Building Democratic Resilience and Promoting Inclusive Dialogue (BRIDGE) – Serbia
Project reference: BRIDGE – Serbia (SDC-funded)
How to Apply
Please send your updated CV to gdsivacancies@gdsi.ie by 30 April 2026 Ensure your email subject line reads: “BRIDGE Serbia – [indicate role]”
Submission Deadline
All applications must be received by 30 April 2026
Assignment Duration
The intended start date is August 2026. The assignment includes:
Inception Phase: August 2026 – February 2027
Implementation Phase I: up to 48 months (upon prior approval of the donor).
Location
The primary place of operation will be Belgrade, Serbia, with travel across Serbia as required.
About the Assignment
This assignment supports a governance programme focused on strengthening civil society resilience, enhancing civic participation, and promoting inclusive dialogue in a politically sensitive environment.
The team will contribute to the design and implementation of grant schemes, capacity-building and resiliency activities, and adaptive support mechanisms for civil society actors, including in areas such as cybersecurity, legal protection, and rapid response.
Project Description
Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), this initiative aims to strengthen democratic governance in Serbia by:
- Supporting dialogue across socio-political divides
- Enhancing citizen participation, with emphasis on youth and women
- Strengthening civil society resilience, including digital and operational capacities
The overall objective is to enable civil society actors and citizens to contribute effectively to accountability, policy dialogue, and democratic processes, in line with EU accession priorities and SDG commitments.
Expert Profiles Indicative Pool
The project foresees a pool of short- and long-term experts supporting implementation across thematic areas.
Indicative Profiles:
- Civic Engagement & Grants Expert
- Grant Management & Compliance Expert
- Gender & Women’s Empowerment Expert
- Youth Engagement Expert
- Civic Education & Academia Liaison Expert
- Civil Society Resilience & Capacity Building Expert
- Community Mobilisation Field Coordinators
- Cybersecurity & Digital Resilience Expert
- Rapid Response Mechanism Specialist
- **Legal Expert (CSO Protection)
- Psycho-social Support Expert
- Communication & Visibility Expert
- MEL Expert
- Finance & Compliance Manager
- Operations/ Project Manager
Qualifications and Skills (Minimum requirements)
- University degree in a relevant field (social sciences, law, governance, IT/cybersecurity, or related discipline depending on role) or 4 plus years to minimum general experience in a relevant field
- Excellent command of English and Serbian
- Strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills
- Ability to operate in politically sensitive environments
General Professional Experience
- Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience
- Experience working with CSOs, public institutions, and/or international donors
- Experience in Serbia or the Western Balkans is an asset
- Experience in multi-stakeholder programmes is an asset