completed communications and advocacy contracts in Brussels. At the Migration Policy Group (MPG), she effectively maintained and strengthened the organization’s online presence. She co-led digital advocacy campaigns at the European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR), including creating a new podcast as a platform for female human rights activists.
Sherri has experience collaborating with internal and external graphic designers on various projects including a UNHCR handbook on the effective inclusion of refugees and a cultural heritage project, where she was responsible for content creation for websites and exhibitions. She has also delivered client-focused services, working with asylum seekers, refugees, and undocumented migrants.
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Languages: Sherri speaks English and conversational Cantonese and has studied Dutch.
Areas of expertise: Financial and Administrative Operations, Project Management
Keto Turiashvili joined Sayara International in March 2022. As Admin Coordinator, Keto supports Sayara’s Eastern Europe operations, ensuring the smooth delivery of regional and country-level programs, from project implementation through its life cycle.
Keto’s core responsibilities concern the management of project administration including oversight of databases, trackers, risk matrices, and finances. Her role also involves working closely with researchers to support their work and providing regular updates to Sayara’s clients.
Before joining Sayara, Keto worked with the British Council for over four years in various roles, serving most recently as Customer Excellence Quality Coordinator. There, she gained experience in rigorous financial procedures, efficient administrative processes, and effective project management: including coordination and evaluation. Keto also has extensive experience in managing teams and working with internal teams and external partners.
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Languages: Keto speaks Georgian and English.
Areas of expertise: Project Management, Research, International Affairs and Development
Jan Filipowicz joined Sayara International in May 2022 as Project Manager in the Eastern Europe team. Jan is responsible for the management of regional projects in media monitoring, social and behavior change communications, and approaches to countering disinformation. He also provides support in analysis for Sayara’s research programs.
Jan has extensive experience in project management and research in the private sector, public administration, and working with NGOs. Before joining Sayara, Jan worked as a research specialist in an international law firm, CMS.
Jan’s prior experience includes working at Coffey International Development to coordinate international development projects for the UK’s DFID, serving as an analyst and advisor to the secretary of state at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland, and supporting election monitoring and anti-corruption programs in one of the major Polish NGOs, the Stefan Batory Foundation.
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Languages: Jan speaks Polish, English, and has studied German and Russian.
Areas of expertise: Financial Reporting, Budget Design, Budget Preparation
Tasneem Adil is Sayara International’s Finance Officer for our Sudan operations. Based in the Khartoum office, Tasneem joined Sayara in February 2020 and provides technical support in reporting, budget design, and budget preparation. She handles bank transactions and maintains up-to-date book-keeping, in addition to preparing financial records and reports.
Tasneem also assists in management activities, conducting essential monitoring and managing all financial transactions. These activities ensure that Sayara’s transparent and accountable procurement systems emphasize efficiency and waste reduction.
Prior to joining Sayara, Tasneem served as Admin and Finance Officer at Apex Consulting. There, she was responsible for managing the day-to-day personnel, financial, and administrative resources of the organization’s Sudan office.
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Languages: Tasneem speaks Arabic and English.
Areas of expertise: Program Coordination, MERL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning), Data Collection
Ayman is a Program Associate in Sayara International’s Sudan team. Having joined Sayara in January 2020, Ayman assists with the development and implementation of projects, including planning, analysis, and monitoring activities. He provides essential coordination support to assigned projects and maintains project schedules and work plans.
Before joining Sayara, Ayman gained extensive experience working with NGOs in the humanitarian sector. Working at organizations including Rowad and Global Aid Hand, his responsibilities involved coordinating project activities and contributing to research, financial management, and program implementation.
Ayman’s prior experience includes project field coordination, supporting Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) activities, monitoring projects, and conducting assessments and surveys. In addition, he has provided training to data collectors in the fields of education and migration.
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Languages: Ayman speaks Arabic and English.
Areas of expertise: Human Resources, Office Management, Recruitment
Reshma Yagnesh Mandalia is the HR and Office Manager for Sayara International’s Sudan team. Reshma is responsible for providing overall HR support to maximize the productivity and well-being of Sayara’s Khartoum-based employees. Reshma provides clerical and administrative support critical to the operations and activities of the Sudan team.
Before joining Sayara in February 2022, Reshma served for eight years at STEPS International School, an international American curriculum school, as an Academic Supervisor for pupils from pre-school to third grade. There, she successfully upgraded traditional teaching methods to align with international standards. Reshma also has extensive experience in assessment, recruitment, and onboarding processes for new staff.
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Languages: Reshma speaks English, Arabic, Hindi, and Gujrati.
Areas of expertise: Countering Disinformation, Media Monitoring, Data Collection
Urtė Andriukaitytė has served as Sayara International’s Country Assistant for Lithuania since January 2022. Urtė’s responsibilities include research and analysis, focusing on disinformation, political narrative analysis, and media monitoring.
Prior to joining Sayara, Urtė worked in both the private and public sectors, including as a disinformation analyst at Debunk.EU and as a researcher at think tank DROG Group. In these roles, Urtė gained valuable experience primarily in media monitoring, data collection, and designing and applying qualitative and quantitative research methodology, as well as extensive knowledge of counter disinformation methods.
Urtė also has experience in project management and public speaking. She is currently supporting Women Go Tech, a mentoring program in Lithuania that helps women start and accelerate their careers in IT and engineering.
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Languages: Urtė speaks Lithuanian, English, and Russian; and conversational German.
Areas of expertise: Financial Accounting, Financial Risk Management, Budget Management, Reporting
Mariam Kurtanidze joined Sayara International in February 2022 as Finance Officer for the Eastern Europe team. Mariam is responsible for the financial operations of the regional team, including managing budgets in line with funders’ policies and according to project developments. She ensures effective financial management, risk management, policy alignment, and adherence to funder requirements and best practice. Mariam is also responsible for providing financial analysis and reporting for projects.
