Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Alternativeemail
Honoursandawards
Certificationscourses
Personal Information
Languages
Publications
Timeline
Generic
Aleksandra Atanasova

Aleksandra Atanasova

State Expert, Security Council Secretariat, Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria
Sofia

Summary

Organized and dependable candidate with a proven track record of managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Strong in analytical thinking, communication, and teamwork, with the ability to quickly adapt to new environments. Seeking a full-time role that presents professional challenges and leverages interpersonal skills, effective time management, and strong problem-solving abilities. Eager to learn and contribute to team success, poised to achieve positive results

Overview

11
11
years of professional experience
25
25
years of post-secondary education

Work History

State expert

Security Council Secretariat
03.2022 - Current

- Organization of the regular and extraordinary meetings of the Security Council (SC) to the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria: communication and correspondence with the members of the SC and the responsible administration in the Council of Ministers;

- Coordination between the relevant institutions working on countering hybrid threats in connection with the fulfillment of Bulgaria's commitments under the country’s participation in the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE);

- Acting as national point of contact for countering hybrid threats: organization of meetings of the expert network formed to receive and exchange information, and share good practices in relation to the activity of the Hybrid CoE;

- Participation in the process of creating and moderating the work of the interdepartmental working group that annually drafts the Annual Report on the State of National Security of the Republic of Bulgaria: coordination with the involved institutions, preparation of a draft Report and its submission to the SC for approval. Then, submission of the Report to the Council of Ministers, and later submission of the text to the National Assembly. Reporting on the content of the Report before parliamentary committees designated by the Speaker of the National Assembly;

- Coordination between the national structures involved in activities within the Security sector and the international partners of the Republic of Bulgaria: organizing meetings to discuss cooperation and/or recommendations;

- Supporting the Secretary of the Security Council and their activities: preparation of analyses, forecasts, reports, and other information materials related to the national security of the Republic of Bulgaria;

- Other tasks related to the activities of the Secretariat, as ordered by the Secretary of Security Council: working communication with relevant institutions, organization of meetings with representatives of institutions and units involved with the Security Sector of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Third Secretary

Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Department
12.2017 - 02.2022

- Desk officer for WMDs.

- Part of the team covering and following for the fulfillment of Bulgaria's responsibilities coming from the international legal instruments in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the ones shaping the global disarmament architecture.

- Covering policies towards nuclear weapons and their means of delivery, chemical weapons, and some of the conventional weapons, covered by the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines, the Convention on Conventional Weapons, and the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

- The position was related with traveling abroad in order to represent th Republic of Bulgaria in front of different formats in Brussels (EU and NATO related), Geneva, Vienna, and New York (UN related).

Senior Specialist

Middle East and North Africa Department
11.2016 - 12.2017

- Desk officer for Iran, Yemen, and the countries from the Persian/Arabian Gulf.

- Writing reports regarding internal and external policies in the countries, talking points for bilateral meetings, and other documents needed for visits of official representatives in Bulgaria or Bulgarian ones there.

Senior Specialist

Press Centre Directorate
08.2013 - 04.2014

-Participation in the meetings of the minister to cover them for the media.

- Media monitoring.

- Writing press releases.

- Conducting daily bulletins for the minister and his cabinet with information about local and international news.

- Maintaining the Facebook page of the Ministry.

- Maintaining the webpage of the Ministry.

- Maintaining the webpages of the Bulgarian missions abroad.



Specialist

Public Relations and Protocol Directorate
01.2014 - 04.2014

- Media monitoring.

- Writing press releases.

- Conducting daily bulletins for the minister and his cabinet with information about local and international news.

