Young Associate 2023-2025 - Directorate for Public Governance

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.  Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The Directorate for Public Governance (GOV) works to help governments at all levels design and implement strategic, evidence-based and innovative policies to strengthen public governance, respond effectively to diverse and disruptive economic, social and environmental challenges and deliver on governments’ commitments to citizens. We provide a forum for policy dialogue and exchange, common standards and principles, comparative international data and analysis to support innovation and reform across the OECD, policy reviews and practical recommendations targeted to the reform priorities of specific governments.

The Public Governance Reviews (PGR) Unit works directly with centres of governments - the body or set of bodies that provides support and advice to the head of government and the council of ministers/cabinet. The Unit helps OECD member and partner countries identify goals to improve performance, sustainability, and delivery of public value, with a focus on governments' strategic decision-making processes. The Unit is also facilitating the Expert Group on Strategic Decision-making that helps to share and identify good practices across OECD member countries. The Unit is also in charge of a new flagship product, the Public Governance Monitor that will provide a snapshot of countries’ public sector to ensure that governments are equipped to address contemporary governance challenges, including the green and digital transitions, increasing stakeholder engagement, and raising public sector effectiveness. This new product will allow for benchmarking based on the wealth of OECD data and indicators and identify priority areas of reform.

Role

The Public Governance Reviews unit is seeking a highly motivated Young Associate to conduct research and analysis to contribute substantively to the work of the unit on decision-making in government alongside the Public Governance and Centre of Government Reviews at the national and/or subnational level. The Young Associate will report directly to the Head of Unit of the PGR Unit.

Main Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of the new cross-cutting Public Governance Monitor by undertaking qualitative and quantitative research on public sector effectiveness and government capacity to tackle governance challenges such as climate change and reinforcing democracy in countries as diverse as Sweden, Australia, and Germany.

• Contribute to public governance reviews by collecting data and preparing analytical inputs for key analytical reports on OECD member and partner countries.

• Contribute to research and identification of best practice on how countries can place the green transition as a policy priority across government and deliver on climate commitments as one of the cross-cutting themes of the unit.

• Contribute to a compendium of good practices on strategic decision-making at the centre of government (prime ministers and presidency’s offices) by collecting and researching good practices across the OECD.

• Supporting the discussion during the Expert Group on Strategic Decision-Making at the Centre of Government by providing research to back up the discussions including on crisis management, strategic planning, coordination at the centre, and policy development.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background

• Undergraduate degree in public management/administration, international relations, political science, economics, law or other relevant discipline (graduation date between 1 January 2022 and 1 September 2023). Applications from candidates who already hold or are enrolled in a Master’s, PhD, or equivalent degree will not be considered.

• Course work in applied research and analysis, preferably in the area of public governance is required.

• Course work in undertaking cross-country research including quantitative research is desirable.

Skills

• Good organizational skills, ability to work effectively on the basis of general instructions and with minimum supervision.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as strong analytical abilities.

• Knowledge or research methodology and drafting research papers would be an asset.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively with teams.

• Experience in a national administration or an international organization would be an asset.

Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and a knowledge of, or willingness to learn, the other.

Core Competencies

• For this role, the following competencies would be particularly important\: Achievement focus, Analytical thinking, Drafting skills, Flexible thinking, Managing resources, Teamwork and Team leadership, Diplomatic sensitivity, Strategic networking and Strategic thinking.

• Please refer to the level 1 indicators of the OECD Core Competencies.

Contract Duration

Two-year fixed term appointment

Starting Date

September 2023

Before applying, we encourage you to check your eligibility by answering a few short questions here.

What the OECD offers

• Monthly base salary is 3 873.50, exempt of French income tax, plus allowances based on eligibility. 

• Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.

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The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates who are nationals of OECD member countries, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities. Applications from candidates who are not OECD Member country nationals will not be considered.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.