Before joining Sayara, Mariam worked for the British Council. As part of the global finance team, she delivered services in financial processes such as procurement, accounting, financial planning, and managing financial risks and controls. Working together with corporate, regional, country, and shared services teams, she provided robust and thorough financial controls, guidance, and support.
Mariam also has experience in working with a variety of clients in the private and public sectors, including within the Georgian public services. She is a U.S. exchange program scholarship alumna and has a passion for FinTech.
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Languages: Mariam speaks Georgian, English, and Russian.
Areas of expertise: Administration, Financial Reporting, Procurement Processes
Mazin Esam is the Administrative and Procurement Officer for Sayara International’s Sudan office. He joined Sayara in February 2020 and is responsible for the organization’s direct procurement policies. Mazin’s core duties ensure all equipment and items are purchased and delivered within budget and time constraints, allowing for the smooth functioning of the team’s operations.
Prior to joining Sayara, Mazim worked with Apex Consulting in two capacities, as Administrative and Procurement Officer and Translator. In these roles, he gained experience in managing and streamlining effective processes to support the activities of an organization, working with external suppliers to ensure efficient procurement.
As a Translator, Mazim was responsible for translating tender documents including contracts, schedules, technical specifications, and procurement criteria.
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Languages: Mazin speaks English and Arabic.
Shams is a Program Associate based in Sayara International’s Khartoum office. She provides support to the program technical team, assisting with the development of materials and handling data management among other responsibilities. While at Sayara, Shams has contributed to projects for international donors focusing on strategic communications, transitional justice, disinformation, migration, and other key areas of research in Sudan.
With a keen interest in human rights, Shams has experience in research, communications, project management, and teamwork within international development and research contexts.
Prior to joining Sayara, Shams served as a Communication and Outreach Officer with the Sudan Research and Consultancy Group.
Shams holds a B.A. in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies from the National University in Sudan. She speaks both Arabic and English.
Areas of expertise: Development Strategies, Organizational Management, Project Management, Research and Evaluation, Translation
Maia Nikolaishvili is Sayara International’s Country Lead for Georgia. Maia joined Sayara in March 2022 and is responsible for supervising the Eastern Europe team’s program operations and activities in Georgia.
Prior to joining Sayara, Maia worked as a consultant focused on project development and fundraising for the private sector and civil society organizations. Maia’s diverse professional experience includes management positions in the Georgian non-governmental and higher education sectors, analytical work for foreign organizations, and extensive freelance-based work in research and translation. Her research experience includes working on a UNESCO-funded study of the implementation of the 2005 Paris Convention on Cultural Diversity by Georgia and working with First Call Partners to deliver evaluations and assessments focusing on themes including gender, conflict, and preventing violent extremism.
Previously, Maia served for six years as Executive Director of Europe House, an NGO based in Tbilisi that worked to promote European values in Georgia. There, she developed and managed the organization’s projects, ensuring cooperation with state institutions, diplomatic missions, universities, cultural organizations, civil society actors in women’s rights and LGBT+ rights, and environmental groups.
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Languages: Maia speaks Georgian, English, and Russian, with a degree of proficiency in French.
Areas of expertise: Disinformation, Security, Media Literacy, Digital Media Monitoring, Civic and Digital Resilience
Tomas Kazulėnas joined Sayara International in December 2021 as Country Lead for Lithuania. Based in Vilnius, he manages country-level monitoring and research projects and supports Sayara’s project delivery in the Eastern European region. Tomas manages the production of digital media monitoring reports in the Lithuanian information space, focusing on research into disinformation in the country.
Before joining Sayara, Tomas served as Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Politics (IDP). He has also worked as Advisor to an MP in Lithuania and served as International Visiting Fellow at De Gasperi Foundation in Italy and International Visiting Fellow at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. For almost 10 years, Tomas worked closely with international organizations in Europe, initiating international projects focused on security, human rights, and civil society.
Tomas now specializes in disinformation, media literacy, security, and civic education. In 2018, Tomas co-founded the Civic Resilience Initiative (CRI), providing expertise in training, media monitoring, and research services.
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Languages: Tomas speaks Lithuanian and English. He also has intermediate proficiency in Italian, Russian, and Danish.
Areas of expertise: Change Management, Digital Media Monitoring, Strategic Communication, International Relations, Semiotic Analysis
Olga Bogdanova has served as Sayara International’s Country Lead for Estonia since January 2022. In this capacity, she coordinates country-level program operations and activities, working with local stakeholders, local sub-contractors, and partner organizations. Olga also conducts regular digital media monitoring, analysis, and reporting.
Prior to joining Sayara, Olga implemented her management expertise whilst working in the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies and the Asia Center of the University of Tartu in Estonia. She was responsible for the management of projects, human resources, and processes – as well as networking for marketing, PR, and fundraising purposes.
Olga has been an educational consultant and international projects manager with 15 years of experience in designing and implementing change. She has experience in a variety of organizational environments, specifically within the public sector. Since 2011, she has also delivered six courses in academic settings in her areas of expertise.
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Languages: Olga speaks Russian, Estonian, and English. She has also studied Polish and Italian.
Yvonne Maingey, Ph.D, holds a doctorate from the University of Nairobi, Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation. Her research interests focus on the nexus between development and climate change adaptation, with a specific interest in multiple stakeholder engagement as a tool for mainstreaming climate change adaptation into national infrastructural development.
With a decade of experience as a consultant in the sustainable development and environment sector, Yvonne is the founder and CEO of CaelKlima – a climate change advisory and product development startup. She started CaelKlima to play a significant role in informing and ensuring that adaptation to climate change is integrated into decision-making processes. The organization is dedicated to building capacity of the private sector, as well as local and national state agents, to mainstream climate change.
Yvonne also holds a Master’s degree in environmental education from New York University and an LL.B. Law degree from the London School of Economics.
Gisela Zapata, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Demography and researcher at the Centre for Regional Development and Planning (CEDEPLAR) of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil. She previously worked as a researcher and Teaching Fellow at the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) at Newcastle University (UK).
