Human Rights Officer

The general minimum requirements for working with the OSCE are:

• Excellent physical condition
• Possession of a valid automobile driving license and ability to drive using manual transmission
• Ability to cope with physical hardship and willingness to work extra hours and in an environment with limited infrastructure

The general minimum requirements for working in this field of expertise are:

• First-level university degree in political sciences, international relations, public policy, law, international human rights law or other human rights related fields
• Experience working with human rights, minority or gender issues
• Demonstrable organizational, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience in drafting reports

Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:

Education:

First-level university degree or equivalent experience

Experience:

Minimum 2 years of relevant professional experience including minimum 1 year in a relevant field strongly preferred

Additionally, this particular post has specific requirements:

Mandatory:

• Knowledge and/or practical experience in human and community rights at international, central or local/municipal level. Alternatively, knowledge and/or experience in human rights monitoring in developing/transitional countries and/or experience with protection of vulnerable groups;
• Knowledge of the political setting of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo;
• Awareness of the situation of all communities in Kosovo;
• Ability to produce analytical reports, very good report writing skills;
• Professional fluency in English;
• Relevant international experience;
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to work as a member of a team with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Cultural sensitivity and judgment;
• Interpersonal and diplomatic skills;
• Political awareness and understanding;
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and with limited time frames;
• Ability to operate windows applications, including word processing and e-mail;
• Valid driving license.

Desirable:

• International work experience and/or experience in field missions, preferably in South Eastern Europe;
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: return, reintegration, education, access to services, participation and representation, security, dialogue, language rights, inclusion of vulnerable communities, inter-faith dialogue, cultural heritage, property rights, judicial institutions, non-judicial human rights mechanisms;
• Experience in negotiation/mediation;
• Knowledge of local languages or most common lingua franca.  

The Human Rights Officer, under the direct supervision of the Senior Communities Officer, implements the programmatic goals of the Department of Human Rights and Communities (HRCD) and supports its development in the Regional Centre (RC) as determined by the senior management of the HRCD and in co-operation with the RC Director. Should you be the selected candidate, you will be responsible for:

1. Pro-actively monitoring and building the capacities of local institutions and communities mechanisms in the field of human and communities rights, assessing/evaluating developments and proposing remedial actions when appropriate. This includes reporting, advocacy, as well as other forms of assistance or advice, aiming to improve compliance with international human rights standards and communities rights principles;
2. Regularly meeting local counterparts to exchange and gather information on human and communities rights related issues, assessing and reporting on developments, successes and concerns regarding compliance with human and communities rights standards;
3. Co-operating closely and co-ordinating with colleagues in the RC, as well as the HRCD in the Headquarters, and in particular with the Communities Section within the HRCD;
4. Identifying key human and communities rights related issues in the incumbent's area of responsibility and, where deemed necessary, following up with analytical reporting, including recommendations to the Senior Communities Officer, the RC Director and the HRCD in the Headquarters;
5. Assisting in project development, implementing project activities, and evaluating impact and achievements at regional/local level;
6. Reaching out to all local communities/assessing their situation and reporting on identified needs;
7. Drafting and assisting the drafting of policy recommendations that address specific human rights and communities rights issues/concerns;
8. Contributing to the reporting and to periodical analytical reports of the HRCD;
9. Performing other duties as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, please see: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic and social backgrounds. Please note that nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are not eligible to apply.

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/ourcompetency-model.

Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered.

Please apply to your relevant authorities well in advance of the deadline expiration to ensure timely processing of your application. Delayed nominations will not be considered. The OSCE can only process Secondment applications that have been nominated by participating States. For queries relating to your application, please refer to the respective delegation as listed here: https://www.osce.org/contacts/delegations.