Marijke Geerts

• Seconded by British Council, Brussels
• Led the knowledge management component for the ICR Facility, coordinating a cross-functional team of 19 experts from consortium partners (British Council, GIZ, EF, SNV), ensuring quality standards, strategic alignment, and effective knowledge dissemination
• Developed and maintained the ICR Knowledge Hub, producing knowledge products, including comprehensive ICReports, and public-facing content (blogs, videos) to maximize outreach and impact, aligning with EU strategic goals
• Oversaw capacity-building initiatives, delivering both virtual and in-person training and facilitating peer-to-peer learning events to support public and private stakeholders in enhancing investment climates across targeted regions, with a special focus on supporting women and youth's economic empowerment
• Supported EU project objectives through regular interaction with DG INTPA, the OACPS, promoting cross-cultural dialogue, public diplomacy, and international cooperation
• Led webinars, networking sessions, and exchanges on critical topics like womens’ economic empowerment
• Contributed to the ICR’s success, driving a growth in project funding (from €12M to €26M) and achieving consistently high-impact outcomes

• Delivered training on EU Affairs, including

- the FPI’s rapid response mechanisms, conflict prevention strategies, cultural diplomacy, and

- DG INTPA’s support to CSOs, rule of law, good governance, cultural awareness, education, social enterprise, gender equality, human rights, across multiple regions (e.g., Miami, Johannesburg, Dubai, Mumbai), enhancing international teams’ capacity to manage EU-funded projects

• Coordinated EU-funded project delivery, overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for over €150M in funding across four continents, ensuring compliance with EU policies and objectives
• Organised and participated in many networking events, including a large event in Rwanda last June (bringing over 140 policy makers and private sector representatives together), EU DevDays sessions, a round table in the EU Parliament, the EU’s Practitioners Network, helping secure a direct EU award for the ICR Facility alongside partners
• Built strategic partnerships with EU institutions, strengthening British Council’s role as a key cultural diplomacy partner for the UK and advancing EU engagement with public diplomacy and cultural projects

• Company Overview: Brussels
• Managed project life cycles for EU-funded initiatives, ensuring operational and financial compliance and overseeing the quality assurance of deliverables
• Coordinated regularly with the EC to maintain project alignment with strategic goals
• Conducted market analysis and led the development of consortium partnerships for new projects, streamlining processes for proposal writing and knowledge-sharing initiatives

• Company Overview: Brussels
• Designed and implemented technical proposals for EU projects focused on education and social development
• Conducted country policy analyses and engaged in field missions to support proposal development in Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Serbia
• Supported project teams in the delivery of EU objectives related to capacity building, public sector reforms, and social development, contributing to long-term strategy and knowledge-sharing

• Company Overview: European Commission in Brussels
• Analysis and implementation of the EU communication strategy in the European Delegations
• In this position I have gained a good understanding of how the EC works on the inside: political sensitivities, ways of working (procedures, mind-set, priorities, etc), and I have increased my network of contacts
• I was also the Relex’ interns’ spokesperson, which was a good way to learn to speak to big groups and to organise meetings with high level commission officials
• European Commission in Brussels

• Event management
• Daily office management

• Produced daily newsletters on EU migration policy developments and coordinated press releases for UNHCR Brussels office