Education

PhD - Political Sciences and International Relations

South-West University “Neofit Rilski”
Blagoevgrad
06.2019 - 05.2022

Master's - National and International Security

New Bulgarian University
Sofia
10.2015 - 05.2017

Master's - Political Management

New Bulgarian University
Sofia
10.2013 - 05.2017

Bachelor's - Mass Communications - Journalism

New Bulgarian University
Sofia
10.2011 - 05.2013

Bachelor's - Political Science - International Relations

New Bulgarian University
Sofia
10.2009 - 05.2013

Primary School - Profile with two foreign languages - English and Spanish

First Primary School “Pencho Slaveikov”, Sofia
Sofia
09.1997 - 05.2009

Skills

Teamwork and Collaboration

Excellent Communication

Problem-Solving

Time Management

Flexible and Adaptable

Multitasking

Calm Under Pressure

Organization and Time Management

Verbal Communication

Microsoft Office

Friendly, Positive Attitude

Alternativeemail

aleksandra.atanassova@gmail.com

Honoursandawards

2012, Award for excellence in the study of Political Science and Civil Courage, Charles Moser Foundation, Sofia, Bulgaria

Certificationscourses

  • 02/2024, Enhancing Digital Strategic Messaging, U.S. Department of State and CEP Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • 10/2023, Common Security And Defence Policy Orientation Course, European Security and Defence College & Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 09/2023, Strategic Competition in the Cognitive Domain: From Analysis to Action, National Defense University (Washington) & College of International Security Affairs, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 05/2023, Southeast Europe Forum – Regional Cyber Challenges, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
  • 03/2023, European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, US State Department, US Embassy in Sofia & Center for European Perspectives of Slovenia, Portoroz, Slovenia
  • 09/2021 -11/2021, United Nations Disarmament Fellowship, UN Disarmament Office, Geneva, Vienna, The Hague, Brussels and New York
  • 09/2018 - 11/2018, Program on Applied Security Studies, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
  • 05/2016, Third Spring School for Young Diplomats in Kosovo, Friedrich Ebert Foundation & Kosovo Diplomatic Academy, Prizren, Kosovo
  • 05/2012, Political Management Course, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Sofia, Bulgaria

Personal Information

  • Date of Birth: 04/11/90
  • Gender: Female
  • Nationality: Bulgarian

Languages

Bulgarian
Native language
English
Advanced
C1
Spanish
Elementary
A2

Publications

  • 2022 General Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Turnout, Results and Challenges to the Electoral Process, 2021, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FqVeNp2C2PNg1Uvreb8tRHXqL-2gP19hwYxEoZc4tqM/edit?usp=sharing
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina from Sarajevo ‘84 to Dayton: Тhe End of the Serbo-Croatian Language and the (Im)Possibility Of “In Varietate Concordia, 2021, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FqVeNp2C2PNg1Uvreb8tRHXqL-2gP19hwYxEoZc4tqM/edit?usp=sharing
  • New threats to the civil security and new security measures: the debate on limitation of personal rights and freedoms of citizens, 2016, New Bulgarian University, http://ebox.nbu.bg/sec16/index4.php?id=15
  • Lost in translation: Differences between political messages and public perceptions in the Election Campaign 2013, 2014, Rhetoric and Communications Magazine, http://rhetoric.bg/%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B3%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B6%D0%B4%D1%83-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8
  • Successes and failures in the development of Tunisia after the Arab Spring. EU Aid and Bulgaria in terms of the European Neighborhoods Policy, 2014, Friedrich Ebbert Foundation
  • The new perspectives in front of Bulgaria in the European Neighborhoods Policy, 2014, Friedrich Ebbert Foundation
  • Politics “de jure” and “de facto”, 2013, New Bulgarian University, http://ebox.nbu.bg/ssc14/view_lesson.php?id=27

Timeline

State expert

Security Council Secretariat
03.2022 - Current

PhD - Political Sciences and International Relations

South-West University “Neofit Rilski”
06.2019 - 05.2022

Third Secretary

Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Department
12.2017 - 02.2022

Senior Specialist

Middle East and North Africa Department
11.2016 - 12.2017

Master's - National and International Security

New Bulgarian University
10.2015 - 05.2017

Specialist

Public Relations and Protocol Directorate
01.2014 - 04.2014

Master's - Political Management

New Bulgarian University
10.2013 - 05.2017

Senior Specialist

Press Centre Directorate
08.2013 - 04.2014

Bachelor's - Mass Communications - Journalism

New Bulgarian University
10.2011 - 05.2013

Bachelor's - Political Science - International Relations

New Bulgarian University
10.2009 - 05.2013

Primary School - Profile with two foreign languages - English and Spanish

First Primary School “Pencho Slaveikov”, Sofia
09.1997 - 05.2009
Aleksandra AtanasovaState Expert, Security Council Secretariat, Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria