Senior Democratization Officer (S2)

Please note that this is a short term appointment (STA) for possible maximum duration of 5 months.

General Minimum Requirements

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

Field of Expertise Requirements

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

• Second-level university degree in political sciences, social sciences, international relations, public policy, law or equivalent professional experience
• Work experience in either public administration, relevant international organizations, civic associations (including NGOs), political parties/affairs, or economic and political development
• Demonstrable organizational, communication, analytical and interpersonal skills

Level of Professional Competence Requirements

Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:

Education:
First-level university degree in a relevant field

Experience:
Minimum 6 years of relevant professional experience

Mission Specific Requirements

Mandatory:

• Extensive experience in one or more of the following areas/s: international and/or civil society organizations and/or civil society, gender equality and/or youth development;
• Extensive project management experience;
• Professional fluency in the English language, both oral and written, including demonstrable capability of drafting documents/reports under pressure and within short deadlines;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and with limited time frames;
• Knowledge of and solid experience in democratization issues and public participation in decision making, in particular with women, youth, and civil society;
• Staff management experience and team-building ability;
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills;
• Cultural sensitivity and judgment;
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to work as a member of a team, with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds and diverse views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Experience in working with civil society;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity;
• Computer literate, with practical experience with MS Office.

Desirable:

• Prior international work experience;
• Experience in working with non-governmental organizations and agencies;
• Knowledge of the regional political situation and legal system of the mission area;
• Demonstrated negotiation and/or conflict resolution skills;
• Experience with monitoring and/or advocacy work.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The mandate of the OSCE Presence in Albania is to promote democratization, the rule of law, and human rights as well as to consolidate democratic institutions in line with OSCE principles, standards and commitments.
Originally established in 1997, today, the Presence’s activities range from arms control and the fight against trafficking to electoral assistance; anti-corruption initiatives; gender mainstreaming and environmental projects; human rights protection; legislative, judicial, and media reform; and the capacity-building of law enforcement officials.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Democratization Department, the Senior Democratization Officer will be responsible for:

1. Managing the Civil Society Unit, developing and managing projects in the sector, with the goal of strengthening civil society and civic activism in Albania and reinforcing the role of civil society, in particular as related to advancing the participation of women, youth and vulnerable groups in Albanian public life;
2. Developing and managing the activities to advance gender equality practices in Albania;
3. Establishing and maintaining contacts and when possible partnerships with relevant national and international civil society organizations, Albanian state authorities, international organizations as well as implementing partners of civil society related projects;
4. Keeping abreast with all developments in the area of civil society issues at the national level and at the regional and international level as relevant;
5. Developing a horizontal, cross-dimensional approach of the OSCE Presence in working with and supporting civil society development;
6. Supporting and advising all other programmes of the Presence in mainstreaming civil society engagement in their work, in collaboration with the Presence’s Project Co-ordination Unit;
7. Providing analytical reports and strategic documents on civil society engagement of the Presence to the Head of the Department and senior management;
8. Liaising with other Missions and other relevant partners on civil society issues as required;
9. Performing other duties as assigned.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Presence in Albania please see:
https://www.osce.org/presence-in-albania
 

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/our-competency-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.