About
As Programme Manager at ICARS, Ornela is responsible for grant management, ensuring alignment between donor expectations and the organization’s strategic objectives. With a background spanning research, international development, and policy-driven implementation, she has worked across sectors and countries to deliver complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives funded by the EU and other institutional donors. She has been actively involved throughout the full project lifecycle – from strategic partnership development and application design to implementation, closure, and auditing – with a focus on strengthening collaboration, delivery, and capacity in diverse contexts. Her academic and professional experience reflects a strong interest in how strategic partnerships – linking public, private, and academic sectors – can accelerate solutions to pressing global challenges. Ornela has an academic background in Finance and Management and is currently completing her PhD in Global Strategy / International Business at Copenhagen Business School.