Raya Barazanji

**** **** ** *

Arlington, VA ****5

Mobile: 703-***-****

Email: addxku@r.postjobfree.com

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

Subject matter expert on Iraq and Middle Eastern affairs; over 20 years’ experience working with civil society on democracy and peacebuilding programs; solid grants and contracts management, proposal writing and fundraising, project design and implementation, personnel management, recruitment and training, capacity building programs and designing training manuals, grassroots and community organizing; monitoring and evaluation, excellent writing, research and analysis skills, native speaker of Arabic, beginner level French, Farsi, and Turkish.

WORK EXPERIENCE

06/01/2020 – Present Iraq Foundation, Washington, DC

Consultant Program Management: oversee the launch of a new PVE project in Iraq, write proposals for funding, and support the Foundation’s strategic planning and fundraising initiatives.

7/2019 – 4/30/2020 DS Technology DWC, LLC, Dubai, UAE

Consultant: managed the company’s operations during reorganization and transition; led the registration and licensing process in UAE and Iraq, set up the office in Baghdad and managed the communications with clients including the Iraqi ministries of oil, and telecommunications as well as the Abu Dhabi Power Corporation. Represented the company at the highest levels and provided presentations to clients.

7/2018 – 6/2019 U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), Washington, DC

Senior Program Officer: managed a number of Institute’s projects in Iraq, Syria and Yemen; contributed to the development of new projects and interventions; led the planning, financial management, public outreach, and monitoring and evaluation functions in collaboration with the Middle East program team; conducted research; presented at conferences and workshops; provided analysis to other public and private organizations, including the media; developed publications, training courses, workshops, training and educational programs and materials; and conducted training courses and lectures.

11/2010 – 7/2018 U.S. Institute of Peace, Washington, DC

Senior Program Officer: managed a portfolio of Institute’s grant projects at the Center for Middle East and Africa. Grantmaking activities included soliciting grant applications, reviewing and evaluating grant proposals; managing an internal staff and external peer review process of proposal evaluation; conducting monitoring and evaluation site visits to grantee organizations; conceptualizing and organizing focused events and training workshops, provided training to grantees on proposal writing and monitoring and evaluation techniques; wrote grant highlights and newsletters for internal discussion and external distribution.

8/2007 – 10/2010 ASET International Services LLC, Arlington, VA

Program Manager: managed content for two news websites that focus on counterterrorism, counter violent extremism, and pro-democracy themes: www.mawtani.com that is targeted to Iraq, and www.al-shorfa.com that is targeted to the broader Middle East. Recruited, evaluated, hired, scheduled and directed content contributors (writers, journalists, commentators, editors, photo editors, and multimedia contributors) located in Iraq and other countries in the Middle East. Produced original content as required; maintained all program operations associated with the site, such as scheduling, cost-tracking, invoice approval, and other program budgetary and operational functions.

2/2006 – 12/2006 American International Health Alliance, Inc., Washington, DC

Awards Compliance Manager/Grants Manager: managed the organization’s varied grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts, issued and modified sub-grant agreements to AIHA’s partners (from healthcare organizations to civil society organizations worldwide), ensured compliance with the USG funding regulations and other donors’ requirements, oversaw the compliance of sub-grantees with AIHA’s funding agents requirements, established and maintained an electronic system of award compliance, supervised procurement and acquisition policies and operations, assisted the business development team in proposals and grant-writing, and participated in special task forces.

10/2001 – 2/2006 Iraq Foundation, Washington, DC

Chief Operating Officer: managed all aspects of the organization’s programmatic and administrative operations including: grants and funds management, program implementation and work plans, personnel, recruited and trained staff for the organization’s various projects; researched and negotiated fundraising opportunities, wrote proposals for funding, and coordinated relations with donors and supporters of the organization.

IF RISE Field Director: concurrently implemented the USAID funded Revitalizing Iraqi Schools and Education Sector project (RISE) in Iraq in collaboration with prime contractor Creative Associates International and other RISE partner agencies. Supervised a nationwide school survey and teacher training program components; set up offices in Baghdad and Basra, recruited and trained staff for offices and teacher trainers, prepared narrative and financial reports and statements for donors, and oversaw field daily program operations.

2/2000 – 10/2001 US Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, International Visitors Program, Washington, DC

Seminar Interpreter: provided simultaneous interpretation to Arabic-speaking delegations and visitors from countries of the Middle East as they participated in the US State Department training and cultural exchange programs. Training and program topics included: The Judiciary System in the US and the Rule of Law, Independent Economies, Intellectual Property, Counterterrorism programs, and Crisis Response and Preparedness. Participants were from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

5/1998 – 2/2000 Iraq Foundation, Washington, DC

Program Manager: designed and managed a community organizing and integration program that serves refugee groups in the United States. Project tasks included: designing the program’s plan of action and strategy; conducting site visits to local refugee communities, developing community relations, setting up local service and community centers in Chicago, Nashville, Saint Louis and Dearborn, hiring and training staff from within the refugee communities to provide services in local offices, conducting routine site visits to monitor and evaluate the operations of the community service centers, conducting needs-assessments of refugee communities, collaborating with other local and national refugee and community-based organizations, writing the program’s operations and procedures manual; and negotiating the program funding opportunities.

9/1997- 5/1998 Assistant to Director Iraq Foundation, Washington, DC

9/1995 – 5/1997 Teaching Assistant of Arabic language - Tufts University, Medford, MA

12/1993 – 8/1995 Staff Assistant – Harvard University, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Cambridge, MA

3/1993 – 8/1993 Program Coordinator – UNICEF - Baghdad, Iraq

7/1991 – 03/1993 Staff Assistant – Foote, Cone & Belding, San Francisco, CA

7/1990 – 06/1991 Office Manager – Cortronix, Los Angeles, CA

12/1989 – 07/1990 Office Manager – Zamil Steel, Baghdad, Iraq

7/1986 – 12/1989 Interpreter – Park Hospital Management Co. Baghdad, Iraq

1/1983 – 03/1983 Translator – Baghdad Observer daily newspaper, Baghdad, Iraq.

EDUCATION

1995-1997 Masters in Law & Diplomacy (MALD), The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, MA. Fields of Study: International Communication & Information, International Law, Islamic Law, Southwest Asian Politics & Culture.

1982-1986 BA in Translation and English Literature, College of Arts, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq.

PERSONAL

-Member, Vital Voices, Washington, DC

-Member, Women in International Security, Washington, DC

-Board Member, Sanad for Peacebuilding, Iraq

-Board Member, the Iraq Foundation, Washington, DC & Iraq

-US citizen, TS Level security clearance obtained 6/29/2010

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