Local Consultant, Access to Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection (Roster)

Background

The vacancy is open only for applicants with citizenship of or permanent residence in the Republic of Serbia.

The OSCE Mission to Serbia has been providing support to institutions in Serbia in strengthening accountability, transparency, good governance and the protection of citizens’ rights. Through the extra-budgetary project “Strengthening Accountability and Inclusive and Transparent Governance in Serbia”, the Mission will support independent oversight bodies in strengthening their institutional and professional capacities and effectiveness in exercising their mandates.

As one of the project’s key beneficiary institutions, the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection (the Commissioner) will receive targeted support aimed at strengthening professional capacities and promoting the consistent application of the relevant legal framework.

Planned support includes professional capacity development, analysis of access to information requests, legal and policy research, and the development of practical guidance and knowledge products drawing on relevant European human rights and EU law standards, including the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. Particular attention will be given to balancing access to information, privacy and the public interest, as well as to relevant legal and technological developments affecting the Commissioner’s mandate.

The implementation of these activities requires specialized expertise in access to information of public importance and personal data protection, including the public interest test, confidentiality and classification of information, transparency in public-private partnerships, media and access to information, digital accessibility, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, gender-responsive access to information, and the analysis of gender-disaggregated data.

To this end, the OSCE Mission to Serbia is seeking to establish a Roster of highly qualified local consultants/experts with relevant specialized expertise. Depending on programme needs, the selected expert(s) may be engaged to conduct legal, policy and institutional research and analysis, provide expert advice, analyze relevant requests, cases and regulatory practice, develop guidance and other practical tools and knowledge products, design and deliver capacity-development activities, and provide other forms of specialized expert support.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the National Programme Officer, and in close co-ordination with relevant stakeholders, the consultant will:

1. Conduct legal, policy and institutional research and analysis, develop assessments and recommendations, and provide expertise on access to information of public importance, privacy and personal data protection, including relevant European human rights and EU law standards and jurisprudence.

2. Provide expert advice and contribute to the development and drafting of guidance, handbooks, manuals, methodologies, policy briefs, analytical products and other practical tools related to access to information of public importance, the public interest test, privacy and personal data protection, confidentiality and classification of information, transparency in public-private partnerships, media and access to information, and other relevant areas within the Commissioner’s mandate.

3. Conceptualize, develop and deliver capacity-development activities, including training seminars, workshops and other learning activities for the Commissioner’s staff and, where relevant, other target groups, on access to information law and regulatory practice, personal data protection, balancing access to information and privacy, applicable European human rights and EU law standards, digital accessibility, inclusive access to information and related topics.

4. Provide specialized expertise on artificial intelligence, data protection and emerging technologies and their implications for privacy, personal data protection and access to information. Support gender-responsive and inclusive approaches to access to information, including the analysis of access to information requests and gender-disaggregated data where relevant, and contribute expert-level support to other project activities within the Commissioner’s mandate.

The consultant may be required to work both on-site and off-site (home-based), depending on the nature of the assignment.

Necessary Qualifications

• Citizenship of or permanent residence in the Republic of Serbia;

• University degree in law, social sciences, public administration, information technology or another relevant field;

• Minimum six (6) years of relevant professional experience and demonstrated expertise in access to information of public importance, privacy and personal data protection, European human rights or EU law standards, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, or related areas;

• Demonstrated experience in providing expert advice, conducting legal, policy or institutional research and analysis, developing practical tools or knowledge products, and/or delivering capacity-development activities relevant to the area of expertise;

• Knowledge of the national legal and regulatory framework governing access to information of public importance and/or personal data protection, and familiarity with relevant European human rights and EU law standards;

• Experience working with independent oversight bodies would be an asset;

• Knowledge and/or professional experience in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies or digital accessibility would be an asset;

• Good analytical, presentation and communication skills;

• Professional fluency in English and Serbian, both oral and written;

• Full computer literacy, including practical experience with Microsoft Office applications and online meeting platforms;

• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, as well as the ability to integrate gender and inclusion considerations into relevant tasks and activities;

• Ability to work with people of different nationalities, religions and cultural backgrounds, as well as persons with diverse views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.

Candidates are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the OSCE Competency Model available at: https://jobs.osce.org/osce-competency-model 

Remuneration Package

Consultants selected for the Roster may be engaged on a Special Service Agreement, subject to the needs of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the availability of funds.The consultancy fee shall be based on the nature of the services provided by the consultant at the time of hire, commensurate with the specific assignment and in accordance with the applicable OSCE rules and procedures.

Candidates are encouraged to include in their application their proposed daily fees in RSD for the above-described services.

The payment will be effected upon successful completion of the assigned tasks and in accordance with the terms of the respective Special Service Agreement.

How to Apply

Please apply online through this website (https://jobs.osce.org) no later than 13 November 2026. Only applications received through this website will be considered; applications received by email, post, etc., will not be accepted.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Candidates who have not been contacted by 15 December 2026 should consider there will be no follow-up to their application.

Contact Tel. No.: 011-3606 100, ext.: 4133, 4131 or 4127 (Human Resources Office).

The OSCE is committed to achieving a better balance of women and men within the Organization.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise the vacancy, cancel the recruitment, or offer a consultancy at a different level or with modified terms of reference or for a different duration.