CRM Salesforce
IRENA BELCHEVA
Summary
Experienced strategic project manager with 15+ years of experience in driving client success, stakeholder management, and coordinating complex international projects in sourcing, foreign direct investment advisory, and business development consulting. Skilled at engaging senior stakeholders, including C-level executives, in high-impact partnerships that unlock growth and operational efficiency. Multilingual and results-driven with experience in both government and private sectors. Proficient in project lifecycle management, including initiation, planning, execution, and closure. Utilizes effective communication and leadership skills to guide teams and stakeholders. Proven track record of applying strategic thinking and risk assessment to achieve project goals efficiently.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications
6
6
Languages
Work History
Senior Project Manager
Chamber of Commerce Switzerland-Central Europe
10.2021 - Current
- Managing client projects: advising companies from Switzerland and the CEE region to better export or invest, find new partners and strategic customers
- Conducting market analyses to support members’ investment, export and nearshoring activities
- Acquisition and onboarding of new members, members engagement and cultivating strong, long-term relationships with existing ones, ensuring personalized support and guidance for their success.
- Organising high-impact events and webinars, including the Swiss CEE IT Solutions & Talent Summit in Zurich (2023, 2024)
Partnership Manager
GreenBuzz
06.2020 - 09.2021
- Led a proactive strategy to secure new partners while fostering, nurturing, and expanding existing relationships.
- Collaborated with Swiss and EU regulators to facilitate knowledge exchange between financial institutions, corporates, and professionals in the sustainable finance sector.
- Provided subject matter expertise on Sustainable Finance, supporting the team in organizing thematic events focused on sustainability
Foreign Direct Investment Advisor
Government of N. Macedonia
01.2012 - 04.2017
- Led FDI attraction efforts and managed end-to-end investment projects, from lead generation to execution, securing investment commitments from Fortune 500 and multinational companies.
- Led the planning and execution of promotional campaigns, investment forums, and strategic meetings in Macedonia and abroad, delivering persuasive presentations and building strategic relationships with senior executives and industry leaders.
- Advised domestic companies on export strategies and B2B market expansion, fostering direct partnerships with global corporations.
Project Consultant
EuroFunds
07.2008 - 01.2011
- Advised clients, ranging from SMEs to NGOs and municipalities, on project development and writing project proposal applications
- Stakeholder Management: Managed relationships with foreign donors, EU institutions procuring entities, banks and local partners
- Organized trainings and workshops on EU Funding programmes
Research Assistant
USAID’s Partners for Financial Stability
07.2009 - 09.2009
- Researched investor relations and CSR of the Ten Largest Listed Companies (by market capitalization) in 11 Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries
Analyst – Intern
UN FAO – Investment Centre Division
02.2007 - 06.2007
- Engaged in impactful EastAgri’s Team economic research, I prepared an investment analysis report on the Macedonian wine sector, providing crucial insights that influenced EBRD's investment decision. The outcome was a successful 6.0-million-euro equity investment, making EBRD a minority shareholder in the leading Macedonian wine producer.
- Additionally, I actively participated in the preparation of a working paper for a World Bank project, showcasing my multifaceted expertise in project finance
Intern – Finance & Procurement
Macedonian Telecommunications (Deutsche Telekom)
10.2006 - 02.2007
- Managed SAP POs and supported financial reporting.
Education
Executive CAS - Sustainable Finance
University of Zurich
MA - International Relations (Eastern Europe)
University of Bologna
MSc - Banking and Finance
University of Sheffield
Leadership Development Programme - undefined
College of Europe
BSc - International Trade
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
Skopje, N. MacedoniaSkills
Project & Account Management
undefinedResidence Permit
Swiss Residence Permit: C
Affiliations
- Project Management Institute
- Global Macedonians
- Bosch Alumni Network
- Impact Hub Network
- AIESEC Alumni
Software
Microsoft 365
Chat GPT
Google Gemini
Bexio
SAP ERP
Certification
Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project , Google
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Languages
English
Advanced (C1)
German
Upper intermediate (B2)
Macedonian
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Serbian
Advanced (C1)
Bosnian
Advanced (C1)
Bulgarian
Upper intermediate (B2)
Italian
Elementary (A2)
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimePart TimeWork Location
On-SiteRemoteImportant To Me
Career advancementCompany CulturePersonal development programsStock Options / Equity / Profit SharingTimeline
Market System Development, DevLearn
06-2025
Project Planning: Putting It All Together
04-2025
Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project , Google
03-2025
Senior Project Manager
Chamber of Commerce Switzerland-Central Europe
10.2021 - Current
Unlocking Investment and Finance in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies, World Bank
05-2021
Partnership Manager
GreenBuzz
06.2020 - 09.2021
Foreign Direct Investment Advisor
Government of N. Macedonia
01.2012 - 04.2017
Junior Project Manager, Europa Media
04-2011
Research Assistant
USAID’s Partners for Financial Stability
07.2009 - 09.2009
Project Consultant
EuroFunds
07.2008 - 01.2011
Analyst – Intern
UN FAO – Investment Centre Division
02.2007 - 06.2007
Intern – Finance & Procurement
Macedonian Telecommunications (Deutsche Telekom)
10.2006 - 02.2007
MA - International Relations (Eastern Europe)
University of Bologna
MSc - Banking and Finance
University of Sheffield
Leadership Development Programme - undefined
College of Europe
BSc - International Trade
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
Executive CAS - Sustainable Finance
University of Zurich
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