Available to hire
Hello! I am Maria Fernanda Vieira Machado, a development cooperation manager with over a decade of hands-on experience coordinating and representing programs across Africa and Lusophone countries. My work covers health, gender-based violence prevention, human rights, civil society capacity building, agroforestry and climate awareness, and youth employment. I thrive in multi-donor environments and have consistently paired program design with strong country presence and stakeholder engagement to deliver sustainable results.
I have led teams, managed complex budgets, and built partnerships with donors such as the European Union, AICS, AECID, SIDA, AFDB, and UNICEF. My strengths include program/production management, security and risk assessment, reporting, and proposal development, with functional fluency in Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, and Italian. I enjoy turning strategic goals into concrete actions that empower communities and drive impact.
Skills
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Language
Portuguese
Fluent
English
Advanced
Spanish; Castilian
Fluent
French
Advanced
Italian
Beginner
Work Experience
Country Director at ICEI – Instituto Cooperazione Economica Internazionale
October 16, 2024 - October 16, 2024Country Director responsible for institutional representation in Mozambique, project design and supervision, HR management and supervision across Maputo, Zambezia, Manica and Sofala. Financial oversight of the mission, operational management, and donor liaison. Led advocacy on Agroforestry Systems (Syntropic Agriculture) with local stakeholders and managed a EU-funded climate change awareness initiative targeting youth, including a microgrants component for civil society initiatives. Donors: AICS, AFDB, SIDA, EU Delegation in Mozambique.
Program Manager / Head of Mission at COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale
December 31, 2021 - December 31, 2021Institutional representative in The Gambia; team management; program management focusing on youth employability via Cash for Work and child protection (Child Friendly Space); donor reporting; stakeholder engagement and proposal writing; logistics and compliance; close of intervention with EU funding in partnership with ENABEL.
Country Director at Medicos del Mundo
December 31, 2020 - December 31, 2020Representative in Mozambique; supervision of interventions in Maputo (GBV and youth empowerment) and Cabo Delgado (Nutrition and WASH); contributed to national policy development with the Ministry of Gender and Family to support Victims Care Centers; organized national workshop; monitored IDAI emergency response; capacity building, finance supervision and donor reporting; COVID-19 emergency coordination.
Head of Mission at TARGET e. V. (Rüdiger Nehberg)
December 31, 2018 - December 31, 2018Program management to prevent Female Genital Mutilation (awareness, advocacy and behavior change); team management; capacity building; financial management; M&E; reporting; field missions including media engagement for fundraising.
Consultant at ORN – Outright Namibia
June 1, 2017 - June 1, 2017Restructured programs department; management, coordination and monitoring of LGBTI awareness and advocacy programs; donor reporting; networking with authorities and civil society; program finance and M&E.
Gender and Civil Society Program Manager at PIN – People in Need
December 31, 2016 - December 31, 2016Managed gender and civil society program in Bié Province; microgrants for awareness-raising and income generation for women; established social protection network for victims of domestic violence; regular donor reporting; GBV trainings for health staff and police; provincial coordination and market study for potential income activities; EU donor with government co-funding.
Head of Mission at AMI – International Medical Assistance
December 31, 2012 - December 31, 2012Team management; financial and logistic oversight of the mission; supervision of health projects in Bijagós Island; institutional representation to donors and public authorities.
Project Officer at Medicos do Mundo
May 31, 2011 - May 31, 2011Preparation of SRH project procedures for São Tomé and Príncipe; security manual; behavior change communication strategy; stakeholder engagement plan; mapping and fundraising activities.
Desk Officer at Medicos do Mundo
February 28, 2011 - February 28, 2011Project management support for HIV, SRH, nutrition, WASH; donor engagement; resources mobilization; reporting to HQ and donors; coordination with country teams.
Desk Officer at Conexão – Serviço de Integração Social
December 31, 2008 - December 31, 2008UNV volunteer; development of communications materials; English language teaching for disadvantaged children; volunteer program guidelines.
Intern at Intermon Oxfam
May 15, 2008 - May 15, 2008Fundraising support, media engagement, awareness campaigns in Galicia, preparation for a fair trade store opening.
