Independent consulting firm specialized in technical assistance for humanitarian actors (UN system agencies, donors, non-governmental organizations)

Conducted a large array of activities within a large number of M&E (monitoring and evaluation) assignments, with a focus on evaluation design and M&E technical assistance, for international development partners such as UNICEF, WWF etc.The output of this work was the writing of one (1) M&E Manual, implementation of one (1) ongoing evaluation, update of governmental Agenda 2030 Secoral Strategies, design of four (4) Early Childhood Development policies, design of the M&E systems for the implementation of the Early Childhood Development policies, design of HRBA indicators (Human Rights-Based Approach).

Researched within the EU funded project (EU Horizon 2020, €5 million) “LIAISON 2020 – Linking Actors, Instruments and Policies through Networks”. I researched on developing evaluation tools in "interactive innovation" in agriculture. The study explored quantitative evaluation methods, with a focus on the limits of EU CMES (Common Monitoring and Evaluation System) and included: desk literature review on quantitative evaluation tools, interviews with external evaluators of national Rural Development Programmes, design of evaluation guidelines, design of an evaluation training, implementation of an evaluation exercise with the project stakeholders (ex-post evaluation, impact evaluation, result oriented monitoring, organisational needs assessment). The result of this work is comprised in the publication Macken-Walsh A., Javornicky M. (…) Repede D.C. (2021): Impact Assessment and Evaluation Tools, Handbook, LIAISON project, Horizon 2020.

Assessed the EU Member States applications for the registration for the label of protected designations of origin (PDO), protected geographical indications (PGI) and traditional specialties guaranteed (TSG). The role included coordination with the national administrations of the EU member states. The result of such an analysis was the EU recognition of the food labels and their listing into the quality products register. The protection granted by the EU is part of EU food policy and besides supporting farmers’ income, exerts important economic and social effects on the territory, thus supporting rural development in marginal areas.

Programme Manager for the EU pre-accession rural development programme for the Republic of Serbia - IPARD 2014 - 2020.The role consisted in providing technical advice and assisting the national authorities in their implementation of the programme and their adoption of aquis communautaire in the field of rural development. Further, I liaised with all the partners involved in the programme implementation such as all the services of the Commission (audit, financial, EU Delegations), development international organizations, national government.The result of this work was the adoption of the programme by the EC Committee, and the entrustment of EU budget implementation to the Serbian national authorities.

The role consisted in:Quality management and control: coordinate the approval process of Rural Development Programmes between the Commissioner's Cabinet and the services of the Deputy Director; consolidate and validate rural development weekly reports for DG AGRI internal use and the Commissioner; quality check of documents. Contribute to quality management by providing initiatives and feedback in daily procedures: proposed solutions for an effective information management and data consolidation through SharePoint within three Directorates (17 units) of DG AGRI Coordination and Planning: assist the Deputy Director in coordination of the workflow process of three Directorates (17 units). Ensure the follow-up of the Deputy's decisions.

External Auditor Assistant, EU pre-accession rural development programme, Western Balkans

I was responsible for the management of the IPARD (Instrument for Pre-Accession in Rural Development) Programme for the Republic of North Macedonia 2007 - 2014. The role consisted in monitoring and assisting the programme implementation. The results of this effort were measured through the amount of yearly spending of the allocated European envelope for this instrument.