Gisela has extensive teaching, research and consulting experience in Latin America, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Her research focuses on socio-economic and population themes, especially international migration and displacement, and the migration-development nexus. Her work has been published in prestigious scientific journals.
Gisela holds a Ph.D. in Human Geography from Newcastle University (UK) and a Masters’ Degree in Economics from North Carolina State University (USA). Gisela is a native Spanish speaker, and is fluent in English and Portugese.
Wojciech is the Director overseeing Sayara’s project portfolio in Eastern Europe. He specializes in Eastern European geopolitics and big data analytics.
Prior to joining Sayara, Wojciech managed research projects on behalf of major international organizations, including the European Commission, DFID, Foreign Commonwealth Office, World Bank, and U.S. State Department. In particular, Wojciech managed a significant IOM-funded project that sought to understand how radicalization and violent extremism spread online in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Wojciech holds a Postgraduate degree in Computer Science from the Warsaw University of Technology, an M.A. in Public Administration and NGO Management from Grand Valley State University (Michigan, USA), and an M.A. in International Relations from the Cracov University of Economics.
In addition, Wojciech is currently pursuing a certificate in Data Science from Harvard University. He is also a Ph.D. candidate at King’s College London. He speaks Polish, English, and Spanish.
As President of Sayara International, JP Gravelines leads the development and implementation of novel methodological techniques that strive to incorporate the attitudes and perceptions of people on the ground into the heart of everything Sayara does, by marrying cutting-edge technology with rigorous analytical methods.
JP has over a decade of experience in various capacities in the greater strategic communications community including counter-disinformation, government communications, independent media support, preventing and countering violent extremism, counter-insurgency, and stabilization. JP’s technical skills intersect these themes through M&E, primary research, audience analysis, and assessment.
JP has worked with the NATO International Security Assistance Force, the United Nations Office Counter Terrorism, and the Canadian Army’s Psychological Operations element. JP has supported programming led by the UK FCDO, U.S. Department of State, USAID, and thought leadership agencies such as RUSI and the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence.
JP holds an M.A. in Political Science, an M.B.A. in Finance, and a B.Sc. in Mathematics. He is based in Kyiv and speaks basic Russian.
Sayara International is hiring a Business Development Manager to support our team in Eastern Europe and ensure growth for our Eastern Europe portfolio and efficiency in our organization’s new business and proposal development processes. This role is full-time and based in Warsaw, with opportunities for remote working. Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. We look forward to hearing from you.
Position Description:
In this exciting newly-created role, you will be leading different components of business development, supporting the Eastern Europe team in their business development efforts. On a day-to-day basis, you will engage with (prospective) clients, lead capture planning processes and pre-positioning, and manage the proposal development process.
You have 8+ years’ experience in business development in the international development sector, and have worked on proposal development for USAID, U.S. State Department, and UN organizations. You are familiar with Sayara’s major thematic areas of expertise and preferably have experience working in Eastern Europe. You are comfortable engaging with our clients and prospective clients and can represent an organization at networking events. You have excellent English-language writing and oral communication skills, strong organizational and time management skills, excellent attention to detail, and you can work independently. You will report to the Director of Business Development and support the senior leadership of the Eastern Europe team to build Sayara’s business in the region.
As Business Development Manager for our Eastern Europe team, you will contribute significantly to the work Sayara does to build positive change in societies that most need it. You will be working with a welcoming and diverse international team of experienced professionals.
About Sayara International:
Sayara International is a social enterprise combining rigorous research and communication to create positive change in fragile and conflict-affected societies.
Sayara provides complex monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) in the most challenging environments. We work on countering disinformation, measuring social cohesion, and assessing education, migration, inclusive governance, climate change, and health.
Diverse perspectives and an emphasis on equity bring strength to Sayara. Gender, inclusion, and intersectional identities are cross-cutting themes across all our internal practices and our programs for governments, civil society organizations, and international institutions.
Sayara has evolved across unstable contexts. Our decentralized structure – with a global leadership network and investment in local talent – enables agility and rapid start-up, while equipping us with unique values and competencies.
Founded in 2003, Sayara operates in 30 countries across Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Our teams of professionals are based in field offices in Khartoum, Kyiv, and Nairobi, with support from our offices in Dubai, Istanbul, London, Marseille, and Warsaw.
Find out more about Sayara International:
Key Areas of Responsibility :
Develop and deliver the Eastern Europe Business Development strategy, engage with prospective clients, and lead the proposal development process from capture planning to proposal development and submission. This includes leading opportunity analysis, requirements analysis, partner negotiations, recruitment, preparing, and writing supporting bid documents, writing sections of technical narratives, and budget development for bids.
External Engagement and Networking
Business Intelligence-gathering
Proposal Development
Business development databases and reporting
Desired Skills & Qualifications:
Location:
Warsaw, Poland – with remote working possible. The Sayara International team has regional hubs, support offices, and additional staff based in many locations around the world.
We highly encourage applications from people originating from Eastern Europe, women, and minority groups.
Duration:
The Business Development Manager – Eastern Europe will be offered a one (1) year Employment Contract, with a four (4) month probation period and the option for renewal, based on the discretion of, and mutual agreement between Sayara and the Business Development Manager – Eastern Europe.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV and cover letter with up-to-date contact information to jobs@sayarainternational.com. Use “Business Development Manager – Warsaw” as the subject line of your email. Applications must be received by 13 May 2022. Note that CVs will be screened on a rolling basis and Sayara will offer the position to the candidate who meets the requirements – even if it is before the deadline. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sayara International is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, and political views or activity. This also applies to all employment practices within our organization.
Sayara International is hiring an experienced Project Review Lead to join its Eastern Europe team. This role is offered on a consultancy basis. Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. We look forward to hearing from you.
Position Description:
The Project Officer will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of project reviews covering the areas of media development, media literacy, media capacity-building, communications, etc. The selected candidate must have experience in leading project reviews for HMG (FCDO).
