Project Assistant (G5)

Background

The OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) has been established in order to continue supporting the Ukrainian Government’s reform efforts and mitigating the increased risks to civilians caused by the war against the country. The objective of the SPU - and therefore of all its projects - is to support Ukraine across all three OSCE dimensions on the government’s reform efforts and on the evolving risks to civilians caused by the war, thus ensuring that the OSCE’s work conducted over the past three decades and in the future, continues to impact positively the institutions and people of Ukraine and that Ukraine’s comprehensive security is enhanced in line with the OSCE commitments.

The post is financed from the extra-budgetary SPU "Strengthening Capacities of Ministry of Internal Affairs and its Affiliated Agencies for Emergency Response, Communication and Psycho-Social Support for Veterans and their Families" project under the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) at the Secretariat (SEC) and is subject to the availability of funds, as well as the extension of the projects' duration. The SPU is planned to run until 31 December 2028.

Please note that the post is located in Kyiv, Ukraine. Alternative working arrangements are provisionally in place.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The incumbent reports to the to the Senior Project Associate (G7), while the Associate Programme Co-ordination Officer (P2), acts as the second-level supervisor. The incumbent is tasked with the following:

1. Drafting routine and non-routine correspondence (both on administrative and substantive project matters), working documents and background material pertaining to issues addressed through project activities, including concept notes and sections of project reports and briefing papers; putting documents into adequate style, language and format, and proofreading documents and editing texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style in accordance with standard practices.

2. Assisting in the development and timely implementation of project activities by liaising with counterparts and facilitating their participation. Coordinate and support administrative issues, assisting in follow-up with partners and stakeholders on planning, monitoring and reporting activities, drafting terms of reference for the employment of consultants and implementing partners.

3. Performing all administrative tasks such as schedules and arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up, research for information and reference material.

4. Undertaking computer based searches; collating, selecting and interpreting information necessary for the development of project activities and events; assisting in the preparation of documents and presentations by extracting/summarizing statistics, development of the outreach events; drafting spot reports on specific issues related to project activities for the use of the Programme, including interim and final reports for submission to the donor, project evaluation reports and briefing notes on project implementation, project periodic activity reports.

5. Preparing requests/documents, e.g. requisitions, travel requests/authorizations, terms of references, specifications, etc.; initiating and following up on actions related to requisitions, recruitment of consultants, training and study tours, purchase of services and goods, payments, travel authorizations requests/claims and dealing with all related inquiries using ERP;

6. Keeping track of pending matters and following up with other units on deadlines, as well as on budget and expenditure for specific project outcomes, outputs and/or activities, providing estimates of costs for individual project activities and proposing budgetary and/or expenditure adjustments, improvements to supervisor.

Necessary Qualifications

• Completed secondary education, supplemented by specialized training or formal studies in administration, psychology, social sciences, law, or related field.

• Minimum five years (four with a first-level and three with a second-level university degree) of work experience in administrative field or in the field of human security sector, political affairs or democratization

• Ability to conduct research and collect information from a variety of sources.

• Experience in project planning, implementation and reporting.

• Professional fluency in English and Ukrainian with excellent communication skills (both oral and written) .

• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Excel would be considered an asset.

• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.

• Ability and willingness to work as a member of team, with people of different cultural, and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.

• Digital literacy and proficiency in use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, etc.), internet. Experience with an ERP/ORACLE software is an asset.

Remuneration Package

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deductions, is EUR 1,628 as per the relevant OSCE salary scale. The salary payment is effected in EUR. Social benefits will include participation in Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. The Organization contributes an additional amount equivalent to 15% of the employee's salary to this pension-style fund while the employee contributes 7.5%. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System for general services employees. 

Appointments are normally made at Step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale. In exceptional cases, an initial appointment at up to Step 3 may be considered. This depends on factors such as relevant experience exceeding minimum requirements or higher previous remuneration. Any such request by a candidate must be reviewed and approved by the OSCE before the appointment.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment at a lower grade or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

Candidates interviewed and found suitable in the recruitment process for this vacancy notice will be placed on a roster of suitable candidates (valid for three years) for fixed-term posts, should a suitable opportunity arise. The placement on a roster does not guarantee a future appointment or assignment.

Please note that vacancies in the OSCE are open for competition only amongst nationals of participating States, please see https://www.osce.org/participating-states.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and particularly encourages qualified male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization.

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please note that for this position the OSCE does not reimburse expenses such as travel in connection with interviews, tests, visas and relocation.

Please be aware that OSCE appointments are subject to medical clearance.

The mandatory retirement age at the OSCE is 65 years for contracted positions at the general service, professional and director level. The Organization shall apply an age limit of 62 years at the time of appointment as the incumbent selected is normally expected to carry out the contractual obligation of two years.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.