Associate Project Officer (P2)

Background:

This is an extra-budgetary position. The initial contract will be for one year, renewable until the project ends. The expected duration of the project is until 2023 and the selected candidate should commit to being available for the duration of the project.

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, combating human trafficking, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The Election Department is managing a large-scale, extra-budgetary (EXB) project “Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans”, which requires designated staff to plan and implement project activities between 2021 and 2023.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Project Co-ordinator (Elections), the incumbent provides planning and co-ordination, oversight, needs assessments and analysis, and monitoring support for the preparation and implementation of the project. The incumbent performs the following functions for the project:

1.    Supporting the execution of project activities:

• Organizing and implements project activities in close co-ordination with Election Department staff;
• Contributing to organization of meetings, workshops, conferences, events, and reporting as appropriate;
• Preparing, distributing, collecting and analysing events evaluation forms, drafts summary reports on these events, including recommendations made and follow up on the recommendations;
• Ensuring the timely delivery of project outputs;
• Supporting Election Department staff and external experts in meetings with national authorities, civil society or international organisations;
• Traveling to the region as required;

2.    Conducting research, analysis, and assessments on developments in the region:

• Contributing to the analysis of the changing local practices with regard to the project’s intervention rationale and its target group in the light of OSCE commitments; identifying issues and opportunities for possible ODIHR involvement that fit into the framework and substantive priorities of the project; 
• Compiling background information on other organisations’ electoral follow-up efforts; highlights relevant recommendations, alerts staff to breaking news that is relevant for the project; 
• Promoting knowledge sharing among partners and stakeholders;

3.    Ensuring appropriate procedures and project documentation processes are followed;

4.    Ensuring that all planning and follow up for activities is co-ordinated with the administrative staff, specifically travel and logistical arrangements for project events, contractual relationships with project experts, collecting relevant project financial and other documentation from participants;

5.    Performing other duties as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, please see https://www.osce.org/odihr.

Necessary Qualifications:

• First-level university degree in international relations, public administration, law, or social sciences;
• At least four years of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience in the field of elections, democracy, or other human rights issues;
• Experience in implementing international development projects in fields relevant to the project’s topic; 
• Experience in promoting human rights and democracy from an international institutional base, including experience at the international level in an advisory or operational function;
• Experience implementing capacity-building and institution-building strategies;
• Field experience, preferably in the region(s) of the OSCE targeted by the project, and co-operation with international organizations at the field and headquarters level;
• Proven experience of working with national or international experts and implementing partner organizations; 
• Computer literate with practical experience with Microsoft applications;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of language(s) spoken in the project’s geographical area would be an advantage;
• Ability to work with people of different nationalities, religions, and cultural backgrounds;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.

Remuneration:

Monthly remuneration is around EUR 4,100 with the actual monthly salary depending on post adjustment and family status. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Poland. 

Social benefits will include possibility of participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. The Organization contributes an amount equivalent to 15% of the employee's salary to this Fund and the employee contributes 7.5%. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System.

Appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale.

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

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.

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 encourages qualified female and 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.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation, therefore the maximum period of service in this post is 7 years.

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