Formal Resume

Enterpreneur and Independent Expert-Consultant

NKM Online

I offer online services and consulting using my experience and knowledge, building partnerships around shared values and helping clients to communicate for social change. Recently launched the “Mission Possible” project, collecting original and universal „messages to younger selves“, aiming to help young people who are just starting their careers, by connecting contacts, stories and interests. Through the newly established online learning platform Eduza.hr, as one of the guest-educators, I offer online courses using my expertise and experience.

National Team Lead, Investment Cases for Children

Genesis Analytics (Commissioned by UNICEF)

As the Team Lead at national level for the project “Investment Cases for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, my main responsibilities include overarching support to the team as a national representative in BiH, including with technical and methodological issues and supporting the team in gaining access to data sources; participating in advocacy meetings with government ministries and development partners and in the development of policy recommendations through a consultative process; leading in the collection of local and national data to feed into this study; support in the design and implementation of sessions/workshops with external stakeholders such as the Steering Committee with representatives of the Government, civil society including NGOs and the United Nations and other partners (this includes both validation workshops and the dissemination/capacity building workshops at the end of the project).

Communication consultant (developing the communication and advocacy strategy)

UNICEF Liberia

This project included developing the Advocacy and Communication Strategy in alignment with the UNICEF Liberia Country Programme and the Key Results for Children. It includes the (i) definition of overarching communication objectives, (ii) specific goals, key messages, and target audiences, (iii) programme visibility tools and stakeholders’ communication platforms, (iv) media engagement initiatives, and (v) digital communication tactics. Following the development of the Communication and Advocacy Strategy, my task extended to practical support in developing the Advocacy Kit around the priority programmatic topics: (i) child survival and development; (ii) basic education; (iii) child protection and birth registration; (iv) UNICEF in emergencies; as well as (v) UNICEF’s COVID-19 response in Liberia.

Consultant (Project Media and Information Literacy – for human rights and more democracy)

Council of Europe

As the local consultant, I contributed to developing and implementing a robust plan for promoting Media and Information Literacy (MIL). Responsibilities included compiling best practices, crafting implementation guidelines, and overseeing capacity building initiatives—from small-scale social media campaigns to state-level efforts. I contributed to policy development, provided advice on promotion of key studies, and ensured alignment with Council of Europe standards. Collaboration with the local Council of Europe experts was emphasized, and I actively assisted in implementing actions according to the entity’s priorities. In summary, my role involved strategic planning, advisory services, and collaborative efforts to drive effective MIL initiatives and contribute to broader organizational goals.

Communication Specialist (Communication and Partnerships)

UNICEF Croatia

By leading and supervising the Communications and Partnerships Section in the UNICEF Office for Croatia, I had the opportunity to lead strategic communications and to contribute to partnership strategies. Specific activities were internal communications and knowledge sharing sessions including the Program, Fundraising, Partnership and Communications units, and structuring the schedule of advocacy activities. I also made a special contribution to the formulation of the Strategic Communication Plan for the complex program EU Child Guarantee, implemented in Croatia by UNICEF in cooperation with and with the support of the European Union.

Communications Officer

UNICEF TURKMENISTAN – 50% of time

Within this assignment, I have taken the lead on the drafting of the Communications Strategy and review of the Resource Mobilization Strategy for the new Country Programme, as well as provided guidance to the new communications officer on the key visibility publication as well as numerous press releases and statements for the Representative. I was asked both to carry out the responsibilities of the Communication Officer while the post was still vacant, and then also (from June) to help onboard the new colleague, and to coach the new Communication Officer as well as the Digital Media Consultant.

Communication Officer

UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina

For almost 15 years, I was managing the development, implementation and adjustments of the Communication and Advocacy Strategy at UNICEF BiH, with emphasis on aspects of online communication. This included supervising external communication and public information service providers in support of UNICEF programs, establishing and maintaining partnerships in communication activities with a variety of organizations and institutions, including the media, civil society, academia, businesses, and UN agencies; monitoring and maintaining the solid public perception and positive image of the organization; developing and maintaining close cooperation with the mass media, and groups and organizations key to achieving communication goals. An important element of the work was the establishment and management of a functional communications unit and the management of resources effectively and efficiently.

Public Relations Manager

UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina

Working in this role, I have established and developed the Public Relations Unit, which managed to increase the visibility and brand recognition of UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some of challenging tasks were in managing public relations for the first UN-led recovery and development project in Srebrenica, promoting the first National Human Development Reports to the media, as well as managing the UNDP Country Office web page. One of my responsibilities was also to establish and coordinate the UN Communications Group at the country level, facilitating the joint campaigns to promote the Millennium Development Goals for 2015.

Public Information Officer

Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina

I worked in the Public Information team, which was the driving force of several highly visible campaigns – featuring return of property following the return of displaced people, promotion of entrepreneurship and similar topics relevant in the post-conflict recovery in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

TV Journalism Trainer (Part-Time)

Mediacentar Sarajevo

Using my practical experience, combined with the BBC-led Training of Trainers, I was offering practical skill-building training of colleagues-journalists, helping them to master the basic principles of broadcast journalism. One of the particularly important aspects of these trainings was the intention to increase the ethical journalistic principles, as well as to align the technical standards in TV production with the BBC examples. Many former students I trained have built successful media careers.

Journalist / Editor / TV Producer

TV Zetel, OBN, FENA News Agency, Radio Free Europe, Zenica, Various Locations

Production of the weekly TV show included research, filming and gathering stories from partners’ TV stations, coordination and shaping the final product, assuring its standard quality and continuity.

Managing and supervising the organization of daily news gathering process, production of news and original programmes, control and evaluation of the daily work in the local TV station. Working in the small TV station gave me a chance to learn the basics of TV news production. Part-time – correspondent for the Radio Free Europe and News Agency FENA.

PHD (Economics)

University of Sarajevo

My doctoral research focused on econometric analysis of cross-country human capital indicators with the objective to test the hypothesis that early investments in child wellbeing explains cross-generational economic outcomes of societies.
The article resulted from this research was published:
Miroslav Verbič & Nela Kačmarčik-Maduna, 2018. “Child Well-being in Transition Countries as an Intergenerational Investment in the Development of Human Capital,” Child Indicators Research, Springer; The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(4), pages 1077-1105, August.

MA (Financial Management)

School of Economics and Business Sarajevo

The Master Thesis I defended at the end of the study focused on the promotion of financial services in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

BA (Management)

School of Economics and Business Sarajevo

The Final Thesis in this programme focused on the calculation of Beta coefficients for Sarajevo Stock Exchange.

Business School Diploma (Commerce)

Business School Sarajevo

The Final Thesis in this part of education was dedicated to the analysis of PR practices in international organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This research resulted in a presentation at an international conference: Cicic, M., Brkic, N., Kacmarcik N., (2004). Public relations in non-profit organizations: Case of International Organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Enterprise Odyssey. International Conference Proceedings, 1672.