Senior Political Adviser (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 degree in international studies, public policy, political science or law or related fields; a first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree
• Diplomatic experience or experience working in political affairs with international organizations or governments;
• Experience in preparing analytical reports;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills;
• Knowledge of regional political history and developments;
• Diplomatic and negotiating skills;
• Some knowledge of the OSCE principles and commitments;

Level of Professional Competence Requirements

Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:

Education:

• Second-level university degree in international studies, public policy, political science or law or related fields; a first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree;

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:

• Experience in international relations, political reform, support to political parties, early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms;
• Working experience in international organizations, relevant state institutions and/or experience in OSCE field operations in monitoring, reporting and policy making;
• Excellent drafting, analytical and communication skills;
• Experience in liaising with governmental and non-governmental organizations;
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and with limited time frames;
• Cultural sensitivity and judgement;
• Experience in identifying potential relevant programmes and projects and their subsequent implementation, monitoring and reporting;
• Supervisory skills;
• 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;
• Professional fluency of English and Russian, both oral and written;
• Ability to operate windows applications, including word processing and email.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Deputy Head of Programme Office (D/HoPO), the Senior Political Adviser will be tasked with:

1. Providing analysis and advice to the Head of Programme Office (HoPO) and the Deputy Head of Programme Office (D/HoPO) on all major political issues across the country in accordance with the Mission's mandate and needs;
2. Acting as the focal point for reporting and taking the lead in co-ordinating the drafting process of programmatic activities and other reports;
3. Preparing policy support documents and providing advice on strategic vision related to the Mission's activities and implementation of the mandate of the Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB);
4. Monitoring implementation of programmatic activities across all programmes and advising on the strategic priorities of the host country in relation to the POiB mandate;
5. Liaising with key national political stakeholders within the limits of the Mission's mandate;
6. Supporting the Office of the Head of Mission (OHoM) in defining strategic needs and the allocation of the necessary resources for OHoM and its programmes;
7. Advising the OHoM on all matters related to programmatic activities in reconciliation, early warning, conflict-prevention and peace-building, democratic institution-building and political participation;
8. Advising the OHoM on the process of identification of local and international stakeholders relevant for the implementation of programmes and supporting the OHoM in maintaining regular communication with partners;
9. Supervising two staff members;
10. Performing other duties as required.
     

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, please see: https://www.osce.org/programme-office-in-bishkek

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.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

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.