The successful candidate will: rely on their established networks to build project review teams; draft project review ToRs; quality assure deliverables (reports, presentations); and ensure that the findings “land” with the Client.
The Project Review Lead will report to Sayara’s Director – Eastern Europe.
The Project Review Lead will contribute to the work Sayara does to build positive change in societies that most need it. You will be working as part of a welcoming and diverse international team of experienced professionals.
About Sayara International:
Sayara International is a global development company that specialises in the design and implementation of rigorous research, social and behaviour change communications, approaches to countering disinformation, governance strategies, and innovative programming in fragile, conflict-affected, and transitioning societies. Founded in 2003, Sayara operates in more than 30 countries across Eastern Europe, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sayara supports the programming of our clients and partners with complex and sustainable research, evaluation, data-driven policy change, socio-political analysis, strategic communications, countering violent extremism, crisis management, and humanitarian response in the most challenging environments, working with and for the most vulnerable communities worldwide. Sayara’s origins in conflict and the company’s evolution across fragile contexts have equipped us with a set of values, core operating principles, systems, and competencies unique in the global development industry.
We provide services to clients around the world, including the United Nations (UNDP, UNOPS, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women), the European Union, governments (U.S., UK, France), universities, international NGOs, and other major donors. These services are in the areas of monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL); media monitoring; social and behaviour change communications (SBCC); stabilisation and sub-national governance; gender studies and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG); migration, displacement, and countering people smuggling and trafficking; and youth and education.
Sayara’s Eastern Europe team is comprised of experienced, in-house local experts (country-level leadership and program staff) across the region, plus an array of expert consultants with a variety of skillsets and local knowledge. Sayara’s network in the region extends to think tanks, academia, and other local partners. Our Eastern Europe regional team operates from Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, and the Baltic countries, conducting projects in the Baltics and Eastern Partnership countries.
Find out more about Sayara International:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
Responsibilities:
• Plan, coordinate, and lead the project review process in cooperation with the Director – Eastern Europe.
• Discuss the scope of project reviews and prepare the ToRs.
• Support review team building (identifying consultants).
• Contribute to report-writing (ensuring the reports are Client-friendly) and quality control all deliverables.
• Make recommendations for the adjustment of projects.
• Other ad hoc tasks, as assigned.
Desired Qualifications/ Skills:
• Minimum Master’s degree (B.A. with significant relevant prior experience may be considered), in social science, political science, international affairs, development, or another relevant field.
• Several years of experience in leading/conducting project reviews, including for FCDO.
• Political acumen, especially in dealing with HMG stakeholders.
• Experience in the sector of communications and media.
• Ideally familiar with Eastern European geopolitics.
• Russian language knowledge a plus (not mandatory).
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation (humanitarian work and/or development programmes).
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong commitment to high quality work and integrity in all interactions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to engage appropriately with various audiences.
• Excellent English language writing skills.
Location & Travel:
Sayara seeks a candidate based in a European timezone (GMT, CET, EET, EEST). Travel throughout the region may be required.
Job Type/ Duration:
The Project Review Lead will be required to work around 15 days per month (depending on the number of project reviews commissioned by the Client) on a consultancy basis.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV with up-to-date contact information, as well as a list of any professional publications, via email to jobs@sayarainternational.com. Please use “Project Review Lead” as the subject line of your email. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Sayara International is hiring an experienced Country Assistant – Ukraine to join its Eastern Europe team. This role is full-time, with opportunities for remote working. Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. We look forward to hearing from you.
Position Description:
The Country Assistant – Ukraine will be actively engaged in supporting Sayara International’s project delivery in Ukraine, working in close collaboration and under the supervision of the Country Lead for Ukraine.
Candidates should have at least two years of demonstrable experience in research. Experience in project management would also be beneficial. Ideally, candidates will have some understanding of media, communications, or journalism, as well as the media and political landscape of Eastern Europe. Candidates must have excellent writing skills in English.
The Country Assistant will report to the Country Lead for Ukraine.
The Country Assistant – Ukraine will contribute to the work Sayara does to build positive change in societies that most need it. You will be working as part of a welcoming and diverse international team of experienced professionals.
About Sayara International:
Sayara International is a global development company that specialises in the design and implementation of rigorous research, social and behaviour change communications, approaches to countering disinformation, governance strategies, and innovative programming in fragile, conflict-affected, and transitioning societies. Founded in 2003, Sayara operates in more than 30 countries across Eastern Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
Sayara supports the programming of our clients and partners with complex and sustainable research, evaluation, data-driven policy change, socio-political analysis, strategic communication, countering violent extremism, crisis management, and humanitarian response in the most challenging environments, working with and for the most vulnerable communities worldwide. Sayara’s origins in conflict and the company’s evolution across fragile contexts have equipped us with a set of values, core operating principles, systems, and competencies unique in the global development industry.
We provide services to clients around the world, including the United Nations (UNDP, UNOPS, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women), the European Union, governments (U.S., UK, France), universities, international NGOs, and other major donors. We provide services in the areas of monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL); media monitoring; social and behaviour change communications (SBCC); stabilisation and sub-national governance; gender studies and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG); migration, displacement, and countering people smuggling and trafficking; and youth and education.
Sayara’s Eastern Europe team is comprised of experienced, in-house local experts (country-level leadership and program staff) across the region, plus an array of expert consultants with a variety of skillsets and local knowledge. Sayara’s network in the region extends to think tanks, academia, and other local partners. Our Eastern Europe regional team operates from Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, and the Baltic countries, conducting projects in the Baltics and Eastern Partnership countries.
Find out more about Sayara International:
Responsibilities:
Desired Qualifications/ Skills:
Location & Travel:
Remote work possible, ideally based in Eastern Europe. Some travel may be required.
Job Type:
This is a full-time position (40 hours per week), Monday-Friday. Occasionally, working outside these hours may be required.
