Helvetas is an organization specialized in development cooperation and humanitarian response, anchored in Switzerland, and operating in over 35 countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Our vision is a just world in which all people determine the course of their lives in dignity and security, using environmental resources in a sustainable manner
We are looking for a result-oriented and innovative driven Team Leader.
Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation is preparing a bid for the Women’s Inclusion for Growth and Sustainability (WINGS) project in Kosovo, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The project aims to increase women’s participation in Kosovo’s labour market by addressing structural and social barriers, improving labour market conditions, and strengthening the responsiveness of the private sector. It applies a systemic and facilitative approach that enables policy dialogue, enhances the capacities of key actors, and supports gender-inclusive business practices and support services. The project builds on principles of Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE), labour market development, and private sector engagement within an Inclusive Systems Development framework. The Inception Phase is foreseen from May 2026 to January 2027, followed by Phase I from February 2027 to January 2031, with a potential second phase thereafter.
YOUR MAIN TASKS
As Team Leader, you will provide overall strategic and operational leadership for the Women’s Inclusion for Growth and Sustainability (WINGS) project in Kosovo. You will ensure high-quality implementation of both the Inception Phase and Phase I through effective planning, guidance of the project team, and compliance with SDC and Helvetas standards. Your core responsibilities will include:
Leading the overall strategic direction of the project and ensuring alignment with the approved Theory of Change, national gender equality frameworks, and Swiss cooperation priorities.
Steering all inception-phase activities, including stakeholder mapping, consultations, analytical studies, baseline work, risk assessments, and preparation of the full Project Document in line with SDC requirements.
Ensuring effective engagement with the private sector to promote gender-inclusive hiring practices, workforce development, and business-led solutions that support women’s participation in the labour market.
Overseeing the development and use of a robust monitoring and results measurement (MRM/MEL) system, including baseline indicators, systemic change tracking and mechanisms for adaptive management.
Leading operational and financial management, ensuring efficient use of resources, transparent reporting, and full compliance with SDC guidelines.
Managing and coaching the project team, strengthening staff capacities in facilitation, gender equality, systemic analysis and stakeholder engagement.
YOUR QUALIFICATIONS
Higher-level education in a relevant field (e.g. social sciences, economics, gender studies, public policy, development studies); additional professional training in project management is an asset.
At least 10 years of professional experience relevant to the project, with a strong track record in women’s economic empowerment, private sector development, labour market interventions, and/or addressing structural and social barriers to women’s participation.
Demonstrated experience in leading and coordinating mandates of comparable size and complexity, including strategic planning, operational management, financial oversight, human resources management, and team coaching.
Proven experience in policy dialogue, facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes, and effective engagement with the private sector and public institutions.
Strong capacity for result-oriented management, problem-solving, forward-looking planning, and adaptive management in dynamic contexts.
Deep understanding of gender equality, social inclusion, and governance, with practical experience mainstreaming these dimensions into programme design and implementation.
Knowledge of Kosovo’s political economy and labour market context; experience in Kosovo or the Western Balkans is a strong asset.
Excellent interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills, with ability to steer teams, mentor staff, and maintain constructive relationships at all levels.
Excellent command of English; knowledge of Albanian and/or Serbian is a strong asset.
High professional integrity and reputation, with no political or other affiliations that could negatively affect the project.
Availability for at least 60% presence in-country; a higher presence rate is considered an asset.
OUR OFFER
At Helvetas, you will be part of a purpose-driven organization where your work creates meaningful global impact. We foster a caring and collaborative culture built on trust, flexibility, and accountability. You will grow in a professional environment that values integrity, empathy, and continuous learning. → We care. We commit.
Attractive working conditions in a dynamic and mission-driven international organization.
Multi-year contract aligned with the project duration.
Competitive salary and benefits package according to Helvetas’ international or regional HR policies.
READY TO APPLY?
Please submit your complete application (motivation letter, CV, and certifications) via our online portal by November 26, 2025. For any questions related to this position please contact Anastasia Bekish, (anastasia.bekish@helvetas.org) Regional Economy Portfolio Manager or visit our website www.helvetas.org.
Note: Kindly be aware that the recruitment for this position is part of the tender process and is conditional upon Helvetas being awarded the mandate. The preferred start date is 1 May 2026. The position is open to international and local applicants, with contractual conditions applied according to the respective international or local scheme.
Helvetas, Swiss Association for International Cooperation, founded 1955 as Switzerland’s first private organization for development cooperation, is registered as a denominationally and politically independent, non profit oriented, specialised development association.
Helvetas is primarily committed to working towards the elimination of the causes of poverty and marginalization in the South and the East. Its mission is to actively contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of economically, socially and politically disadvantaged people within the frame of the Human Rights, with a focus on self-initiative activities and self-help in rural areas.
Together with some 44’000 members and their local groups, Helvetas is as well actively engaged in Switzerland with respect to solidarity in development, to promoting fair trade, and raising public awareness of the cultural wealth of development and transition countries.
