Michael Mayerhofer, MA
Freelance Consultant
Education and Trainings:
- 2002-2007 Commercial Academy Zwettl, vocational school on business and economics with specialization in information technology
- 2008 bis 2011: Bachelor Political Science at Free University Berlin
- Jul 2012: Four weeks Vienna International Christian Islamic Summer University
- 2011-2013: Master Political Science at University of Vienna;
Master thesis “From Combatants to Cops: The Integration of Kosovo Liberation Army Veterans into the Kosovo Police and its Impact on Police Performance” - Aug/Nov 2013: Hostile Environment Awareness Training: one week with TOR international in Kabul and one week with German Armed Forces in Hammelburg,
- Jun/Jul 2014: Six weeks GIZ in-house Training on project management and advisory roles
- Aug/Nov 2013: Hostile Environment Awareness Training: one week with TOR international in Kabul and one week with German Armed Forces in Hammelburg,
- Language Skills: German, English, French, Levantine Arabic, Farsi (Persian)
Work Experience:
- Since Apr 2015: Studying Levantine Arabic in Beirut and Tripoli through private tutors; reached working level fluency within one year through an efficient and disciplined approach for which I set clear goals and allocated the required resources to achieve them within the envisioned time frame
- Sep 2015: Proposal writer for GIZ on EU-funded project on Countering Violent Extremism in Jordan with a volume of 5,000,000 Euro; proposal won the bid
- Jan-Feb 2016: Consultant on organisation development at a local NGO in Tripoli (Basmeh w Zeitooneh); advising the NGO on developing finance, logistics and HR policies - Election observer in Afghan Presidential Election Audit 2014 with EU Election Assessment Team and in Ukrainian Parliamentary Elections 2014 with Committee for Open Democracy
- Nov 2014 – Mar 2015: Different volunteer work with refugees in Vienna
- Caritas Vienna Head Office, Department on Asylum and Integration, Tasks: Writing project proposals for EU funds
- Diakonie, Legal Aid Office at Asylum Seekers Reception Centre Traiskirchen, Tasks: Providing Farsi-German translation during legal counselling sessions - Jun 2013 – Oct 2014: Junior Advisor at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Risk Management Office Kabul, Afghanistan
- Tasks: Developing and managing the Radio Room consisting of a team of 12 national colleagues; overseeing HR, logistics and administrative procedures during phase of institutional transition of RMO Kabul; drafting Standard Operation Policies, introduce them to staff and following up on implementation; implementing capacity building of local radio room staff and establishing knowledge management system
- Achievements: Successfully established and maintained a work system for the radio room that was able to run without close supervision of expatriate staff after my departure.
- Success factors: Solid understanding of business administration coupled with cultural sensitivity; persistence and goal orientated work attitude; flexibility to adapt to unexpected events while still keeping long-term focus; - Jan – May 2013: Internship at GIZ, Open Regional Funds (ORF) for Southeast Europe, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Tasks: Supporting the ORF in conducting a peace and conflict assessment to implement conflict sensitive programming; preparing Do-No-Harm workshop;
- Achievements: Drafted context analysis and increased awareness among staff on regional conflict lines that impact programming of the projects
- Success factors: Strong analysis and drafting skills; knowledge of regional context - Aug – Dec 2012: Internship at OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Department for Security and Public Safety, Pristina, Kosovo
- Tasks: Supporting the department’s management with analysis about developments in the Kosovar security sector;
- Achievements: Created a needs assessment report on the institutional landscape of intellectual property rights enforcement in Kosovo and introduced it to project staff
- Success Factors: Strong security background; excellent interpersonal skills and ability to engage with local authorities and international agencies - Feb – Mar 2012: External Researcher at Austrian National Defence Academy, Vienna, Austria
- Apr – Jul 2011: Internship at Austrian Cultural Forum Brussels, Belgium
- Aug – Oct 2010: Internship at Austrian Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Jul 2007 – Sep 2008: Service in Austrian Armed Forces,
- Six months deployment with KFOR/Kosovo as rifleman in armoured infantry company