Duration:
The Country Assistant will be offered a one (1) year employment contract, with a three (3) month probation period and the option for renewal, based on the discretion of, and mutual agreement between Sayara and the Country Assistant.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV with up-to-date contact information via email to jobs@sayarainternational.com. Please use “Country Assistant (Ukraine)” as the subject line of your email.
The deadline for applications is 20th February 2022. Note that CVs will be screened on a rolling basis and Sayara will offer the position to the candidate who meets the requirements – even if it is before the deadline.
Position Description:
Sayara International is hiring an experienced Research Analyst to join our Eastern Europe team in support of ongoing activities in Ukraine. This role requires advanced quantitative and qualitative analysis skills, a sound understanding of the socio-political dynamics in Ukraine, and awareness of national and regional information ecosystems. This role is full-time, with opportunities for remote working (Europe preferred).
Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. We look forward to hearing from you. Sayara is currently conducting rapid-response research and communications projects in Ukraine. Ideally, the Research Analyst is able to start within two weeks (even at a reduced capacity at the beginning).
About Sayara International:
Sayara International is a social enterprise combining rigorous research and communication to create positive change in fragile and conflict-affected societies.
Sayara provides complex monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) in the most challenging environments. We work on countering disinformation, measuring social cohesion, and assessing education, migration, inclusive governance, climate change, and health.
Diverse perspectives and an emphasis on equity bring strength to Sayara. Gender, inclusion, and intersectional identities are cross-cutting themes across all our internal practices and our programs for governments, civil society organizations, and international institutions.
Sayara has evolved across unstable contexts. Our decentralized structure – with a global leadership network and investment in local talent – enables agility and rapid start-up, while equipping us with unique values and competencies.
Founded in 2003, Sayara operates in 30 countries across Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Our teams of professionals are based in field offices in Khartoum, Kyiv, and Nairobi, with support from our offices in Dubai, Istanbul, London, Marseille, and Warsaw.
Find out more about Sayara International:
Key Areas of Responsibility:
Desired Skills & Qualifications:
Location:
Europe time zone required (GMT to GMT+3)
Duration:
The Research Analyst will be offered a one (1) year Employment Contract, with a four (4) month probation period and the option for renewal, based on the discretion of, and mutual agreement between Sayara and the Research Analyst.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV and cover letter with up-to-date contact information to jobs@sayarainternational.com. Use “Research Analyst – Ukraine” as the subject line of your email. Applications must be received by 17 April 2022. Note that CVs will be screened on a rolling basis and Sayara will offer the position to the candidate who meets the requirements – even if it is before the deadline. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sayara International is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, and political views or activity. This also applies to all employment practices within our organization.
Sayara International is hiring a Business Development Assistant to join our team to ensure efficiency in our organization’s new business and proposal development processes. This role is full-time, with opportunities for remote working. Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. We look forward to hearing from you.
Position Description:
In this exciting newly created role, you will be working on different components of business development, supporting teams across the organization in their business development efforts. On a day-to-day basis, you will support the coordination of client engagements, capture planning and pre-positioning, and management of the proposal development process.
You have 2+ years’ experience in business development in the international development sector and are familiar with Sayara’s major thematic areas of expertise. You have excellent English-language writing and oral communication skills, strong organizational and time management skills, as well as excellent attention to detail, and you can work independently. You will report to the Director of Business Development and support the senior leadership team to help build Sayara’s business globally.
As Business Development Assitant, you will contribute significantly to the work Sayara does to build positive change in societies that most need it. You will be working with a welcoming and diverse international team of experienced professionals.
About Sayara International:
Sayara International specializes in combining rigorous research and communication to create positive change in fragile and conflict-affected societies. Founded in 2003 and operating in 30 countries worldwide, Sayara is a leading organization providing services across thematic sectors such as countering disinformation, migration, education, inclusive governance, climate change, and health.
We are committed to building positive change. Our strength comes from our adherence to our core values, our unparalleled expertise in research methodologies, and the context-specific experience of our team members. Our programs help communities and institutions to develop sustainable, research-based solutions to today’s toughest development challenges in Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Find out more about Sayara International:
Key Areas of Responsibility :
Support the proposal development process from capture planning to proposal development and submission. This includes supporting opportunity analysis, requirements analysis, partner negotiations, recruitment, preparing supporting documents, writing sections of technical narrative, and budget development.
Business Intelligence gathering
Proposal development
Business Development databases and reporting
Desired Skills & Qualifications:
Location:
There are no specific location requirements for the Business Development Assistant role. The Sayara International team has regional hubs, support offices, and additional staff based in many locations around the world. This is a remote position and, preferably, our new colleague will be based in one of the following time zones: UTC, UTC +1, UTC +2, UTC +3, or UTC +4.
We highly encourage applications from people originating from the Global South/ low- and lower-middle-income countries, women, and minority groups.
Duration:
The Business Development Assistant will be offered a one (1) year Employment Contract, with a four (4) month probation period and the option for renewal, based on the discretion of, and mutual agreement between Sayara and the Business Development Assistant.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV and cover letter with up-to-date contact information to jobs@sayarainternational.com . Use “Business Development Assistant” as the subject line of your email. Applications must be received by 17 April 2022. Note that CVs will be screened on a rolling basis and Sayara will offer the position to the candidate who meets the requirements – even if it is before the deadline. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sayara International is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, and political views or activity. This also applies to all employment practices within our organization.
Sayara International is hiring a Communications Officer. This role is full-time and remote working/home-based. Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. There will be a short task for candidates at the interview stage. We look forward to hearing from you.
Position Description:
Sayara is seeking a Communications Officer to join its busy Communications team. This position is ideal for someone planning to move on from their first role and take the next step in their career. The successful candidate will support the organization’s Communications function through copy editing, content creation, and sharing information both internally and via Sayara’s website and social media.
Sayara’s work entails research and communication across a range of sectors/themes, often in fragile, conflict-affected societies around the world. As such, the Communications team is tasked with presenting complex data and nuanced information in engaging, accessible ways for a variety of audiences.
