Experience

Innovation for Change - Middle East & North Africa

• Morocco
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Regional Hub Manager

  • Apr 2019 - Present

  Rajae Boujnah is currently working as the Regional MENA Hub Manager of the “Civil Society Innovation Initiative” Program. As the Regional Hub Manager of CSII MENA, Rajae provided technical, collaborative, and strategic leadership within a regional network of over 40 affiliate Partners (managing a team of 25 staff members and leading a regional network of 1200 members). Rajae grew the Hub’s funding base 10x and solidified cross-sectoral and innovative partnerships. Rajae is working closely with implementing CSO partners to build coalitions of CSOs, social entrepreneurs, policymakers, and technologists to represent citizens’ interests meet shared public policy goals, develop advocacy strategies and tactics for issue-based campaigns, including youth and women’s issues, and build the technical capacity of CSOs in strategic planning, financial sustainability, relationship building, social innovation, and grant management. Rajae is also responsible for establishing and overseeing the management of MENA Hub’s regional strategy, including aggressively pursuing program development and a growth strategy for the region.



International Center for Diplomacy

• Morocco
• International Affairs

• Secretary General

  • Feb 2016 - Sep 2019

  Visited different organizations and networks worldwide to build strategic research and advocacy partnerships with the center. Liaised with representatives from EU, UN, and AU member states on joint advocacy initiatives and submissions to UN mechanisms. Trained young leaders on Diplomacy, advocacy, and the UN International Human Rights Reporting Mechanisms. Chaired international, regional, and national symposiums and diplomatic conferences on pan-Africanism, people-to-people diplomacy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



SimSim-Participation Citoyenne

• Morocco
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Program Manager

  • Jan 2017 - Apr 2019

  As the program manager, Rajae led the overall oversight and management of SimSim’s programs, grants, and funding pipeline, including comprehensive guidance of the team, leading the proposal development process, representation of the organization in national, regional, and international events, and implementing key advocacy initiatives. Rajae worked with legislative and executive representatives to foster greater openness to advocacy messages. Highlights include: - Hired, mentored, and managed a team of 20 staff members and consultants - Elaborated grant proposals and developed quarterly narrative reporting to multiple donors. - Piloted evidence-based research on civic space and social accountability in Morocco and the MENA region. - Provided guidance to program staff on donor guidelines and procedures. - Managed the annual activity report. - Fundraised and developed partnerships with different stakeholders. - Trained hundreds of citizens in submitting petitions and advocacy campaigns to strengthen citizen participation in the MENA region. - Trained hundreds of CSOs on strategic planning, partnership development, advocacy, and campaigning in the MENA region. - Onboarded Moroccan Parliament Members (MPs) to join a citizen communication platform - Organized town hall meetings with elected officials and MPs on public policies. - Developed a Monitoring & Evaluation plan for the different implemented programs. - Raised awareness around the role of the Moroccan parliament and participatory democracy mechanisms in remote areas through campaigns and capacity-building workshops.



UNOPS

• Denmark
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Communications and Positioning Consultant

  • Jan 2016 - Dec 2016

  Managed public outreach communication for the COP 22 and COY 12 conferences, including media relations, while developing communications strategies and campaigns, enforcing branding and marketing requirements, organizing press visits, developing web, print, and broadcast materials, and managing social media presence. Led the communications team during the documentation of the conference proceedings and the development of multi-media presentation tools. Focused on generating content, capturing stories, and impact to highlight the USAID-funded portion of conferences’ achievements, and coordinated with UN and climate negotiators stakeholders to strengthen the conference’s communications efforts. Developed internal and external communications campaigns ensuring knowledge sharing and effective coordination.



Center of Preventing Radicalization in Europe and the Mediterranean region

• Analyst & Research Fellow

  • Jun 2015 - Dec 2016

  - Led research and data collection on subjects, including terrorism studies and methodologies to counter violent extremism in the Mediterranean region, including providing analysis and producing content materials to support the CVE initiatives in the region. - Monitored and analyzed key regional political developments on CVE. - Streamlined and standardized all research processes. - Led research and data collection on subjects, including terrorism studies and methodologies to counter violent extremism in the Mediterranean region, including providing analysis and producing content materials to support the CVE initiatives in the region. - Monitored and analyzed key regional political developments on CVE. - Streamlined and standardized all research processes.


L’association Marocaine des Débats
• Co-founder and President

  • Nov 2013 - Oct 2016