Has a vast experience about the work of the EU institutions in the development sector, namely in Humanitarian Aid and Cooperation and Development Financing. She was the Development Counsellor at the Portuguese Permanent Representation to the EU Institutions in Brussels (2008-2015). Before that Vera coordinated programmes and managed projects at the PALOP-TL desk of IPAD, the Portuguese Agency for Development Assistance, where she was Vice-President (2006-2008) and also a member of the Executive Board (2004-2006). She was also an Advisor to the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (2003-2004). Since 2015, Vera is an associate consultant of VFC.