The successful candidate will be adept at working independently and able to juggle deadlines and projects. However, they will also be experienced working collaboratively in an open and transparent environment. Sayara welcomes new ideas and creative thinkers.
The Communications Officer will report to the Director of Communications (based in the UK).
The Communications Officer will contribute to the work Sayara does to build positive change in societies that most need it. You will be working as part of a welcoming and diverse international team of experienced professionals.
About Sayara International:
Sayara International specializes in combining rigorous research and communication to create positive change in fragile and conflict-affected societies. Founded in 2003 and operating in 30 countries worldwide, Sayara is a leading organization providing services across thematic sectors such as countering disinformation, migration, education, inclusive governance, climate change, and health.
We are committed to building positive change. Our strength comes from our adherence to our core values, our unparalleled expertise in research methodologies, and the context-specific experience of our team members. Our programs help communities and institutions to develop sustainable, research-based solutions to today’s toughest development challenges in Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Find out more about Sayara International:
Responsibilities:
Required Skills and Qualifications:
Location:
There are no specific location requirements for the Communications Officer role. The Sayara International team has regional hubs, support offices, and additional staff based in many locations around the world. This is a remote position and, preferably, our new colleague will be based in one of the following time zones: UTC, UTC +1, or UTC-1.
Before applying, candidates must have the right to work in the country where they are based (Sayara does not provide work visas).
We highly encourage applications from people from minority groups and/or from low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Job Type:
This is a full-time position (40 hours per week), Monday-Friday. Occasionally, overtime may be required.
Duration:
The Communications Officer will be offered a one (1) year employment contract, with a four (4) month probation period and the option for renewal, based on the discretion of, and mutual agreement between Sayara and the Graphic Designer.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV with up-to-date contact information via email to jobs@sayarainternational.com. Please use “Communications Officer” as the subject line of your email. The deadline for applications is 15 April 2022.
Note that CVs will be screened on a rolling basis and Sayara will offer the position to the candidate who meets the requirements – even if it is before the deadline. Sayara does not charge a fee at any stage in the recruitment process. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview, when they will be asked to complete a short task.
Sayara International is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, political views or activity, or other applicable characteristics. This also applies to all employment practices within our organization.
Sayara International is hiring an experienced Graphic Designer. This role is full-time and remote working/home-based. Please read the full Terms of Reference below and guidelines on how to apply for this role. We look forward to hearing from you.
Position Description:
Sayara is seeking an experienced Graphic Designer to join its busy Communications team. The Graphic Designer will be jointly responsible for visual representation of Sayara’s brand, as well as creating design products for our clients’ programs and projects.
Sayara’s work entails research and communication across a range of sectors/themes, often in fragile, conflict-affected societies around the world. As such, the Communications team is tasked with presenting complex data and nuanced information in engaging, accessible ways. You will develop concepts for designs in different formats, covering a range of sectors/themes, for various global audiences.
The successful candidate will be adept at working independently and able to juggle deadlines and projects. However, they will also be experienced working collaboratively in an open and transparent environment. Sayara welcomes new ideas and creative thinkers.
The Graphic Designer will also contribute to a significant rebranding process across the organization.
The Graphic Designer will work closely with Sayara’s Lead Graphic Designer (based in Colombia) and will report to the Director of Communications (based in the UK).
The Graphic Designer will contribute to the work Sayara does to build positive change in societies that most need it. You will be working as part of a welcoming and diverse international team of experienced professionals.
About Sayara International:
Sayara International specializes in combining rigorous research and communication to create positive change in fragile and conflict-affected societies. Founded in 2003 and operating in 30 countries worldwide, Sayara is a leading organization providing services across thematic sectors such as countering disinformation, migration, education, inclusive governance, climate change, and health.
We are committed to building positive change. Our strength comes from our adherence to our core values, our unparalleled expertise in research methodologies, and the context-specific experience of our team members. Our programs help communities and institutions to develop sustainable, research-based solutions to today’s toughest development challenges in Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Find out more about Sayara International:
Responsibilities:
Required Skills and Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
Location:
There are no specific location requirements for the Graphic Designer role. The Sayara International team has regional hubs, support offices, and additional staff based in many locations around the world. This is a remote position and, preferably, our new colleague will be based in one of the following time zones: UTC, UTC +1, or UTC +2, preferably in Eastern Europe.
Before applying, candidates must have the right to work in the country where they are based (Sayara does not provide work visas).
We highly encourage applications from people from minority groups and/or from low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Job Type:
This is a full-time position (40 hours per week), Monday-Friday. Occasionally, overtime may be required.
Duration:
The Graphic Designer will be offered a one (1) year employment contract, with a four (4) month probation period and the option for renewal, based on the discretion of, and mutual agreement between Sayara and the Graphic Designer.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV with up-to-date contact information and 3 samples of recent work (or link to an online design portfolio) via email to jobs@sayarainternational.com. Please use “Graphic Designer” as the subject line of your email. The deadline for applications is 15 April 2022.
Note that CVs will be screened on a rolling basis and Sayara will offer the position to the candidate who meets the requirements – even if it is before the deadline. Sayara does not charge a fee at any stage in the recruitment process. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
Sayara International is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, political views or activity, or other applicable characteristics. This also applies to all employment practices within our organization.
Holly Ashmore is Sayara International’s Director of Communications. Based in the UK, Holly has over a decade of experience in communications, public relations, and marketing.
Before joining Sayara in 2020, Holly led the global communications function for London technology company 7digital and handled freelance PR and communications for audio and music technology clients. During five years at PR agency Weber Shandwick, Holly worked with global consumer and business-to-business technology clients including Microsoft, Motorola, Sonos, Citrix, Technicolor, and more.
Holly holds a B.A. in English & American Literature from University of Warwick.
Based in Kyiv, Hanna is a Program Coordinator responsible for managing projects in the Eastern European region. This role comprises the design and implementation of rigorous research, social and behavior change communications, and approaches to countering disinformation.
