Experience

Embassy of Switzerland in North Macedonia
• North Macedonia
• Government Relations Services
• 1 - 100 Employee
• National Programme Officer

  • Nov 2019 - Present

Palladium: Make It Possible
• Australia
• Business Consulting and Services
• 700 & Above Employee
• Chief of Party

  • Oct 2017 - Nov 2019


Association for Innovations in Rural Economies

• Team Leader

  • May 2017 - Oct 2017

• President of Managing Board

  • Jun 2016 - May 2017

  In order to ensure sustainability of the work of the USAID SBEP, Mrs.Makedonska established the Association for Innovations in the Rural Economy (AIRE), whose work is focused on rural economic development through innovations. The activities include modernization of agricultural production, developing adventure travel sector, as well as other areas, which will contribute to economic growth. AIRE utilizes the overarching LEADER program – a legacy from USAID Small Business Expansion Project. This program enables a bottom up approach, ensuring the participation of both the public and private sector in developing and implementing initiatives. Show less

• Chief of Party

  • Nov 2015 - Apr 2017

  • Managed a US$6.7M Project co-funded by US and Swiss Government. Directly managed a team of 10, supervised a team of 30+ business service providers and facilitated communication with over 600 stakeholders and project beneficiaries from private and public sector. • Successfully led the design and controlled the implementation of the work plan for the final year of SBEP, ensuring all business objectives are achieved timely with optimized costs to match the budget, and maintained close cooperation with all Project stakeholders and ensured their full and continuous support to the Project activities. • She succeeded to upgrade ratings on management and cost control in USAID CO issued Contractor Performance Assessment Report from good to exceptional while maintaining the exceptional rating in the other areas. For all major activities, managed to ensure additional funding from both public, private sector and EU funds, hence leveraging the US$6.7 mil project funding with additional $86 million. • Ms.Makedonska’s negotiating and lobbying skills can also be noted in the achievements she brought in the tourism sector. In partnership with Adventure Trade Travel Association based in USA and the State Agency for Tourism Development, secured Macedonia to be the host of the first ever regional conference on adventure travel in the Western Balkans in 2016. The conference,, AdventureNEXT ~ Balkans, brought some 300 international tourism stakeholders to experience Macedonia’s adventure travel offer, among which 65 prestigious buyers from Northern America and Western Europe and journalists from prominent media such as National Geographic, Wanderlust, Lonely Planet, Guardian, New York Times etc. She also successfully negotiated with the Governments of Kosovo and Albania to co-sponsor the conference. The return on investment for the region is estimated to be US$15M in the first three years and then exponentially growing. Show less



CARANA Corporation

• International Trade and Development
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Deputy Chief of Party/ Deputy Project Director

  • May 2012 - Nov 2015

  Successfully led the project inception and implementation of a US$6.7 million project geared at local economic development, directly managing a team of 50+ professionals (10 direct employees and 40+ business service providers). The Project Design included innovative public-private dialogue approach utilized to determine activities aimed at private sector development, including: • Establishing an all-inclusive public private dialogue and partnerships at the regional and local levels as means of supporting MSMEs and regional economic growth. • Working with National Tourism Promotion Agency, Municipalities and Central Government as well as over 100 local stakeholders on successfully promoting Macedonia as Adventure tourism destination, through establishing partnerships with relevant international organization such as the Adventure Trade and Travel Association, and number of international tour operators and media specialized in Adventure tourism including Wanderlust, National geographic, Yahoo travel etc. • Enhancing the Dairy Supply Chain in Macedonia by introducing new technologies at farm level and increasing fodder yields by three fold, hence transforming the industry and making it competitive in the region. In 2014, the enhanced practices at farm level were adopted by the Central Government and introduced as one of the key measures for enhancement of the local economy in the national program for rural development. • Supporting women entrepreneurship by establishing a fund to support micro and small women owned businesses in rural areas. After 12 months of successful work of the fund, Ms. Makedonska managed to raise additional 100,000 US$ as matching funds from private and public sector in the country. The fund so far supported over 25 women owned businesses to expand their operations and hire 50+ women living in rural areas. Show less



Innovation Center Macedonia

• North Macedonia
• Internet Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Project Manager and Financial Platform Manager

  • Jan 2012 - Jun 2012

  USAID funded AgBizE Project assisting over 20 companies in agriculture and food processing to obtain debt and equity funding • In charge of writing Project proposals and fund raising that resulted with 60,000 USD grant for the organization; • Developing Project strategy and annual work plans • Day to day supervision of Project implementation and execution of contracts • Direct supervision and coaching of the Project staff • Developing Project management to use to reporting purposes to the clients • Monitoring of contract execution • Approving reports, deliverables and invoices • Ensuring smooth transition of the Project to the junior Project team in April 2012 Show less