Assistant (Event Preparation and Implementation) at European Parliament
July 31, 2006 - July 31, 2006Preparation and implementation of a seminar and exposition on Fair Trade within EU context; event organized in Lisbon.
Head of Mission at TARGET e. V. / Rüdiger Nehberg
December 31, 2018 - December 31, 2018Program management focused on preventing Female Genital Mutilation (awareness, advocacy and behavior change). Team management; staff capacity building; financial management; monitoring & evaluation; reporting; logistics; organized roundtables per province to engage local and governmental actors; field missions with HQ staff and journalists for fundraising.
Gender and Civil Society Program Manager at PIN – People in Need (Angola)
December 31, 2016 - December 31, 2016GBV prevention; coordination of microgrants; income generation activities for groups of vulnerable women; creation of a social protection network for victims; trainings for health staff and police; monthly provincial meetings; donor reporting; EU Delegation in Luanda; co-funding with Government.
Project Officer at Medicos do Mundo – São Tomé e Príncipe
May 31, 2011 - May 31, 2011Manuals for SRH project kick-off; security manual; behavior change communication strategy; stakeholder engagement; mapping and outreach for potential new funding.
Desk Officer at Medicos do Mundo – Lisbon Office
February 28, 2011 - February 28, 2011Project management support to Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé e Príncipe and Timor-Leste; HIV prevention, SRH, nutrition, WASH; donor engagement; resources mobilization; reporting.
UN Volunteer Desk Officer at Conexão – Serviço de Integração Social (UNV)
December 31, 2008 - December 31, 2008Design of communication plan; development of communication materials; creation of manual for voluntary work; teaching English to disadvantaged children.
Intern at Intermon Oxfam (Leonardo da Vinci Internship)
May 15, 2008 - May 15, 2008Fundraising support; media engagement; awareness campaigns; support for opening a fair trade store in Santiago de Compostela.
Event Assistant / Internship at European Parliament
July 31, 2006 - July 31, 2006Preparation and implementation of Fair Trade seminar/exhibition; EU context; event in Lisbon with MEP support.
Education
Master in Diplomacy, International Relations, Security and Defense at INISEG (Instituto Internacional de Estudos em Segurança Global) / Università Ecampus, Italy
March 8, 2022 - March 19, 2024Master in Equality and Equity in Development at Central University of Catalunya
October 15, 2016 - December 31, 2017Master in International Cooperation and NGOs management at Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Santiago de Compostela
October 1, 2007 - December 31, 2008Graduation in Communication Studies at University of Minho
September 15, 1999 - July 31, 2004Master in Diplomacy, International Relations, Security and Defense at INISEG (Instituto Internacional de Estudios en Seguridad Global) / Università Ecampus, Italy
March 8, 2022 - March 19, 2024Master in Equality and Equity in Development at Central University of Catalunya
October 15, 2016 - December 31, 2017Master in International Cooperation and NGOs Management at Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Santiago de Compostela
October 1, 2007 - December 31, 2008Graduation in Communication Studies at University of Minho
September 15, 1999 - July 31, 2004Qualifications
Crisis and Security Management trainings within NGOs
January 1, 2024 - November 4, 2025Security Management Training (INSO)
August 28, 2024 - August 29, 2024NVIVO Software Training
January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015Gender Equality in Organizations
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012Asylum and Refugees Training
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012Euro-regional Integration and Development Course
January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2007Crisis and Security Management trainings within NGOs (INSO)
January 11, 2030 - November 14, 2025Security Management Training (INSO) – Maputo
January 11, 2030 - November 14, 2025NVivo software training: Qualitative data management and analysis
January 1, 2015 - November 14, 2025Gender equality and practical implications in organizations
January 1, 2012 - November 14, 2025Asylum and Refugees training
January 1, 2012 - November 14, 2025Euro-regional Integration and Development course
January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2007Leonardo da Vinci Internship – Intermon Oxfam
February 15, 2007 - May 15, 2008Industry Experience
Healthcare, Non-Profit Organization, Education, Government, Agriculture & Mining
Skills
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
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