Before joining Sayara, Hanna worked for the International Organization for Migration (the UN Agency for Migration), leading projects aimed at strengthening social cohesion and improving mental health and psychosocial support among conflict-affected populations in Ukraine. She also worked at the Alliance for Public Health, focusing on the delivery of public health projects for vulnerable populations.
Hanna holds an M.A. in linguistics from Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University and passed the Certification in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) from Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP).
Hanna is fluent in English, Russian, and Ukrainian.
Nama is a social scientist who specializes in mixed-methods data collection in complex environments. Over the past eight years, Nama has built a global research network throughout South Asia, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
Nama oversees all of Sayara’s research, monitoring, and evaluation activities, which are conducted on behalf of the European Union, the U.S. Department of State, UN agencies, USAID, international NGOs and foundations, academic institutions, and a variety of other clients. She uses sociology and behavioral economics to inform and evaluate policies and programs that protect vulnerable groups, address trans-national crime, and counter violent extremism and disinformation.
Nama holds an M.A. in International Relations from the Sorbonne University in Paris, an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Caen in Normandy, and a B.A. in Social Science from the University of Strasbourg. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at the Sorbonne and a junior fellow in the European Research Council’s Social Dynamics of Civil Wars research program.
George is a media and business innovation specialist with a decade of experience working in emerging markets throughout the Middle East and North Africa. George’s private sector background has focused on developing ground-breaking media products tailored toward youth.
While working for Viacom’s broadcasting arm, OSN Network (previously Showtime Networks), George helped develop the pan-Arab Axis of Evil Comedy Tour and an interactive English Premier League program that allowed Middle Eastern audiences to interact with commentators, celebrity guests, and former Premier League football players via SMS and television chat.
George has also taught marketing and entrepreneurship at EMDI, in Dubai, and lectured at the Lebanese American University in Beirut. He currently lectures at Madrid’s IE Business School.
George holds an M.B.A. from the IE Business School and a B.A. in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Northeastern University.
Haroon oversees Sayara’s team of analysts and manages data collection operations in Afghanistan. With over a decade of experience coordinating MEL and mixed-method research to inform public health, rule of law, education, and community development programs, Haroon specializes in designing methodologies tailored to complex environments. He has managed and co-designed a wide variety of large-scale evaluation surveys for donors such as USAID, DFID, and the EU.
Haroon holds an M.D. from the University of Nangarhar, with a focus in epidemiology and biostatistics and an MSc. in Demography and Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Haroon is fluent in English, Dari, and Pashto, and proficient in Urdu and Arabic.
Laura oversees Sayara’s operations in East Africa. A U.S.-trained attorney, Laura has over a decade of experience designing and managing programs to enhance human rights, good governance, and social inclusion in Africa.
Prior to joining Sayara, Laura worked for several years as an independent consultant for a broad range of clients, including African governments, local and international non-governmental organizations, and large donor organizations such as USAID, the UN, and EU consortiums. Laura is passionate about research and practical interventions that enhance the social inclusion of marginalized communities such as migrants, ethnic minorities, survivors of trauma, and other vulnerable groups.
Laura received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School, and holds an M.A. in Public Health from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, and a B.A. from the University of Virginia. She speaks English and French.
Bakry Osman is the director of Sayara’s Sudan country office. Prior to joining Sayara International, Bakry co- founded and led Apex Consulting, a leading Sudanese consulting company providing services to many of the largest donor organizations in Sudan. Bakry has strong expertise in youth engagement, civil society, peace and conflict management, Political Analysis, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.
Bakry previously worked for an international development agency in Khartoum and has carried out independent consultancies for international organizations including the German and the French governments.
Bakry holds a degree in Business Administration from the Canadian Sudanese College in Khartoum. He is fluent in English and Arabic.
Gianluca is a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning expert with a focus on gender in Latin America and the Caribbean. Formerly, he was a planning, monitoring, and data specialist for UN Women Colombia throughout 2014 to 2017.
Gianluca worked as a program officer for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG-F) and as a monitoring and evaluation specialist in the United Nations MDG Achievement Fund in New York (2012-2013). Gianluca joined the Fund after serving the UN Resident Coordinator Office, UNDP and UNICEF in Trinidad & Tobago (2011-2012) and the UNDP Strategy Unit in Honduras (2009-2010).
During 2006 – 2008, Gianluca worked in Colombia as a program manager for poverty reduction initiatives focusing on displaced populations, victims of the conflict, and reintegrated ex-combatants. His experience included working for the first National Human Development Atlas of Trinidad and Tobago and serving as lead author of the National MDG Report in Honduras 2010.
Gianluca holds a Masters degree in program evaluation and international development from the Institut d’Etude du Développement Economique et Social in Sorbonne University, Paris.
Salomon is a civil society leader, skilled trainer, an expert on youth and migration issues, as well as an experienced consultant.
He has worked as an advisor for the United Nations, International Labour Organization, FHI 360 and Expertise France among others. He previously led Sayara’s Ethiopia team for an EU-funded mapping of services for migrants, refugees and trafficked persons in the Horn of Africa.
Solomon holds a Master’s degree in Management and Social Development, a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, as well as a Certificate in Program Evaluation from the University of Pretoria.
Solomon has been recognized with awards for his work in Ethiopia from the Institute for International Education and Harvard School of Public Health.
Scott is a governance, stabilization, and communications specialist with a decade of experience in countering violent extremism and disinformation. Having worked for more than fifteen years in conflict-affected environments, in both the public and private sectors, Scott has unique insight into how mainstream media and digital platforms – as well as non-traditional means of communication – relate to development and stabilization activities.
After starting his career as a White House aide, Scott spent several years as a senior communications advisor to two American ambassadors in Afghanistan, where he assisted with the coordination of communication and public diplomacy strategies for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
Scott went on to work for USAID’s Office of Transitional Initiatives in Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Pakistan, specializing in the development of district-level governance and CVE strategies. Before joining Sayara, Scott also served as a communications advisor to Zain Telecommunications, in Iraq.