In its international programme, Helvetas concentrates its actions in four working areas:
1. Infrastructure in Rural Areas including initiatives regarding water and sanitation, access and mobilization, livelihood, rehabilitation and construction of basic infrastructure,
2. Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, also comprising projects in the fields of climate, disaster risk mitigation and sustainable livelihood management,
3. Education and Culture, including a number of successful initiatives in Vocational Education and Training (VET), support to and lobbying for reforms in the VET System, improvement of teaching and learning environments, modernization of curriculum, assessment and development of learning materials, human resource development, development of alternative financing approaches, awareness-building and income generation through artistic forms of expression, promotion of cultural exchange and diversity of cultural expressions.
4. Civil Society and the State, which integrates projects supporting good governance, decentralisation and civil peace building/conflict sensitivity.
Helvetas’ development initiatives are guided by five approaches: striving for equality between men and women (gender), learning through dialogue between different cultures, protecting the environment, acting with economic and social responsibility and conflict prevention.
Helvetas is not only oriented towards material needs, such as procuring food and improved living conditions, but also towards aims regarding social, cultural, and spiritual aspects. These include the overcoming of paralysing dependence, reduction of inequality between the sexes, ethnicity, castes, building up of self-confidence or the strengthening of responsibility towards other human beings and the environment. Helvetas acts on the basis of human rights and makes every effort that these are also respected by its partner organizations. Also important are the promotion of democratic, decentralised structures, opportunities for participation, and joint responsibility as citizens.
For its international programmes, Helvetas’ mission is:
- to cooperate on a partnership basis with and in favour of the poor and disadvantaged population groups in the poorer regions of development and transition countries
- to share knowledge and experiences between Switzerland and partner countries as well as to further promote mutual exchange between partner countries
- to strengthen local structures and sustainable development and to promote human rights
- to develop suitable measures that prevent or mitigate violent conflicts
Wherever indicated, Helvetas applies a multi-stakeholder approach involving partners of civil society, the state and the private sector in reaching development goals. On the basis of participatory approaches, Helvetas strengthens its partner organizations. Their institutional sustainability is a key concern which is addressed through capacity building of the partner organizations. Furthermore, to leverage the best utilisation of its knowledge, to strengthen internal learning and to share experience and lessons learnt with other development actors, Helvetas (in 2000) elevated Knowledge Sharing (KS) to a strategic level. Helvetas nowadays plays a leading role in KS for Development, striving for continuous learning through an intranet and face-to-face workshops. Helvetas supports facilitation of international Communities of Practice (CoP), e.g. the “Water-for-food”-network () or the “KM4Dev” (Knowledge Management for Development) (www.km4dev.org).
Helvetas currently employs 77 staff (56 full-time posts) at the Head Office in Switzerland, and 45 expatriates (42 full-time posts) and 630 local staff in 20 developing and transition countries. In 2009, Helvetas had a turnover of around 64.3 Mio CHF; 54.2 Mio CHF for programme support abroad, 3.4 Mio CHF for information and advocacy activities in Switzerland, and 6.7 Mio CHF for administration and fundraising in Switzerland.
Helvetas’ Board of Directors (15 members) determines the overall strategy based on the bylaws and executes financial control functions. The operational implementation is with the Secretary General and the Management Board (7; Heads of Departments and Secretary General) based on department and working area strategies and financial plans. The International Programmes Department (19 full-time posts) at the head office is divided into a geographic team (steering, coordination, controlling of the country programmes) and the thematic team (technical assistance and expertise, monitoring). In the partner countries, programme offices with programme directors (15) are responsible for the implementation of projects and country strategies. The finance department (4) at the head office operates the financial control system. The Programme direction and programme country projects are audited yearly by an external, independent auditing company (KPMG, Zurich). Helvetas is ZEWO certified, avails a risk analysis system and a well elaborated monitoring and evaluation system.
Helvetas’ monitoring and evaluation system pursues three objectives: a) to provide information for strategic steering, b) to allow organisational learning and c) to assure accountability to its constituencies, donors and the ultimate beneficiaries. Helvetas conducts therefore a) periodic monitoring, b) internal and external evaluations, c) qualitative case studies and d) impact assessments in a set of selected projects. For the periodic monitoring Helvetas has developed an electronic Project Monitoring System (pms), which is linked to its Internal Control System.
Helvetas introduced a decentralized management system in 1990, delegating a high degree of autonomy to the country programme directors. A project monitoring system enables the programme directors to delegate operational responsibility to national project managers and staff. The Helvetas programme offices are responsible for coordination and strategic issues.
Helvetas has links with networks and partner organisations, e.g. being actively involved in the SDC governance network, the KOFF (Competence Centre for Peace Building) intervision group on conflict sensitivity and gender network at university of Bern. Strategic partnership agreements exist particularly with SCA, SKAT and KOFF.
