Chief of Section, Property, Cultural Heritage and Inter-Faith Dialogue (S3)

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 education 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

Level of Professional Competence Requirements

Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:

Education:

Second-level university degree/certified training course in a relevant field desirable

Experience:

Minimum 6 years of relevant, diversified and progressively responsible professional experience including at least 3 years at the management level relevant to the actual position

Mission Specific Requirements

Additionally, this particular post has specific requirements:

Mandatory:

• Second-level university degree in law, human rights or a related field;
• Six years of relevant work experience in the area of human rights, government reform, law or a related field;
• At least three years of management/supervisory experience;
• Proven experience in monitoring, reporting and/or policy-making in the area of human rights and/or property rights;
• Extensive knowledge of the main international human rights instruments and standards;
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills;
• Ability to draft reports under pressure and within short deadlines;
• 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;
• Ability to operate windows applications, including word processing and e-mail;
• Professional fluency in English;
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and judgment to local conditions and communities;
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and with limited time frames;

Desirable:

• At least two years of experience working in an international environment;
• Experience in reviewing of draft legislation;Experience in one or several activities connected with property rights, cultural heritage and/or interfaith dialogue related issues;
• Experience in co-ordinating and/or supporting development of strategies on inter-faith related issues in a complex multi-cultural environment;
• Experience in human rights treaty body monitoring; and/or knowledge of the legislative framework in Kosovo related to property rights and cultural heritage;
• Knowledge of the local language or most common lingua franca spoken in the mission area;
• Knowledge of the regional political situation and the legal system in the mission area; and/or previous experience in OSCE field missions, preferably in the South Eastern Europe region.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Director of the Department of Human Rights and Communities the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. Providing strategic direction for the Section (Property, Cultural Heritage and Interfaith Dialogue Section) in cooperation with other sections of the Department of Human Rights and Communities and with the Senior Adviser;
2. Co-ordinating Section activities with regard to monitoring and reporting of property rights, cultural heritage, interfaith dialogue related issues, and on other human rights issues determined by the programmatic direction of the Department of Human Rights and Communities in strong co-operation with the Senior Adviser; and following up on recommendations with relevant institutions and stakeholders;
3. Identifying arising issues related to human rights, in particular to property and cultural heritage, analysing their implications and advising on programmatic policies to achieve measured improvement in the performance of Kosovo institutions, including at the municipal level;
4. Overseeing the design and implementation of the Section’s projects on a range of Human Rights related topics in particular on issues related to property rights, cultural heritage and inter-religious dialogue linked to the Department of Human Rights and Communities program, in close consultation with the Senior Adviser;
5. Reviewing and analysing policy documents, reports and proposed legislation in light of relevant international and European good governance and human rights standards;
6. Assisting in the development and implementation of the Mission’s policy on Property Rights and serves as the Property Rights focal point for the Mission, in strong co-operation with the Senior Adviser on interfaith dialogue related issues;
7. Supervising all professional and support staff of the Section in HQ and in the Field;
8. Advising the Mission about the human rights situation in Kosovo, with specific focus on property rights, cultural heritage and inter-religious dialogue in close co-operation with other sections of the department and maintains knowledge of the law in these main areas;
9. Assisting in the development and implementation of the Mission’s policy on human rights, in particular on property rights, cultural heritage and inter-religious dialogue related issues;
10. Providing programmatic advice and training to OSCE staff in the field on human rights as requested;
11. Maintaining close co-operation with all relevant stakeholders on issues pertaining to human rights;
12. Participating in the Department’s policy making process;
13. Representing the Department in meetings, seminars and/or conferences;
14. Performing any other duties as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, please see http://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/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.