Zeyad Abouselima
Berlin
Summary
Strategic and multilingual development professional with over 7 years of experience managing migration portfolios, facilitating high-level policy dialogues, and leading cross-border cooperation across Europe and the MENA region. Proven expertise in return and reintegration programs, stakeholder engagement, and aligning bilateral initiatives with national and institutional strategies.
Skilled at driving impact through relationship building, regional coordination, and operational diplomacy with embassies, ministries, and international partners. Currently enhancing M&E capabilities to support data-driven program design and delivery.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Project Manager-Bilateral Migration Co-operation
German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Division 72D
Berlin
02.2020 - Current
- Oversee Germany’s coordination on EU-funded return and reintegration programs in Tunisia and Morocco, working in close partnership with French counterparts, including OFII and Expertise France, to ensure policy alignment, institutional coherence, and effective bilateral implementation.
- Coordinate with implementing partners GIZ and ICMPD on the delivery of EU- and Germany-funded initiatives in Iraq and Jordan, contributing to program design, advising on strategic framing, and ensuring alignment with donor priorities and institutional mandates.
- Facilitate strategic engagement with MENA-region embassies and government counterparts, contributing to the diplomatic and operational framework for reintegration.
- Prepare strategic briefs, internal updates, and cooperation assessments for the German Ministry of the Interior, supporting multi-year planning and regional funding decision.
- Represent BAMF in EU-level working groups and regional migration dialogues, contributing to joint donor coordination and offering institutional insight to shape reintegration strategies and thematic priorities across the MENA region.
- Advise on the oversight of Germany- and EU-funded programs, helping to ensure program relevance to donor priorities, and flagging implementation challenges from a government perspective.
- Host technical exchanges with delegations from the MENA region, contributing to operational learning and long-term relationship building.
Trainee-Programme Migration for Development (PME)
GIZ
Eschborn
04.2019 - 10.2019
- Conducted research on vocational training systems and returnee reintegration in North Africa to inform strategic planning.
- Supported development of security protocols and advisory tools for regional implementation.
- Co-organized North Africa Regional Workshop in Tunis, engaging 50+ stakeholders across government and NGO sectors.
- Drafted analytical notes and internal guidance to improve program coherence and knowledge sharing between GIZ country teams.
Research Intern-Middle East & North Africa Desk
Amnesty International
Berlin
05.2018 - 07.2018
- Conducted targeted research and documentation on human rights violations across the MENA region, analyzing case reports from national and international sources.
- Contributed to the Amnesty International Report 2017/18: The State of the World's Human Rights, supporting research, drafting, and verification of MENA-region country entries.
- Drafted press statements, urgent actions, and rapid-response updates for advocacy with government officials, NGOs, and multilateral organizations.
- Produced weekly internal briefings on political developments and human rights risks to support real-time strategic planning.
- Maintained and updated research databases to support cross-team knowledge sharing and case tracking.
Project Intern-MENA Unit
Democracy Reporting International
Berlin
02.2017 - 05.2017
- Developed donor proposals and strategy briefings for governance reform projects in Lebanon and Tunisia.
- Supported stakeholder mapping and engagement processes with CSOs and regional policy experts.
- Collaborated on donor reporting and partner coordination with the German and Swedish governments.
- Contributed to the development and editing of DRI’s Annual Report 2016, providing input on program achievements, impact narratives, and regional context.
Program Assistant
CARE International
Cairo
01.2015 - 09.2015
- Contributed to the implementation of community-based livelihood and GBV prevention programs targeting marginalized women.
- Coordinated stakeholder engagement activities with local government and NGOs.
- Conducted field monitoring and contributed to evaluation reports used in donor reporting cycles.
Education
Diploma - Monitoring and Evaluation (Online)
American University in Cairo
Cairo, Egypt09-2025
M.A. - Political Science, Sociology and History
University of Siegen
Siegen, Germany05.2019
B.Sc. - Political Science and Economics
Cairo University
Cairo, Egypt05.2014
Skills
- MS Office Suite
- Kanban
- JIRA
- Power BI – data visualization and dashboard creation
Certification
- Change management fundamentals (2024) - stakeholder analysis – mastering tools for stakeholder identification, engagement, and influence in change-driven environments
- Agile Project Management
- IOM Summer School on Migration Studies (2021)
- Grant Writing for Development Professionals
Languages
Arabic
First Language
English
Proficient (C2)
C2
German
Proficient (C2)
C2
Timeline
Project Manager-Bilateral Migration Co-operation
German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Division 72D
02.2020 - Current
Trainee-Programme Migration for Development (PME)
GIZ
04.2019 - 10.2019
Research Intern-Middle East & North Africa Desk
Amnesty International
05.2018 - 07.2018
Project Intern-MENA Unit
Democracy Reporting International
02.2017 - 05.2017
Program Assistant
CARE International
01.2015 - 09.2015
Diploma - Monitoring and Evaluation (Online)
American University in Cairo
M.A. - Political Science, Sociology and History
University of Siegen
B.Sc. - Political Science and Economics
Cairo University
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