Scott holds an M.Sc. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles.
William is a Colombian economist with over 35 years of experience as a researcher in socio-economic, population, and migration issues. He brings an unrivaled track record in data collection, handling, and analysis of large sets of socio-demographic information, both quantitative and qualitative, for studying Latin American migration.
William has dedicated almost 20 years to working on migration issues in the fields of research, training, analysis, and public policy formulation. He is a leading expert on Venezuelan migration and a key advisor for organizations such as the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Regional Office for the European Economic Area, EU and NATO (Regional Office of South America, Missions of Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Peru, and El Salvador), and the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Lima, Geneva, and Brasilia.
William also has significant experience in formulating, managing, and executing projects for international cooperation agencies, Colombian government institutions, academia, and the non-governmental sector in Latin America and Colombia.
Williams holds a Master’s in International Migration from the Technological University of Pereira, Colombia, and a B.A. in Economics from Universidad Libre Seccional Pereira. Frequently published and invited to speak at international events, William has also participated as an invited professor at institutions in Colombia, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, Panama, and Spain.
Background:
Sayara International is a global development company that specializes in rigorous research and innovative programming in conflict-affected and transitioning societies. Founded in 2003 and with more than 120 staff worldwide, Sayara is a leading organization providing services in monitoring and evaluation, socio-political analysis, strategic communication, governance, preventing and countering violent extremism, disinformation, migration, and youth and education. Our strength comes from our adherence to our core values, our unparalleled expertise in research methodologies, and the context-specific experience of our team members. We constantly innovate to create research designs that are customized to answer our clients’ questions.
Sayara’s Eastern Europe regional team operates from Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, and the Baltic countries. The regional team conducts projects in the Baltics and Eastern Partnership countries. We deliver services to clients around the world, including the United Nations (UNDP, UNOPS, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women), the European Union, governments (U.S., UK, France), universities, international NGOs, and other major donors. Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. region with local offices in Kenya, Sudan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Colombia, Ukraine, and France, Sayara is responsive to client needs in complex environments through local expert knowledge and an ethical, evidence-based approach.
Project Description:
With the aim to further support regional and local authorities’ efforts in addressing gender inequalities, UN Women is implementing the project “Building democratic, peaceful and gender equal society in Ukraine,” funded by the Government of Norway. This project focusing on the prevention of gender-based violence and the implementation of Women, Peace, and Security commitments in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
The overall objective of this project is to collect and analyze data on gender stereotypes, public perceptions of gender roles, and attitudes towards gender-based violence. This research will lead to the “Endline Survey” of current and dominant attitudes, perceptions, opinions, and beliefs toward gender equality and gender-based violence in target hromadas in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.
Responsibilities:
Desired Qualifications:
Location & Travel:
Sayara seeks a candidate currently based in Ukraine. The candidate should have legal authorization to work in Ukraine. Travel throughout the region may be required.
Duration:
The project’s expected start is early November 2020 and it will last till early March 2021. More specific timing will be provided upon award of the contract.
Application Process:
Please submit your detailed CV with up-to-date contact information via email to jp@SayaraInternational.com. Please use “EASTERN EUROPE GENDER ADVISOR (CONSULTANT)” as the subject line of your email. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Hind Saad is a highly skilled Program Associate based in Sayara International’s Khartoum office, supporting Sayara’s program portfolio and business development efforts. With over 5 years’ experience in Sudan, Egypt, and the United Kingdom, Hind is committed to ongoing development and research to maximize efficiency and business results.
Previously, Hind worked with Apex Consulting as a Programs Officer, conducting literature review and qualitative research for projects to ensure data quality and ethical standards were upheld. In this role, Hind traveled to the field to conduct focus group discussions with women’s groups focused on gender equality and livelihoods and conducted key informant interviews with local children’s service provider organizations. Hind drafted qualitative interview notes, worked in a team to conduct an analysis of qualitative data, assisted with the development of project materials, and handled data management for projects.
Prior to joining Apex Consulting, Hind was the head of the Environmental section at Ghrabib Consultancy, where her team undertook a national project for the Sudanese Ministry of Petroleum and Gas entitled “Assessment of Potential Non-Edible Bio-Fuel Resources in Sudan for Bio-Fuel Production Project.” Hind also contributed to the bioremediation and biodegradation project for produced water treatment in petroleum sites at the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company.
Hind holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from Misr University for Science and Technology in Egypt.
Diana is a graphic designer at Sayara International based in Colombia. Working within Sayara’s Communications and Content team, Diana supports the company’s projects and business development efforts by overseeing and developing creative communication products displaying complex data and subject matters. These include full communication campaigns, visual concepts and identity, data visualization, reports and proposals, and brand communications.
Prior to joining Sayara, Diana led creative design at the Communications Research and Extension Center (CIEC) at the University of Antioquia, Colombia. There, Diana designed international and external communication campaigns aimed at promoting human rights, civil society mobilization, governance, peace, and public health. The role entailed conceptualizing graphic pieces, developing online platforms, editorial and multimedia graphic design, and design of printed materials such as marketing stationery and booklets.
Other roles have included graphic design and advertising communication at the Poncherazo Amagá Cultural Corporation and Lasallian University Corporation in Colombia. Diana also worked as a freelance advertising graphic communicator, and production and media coordinator with the INVITRO Advertising Agency at the University of Medellín.
Diana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Communications from the University of Medellín, Colombia.
Lee is responsible for overseeing Sayara’s portfolio of MEL (monitoring, research, and learning) projects. She has a particular focus on participatory research and evaluations, and on developing and testing innovative methodologies to ensure all research projects take a multi-voiced approach.
Lee’s experience includes leading research, monitoring, and evaluation projects for a wide variety of partners, including UN agencies, governments, international foundations, and NGOs.
Lee holds an M.A. in International Development from the University of Melbourne. She speaks fluent English, French, and Russian, and is proficient in Pashto, Dari, and Arabic.