Environmental Affairs Adviser (S)

Background:

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to an assignment at the Secretariat must be borne by their authorities.

Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered. Seconded staff members in the OSCE Secretariat and Institutions are not entitled to a Board and Lodging Allowance payable by the Organization.

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 OSCE Secretariat in Vienna assists the Chairpersonship in its activities, and provides operational and administrative support to the field operations, and, as appropriate, to other institutions. 

The Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) deals with economic and environmental issues, operating under the premise that promoting economic prosperity and co-operation on environmental problems can contribute to international security and stability. The OSCE's role is twofold: a) to monitor economic and environmental developments among participating States, and alert them to any threat of instability, and b) to facilitate the formulation of economic and environmental policies and initiatives among participating States, to promote security. The Office currently comprises 22 staff members.
 

Tasks and Responsibilities:

As Environmental Affairs Adviser, you will co-operate closely with colleagues in the Environmental Co-operation Unit and across the OCEEA in identifying, elaborating, implementing and monitoring projects on the interaction of environment and security issues. You will support the research, drafting and co-ordination of projects in close interaction with regional and local OSCE executive structures and other international actors and substantially contribute to capacity-building workshops and other events. 

You will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Environmental Affairs Adviser and will be guided by the Deputy Co-ordinator/Head of Environmental Activities.

In particular, you will perform the following duties:

1. Identifying, developing, implementing, monitoring and reporting on projects on environment and security issues, in particular in the area of water management, in close co-ordination and co-operation with colleagues in the Environmental Co-operation Unit;
2. Drafting project proposals, including through research of beneficiaries' needs and gains, aligned with the current state of science, taking into account OSCE's role and expertise and a meaningful distribution of responsibilities between project stakeholders;
3. Establishing and maintaining target-oriented working relations with other international organizations at comparable levels, sub-regional initiatives, business partners and NGOs to identify activities for joint project co-operation and implementation and to share results of project analysis, ensuring co-ordinated programme development and implementation;
4. Supporting the efforts of OSCE missions/field operations - in close co-operation with colleagues from the Environmental Co-operation Unit - in the development, management, monitoring and reporting of project activities, in particular those relating to water management; assisting with liaising with participating States regarding the fundraising, with reviewing project proposals and budgets, and ensuring the implementation of gender mainstreaming into the projects;
5. Representing the OCEEA at meetings, and regional and international events relevant to environmental activities and particularly water management;
6. Developing and elaborating on agenda items and work programmes for seminars, workshops, training courses and other activities related to environmental activities;
7. Maintaining and securing funds for OCEEA environmental project activities and preparing responses to delegations and management requests for project information, including status of funding and implementation; liaising with appropriate departments;
8. Contributing to the OCEEA's policy processes, in particular the Economic and Environmental Forum (EEF), Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meeting (EEDIM) and Economic and Environmental Committee (EEC) meetings, e.g. by identifying and proposing speakers, preparing discussion sessions and drafting agendas; and preparing draft speeches, statements, presentations and briefings for a wide range of purposes by the Senior Management of OCEEA and OSCE;
9. Performing other related duties as required. 

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat and the OCEEA, please see https://www.osce.org/secretariat and https://www.osce.org/oceea 
 

Necessary Qualifications:

• First-level university degree in environmental science, economics, international relations or political sciences, with a focus on environmental issues;
• A minimum of six years of professional experience, preferably at the international level;
• Work experience in project development would be an important asset;
• Understanding of and experience in security-related environmental issues;
• Professional fluency in English with excellent oral and written communication skills; working knowledge of Russian would be an asset;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability and willingness to work as a member of team, with people of different cultural, and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Computer literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications.

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

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.

 
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 the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds.

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.

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

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.