General Conditions of Employment
Welcoming your interest in its employment opportunities, the OSCE is pleased to share with you a brief introduction to its main benefits and entitlements.
Please note that the information provided here is a summary for general guidance only with regard to fixed-term appointment and assignments and does not describe all conditions of service; more detailed information is provided to candidates in the event of an offer of appointment/assignment.
True to its unique nature, the OSCE is committed to workforce diversity, and stands for providing a healthy professional working environment for all its officials. It also aims to ensure better work/life balance by promoting flexible working arrangements.
The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff mobility and rotation, with OSCE officials appointed or assigned for fixed terms. Furthermore, certain limitations in the periods of service for specific posts have been placed (grading of Professional and General Service posts is similar to that applied in the UN Common System), i.e. Head of Mission or Director’s level – maximum four years, P5 level – maximum five years, P4 level and below – maximum seven years, seconded mission members – up to seven years in one mission. The cumulative length of service of international staff/mission members shall not exceed ten years.
Please note that in accordance with the OSCE regulatory framework appointments for all professional and general service posts are at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale. It is at the discretion of the competent authority for appointment to exceptionally approve the appointment at a higher step, but up to a maximum of step 3 provided that the candidate submits relevant documentary evidence for having more than the required years of relevant experience than specified in the vacancy notice or that the candidate’s remuneration with the previous employer was higher than the one offered by the OSCE.
The OSCE requires compliance to its Code of Conduct, which requires that OSCE officials conduct themselves at the highest personal and professional level, while both on and off duty.
The benefits and entitlements provided to OSCE officials differ from those provided by the United Nations common system and depend on the category, level as well as the location of the OSCE official’s post. The specific conditions may also vary depending on type and duration of the contract, as well as family status. A brief outline for each of the main groups of employees is given under the following links:
Staff Members i.e. assigned/appointed to the Secretariat or an Institution:
Mission Members i.e. assigned/appointed to a Field Operation:
• National Professional and General Service
The conditions of service for more specific types of employment (e.g. temporary assistance) are defined on an individual basis, subject to the existing regulatory framework and the distinct circumstances of each case. The paramount consideration in the employment of OSCE officials and in the determination of conditions of service is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, taking full account of the principle of recruiting staff from all OSCE participating States on a fair basis and the importance of achieving gender balance within the Organization.