RTI International-Research Triangle Institute, North Carolina ,USA

• Access to Finance Manager

  • Nov 2007 - Jan 2012

  Took a leadership role and developed a Financial Platform aimed at reducing poverty, increasing employment, enhancing companies’ ability to invest, hire and/or retain workforce and reach out to new value add export markets. In less than 2 years the Platform assisted over 20 consultants build a niche market for themselves and assisted over 120 companies access fresh finance, invest over 75 million US$ in their business expansion plans and as a result open 1066 new jobs. The Financial Platform has been taken as a practice and implemented regionally by USAID and other donors; • Managed a pool of over 30 local and international financial facilitators, consultants and analyst and a pool of over 120 companies; • As part of the Financial Platform, took a leading role in involving all locally present financial institutions and regional equity and venture funds. Organized 4 conferences and 12 matchmaking events, the latter one used to educate over 600 companies on the alternative financial products available on the market and thus bridge the gap of asymmetric flow of information between businesses, financial institutions and consultants. This activity was leveraged with the funds available from Austrian Development Agency in Macedonia as well as other USAID projects. Served as advisor to Macedonian Development Bank in introducing a new innovative financial product "factoring" that has been missing on the market yet is indispensable for acceleration of companies' growth by providing them with the necessary working capital to increase activity. Show less



DAI-Development Alternatives INC, Macedonia

• Association Development Specialist

  • Jan 2002 - May 2007

   Managed the Business Improvement District Project (BID), a public private partnership between the private sector and the respective municipality to strengthen and revive the dormant private sector.  Provided technical assistance to the BID private sector associations  Supervised the formation and registration of the associations; assisted in the drafting of their by-laws; organized the setting up of offices; participated in the process of selection of BID managers and closely cooperated with them on developing work plans and budgets.  Managed the Integrated Technical Approach of delivering technical assistance to 56 partner municipalities  Organized various tailor-made trainings for the employees in the partner municipalities (beneficiaries of the TA), as well as on-the-job trainings and workshops on topics that were previously identified by the municipalities themselves as priorities for further HR development in the municipalities.  Provided TA in the institutional development of ZELS (association of municipalities) and AFO (Association of Finance Officers).  Established and deepened an excellent relationship with Association of Local Governments or RM (ZELS) and the Association of Finance Officers (AFO)  Organized numerous workshops and trainings on enhancing their advocacy and lobbying role in the country. Show less



ACDI/VOCA

• United States
• International Trade and Development
• 700 & Above Employee

• Project Coordinator

  • Feb 2002 - Sep 2002

  Organized seminars, workshops, trainings and presentations for the farmers’ association in Macedonia. • Prepared materials for the seminars; translated documents; and performed consecutive and simultaneous interpreting at the seminars, workshops, meetings and presentations. • Guided a group of sheep farmers on a study tour to the American Farm School of Thessalonica. Organized seminars, workshops, trainings and presentations for the farmers’ association in Macedonia. • Prepared materials for the seminars; translated documents; and performed consecutive and simultaneous interpreting at the seminars, workshops, meetings and presentations. • Guided a group of sheep farmers on a study tour to the American Farm School of Thessalonica.



Center For Foreign Languages, Skopje, Macedonia

• Senior Teacher of Italian Language and Teacher of English

  • Sep 1997 - Feb 2002

  Delivered intensive Italian and English language lessons to mixed age groups of students mostly focusing on business and banking English, for employees of Ministry of Finance, National bank of Macedonia and Macedonian Telecom as key clients. Delivered intensive Italian and English language lessons to mixed age groups of students mostly focusing on business and banking English, for employees of Ministry of Finance, National bank of Macedonia and Macedonian Telecom as key clients.



CPF PHARE/Ministry of Development, Macedonia

• Project Assistant

  • Sep 1998 - Dec 1998

  Assisted PHARE officials in managing the Counter Part Funds (CPF) in Macedonia. The CPF were revolving funds offered as grants to the Republic of Macedonia to assist companies and factories in becoming financially stable, operational and profitable. Assisted PHARE officials in managing the Counter Part Funds (CPF) in Macedonia. The CPF were revolving funds offered as grants to the Republic of Macedonia to assist companies and factories in becoming financially stable, operational and profitable.