Director of the OSG/Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat

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Archived vacancy details

The following information is provided for archival purpose only.

Issued by: OSCE Secretariat
Vacancy number: VNSECP01450
Vacancy type: International Contracted
Field of expertise: Political Affairs
Grade: D1
Number of posts: 1
Duty station: Vienna
Date of issue: 23 July 2019
Deadline for application: 3 September 2019 - 23:59 Central European Time (CET/CEST)
Date of entry on duty: 2 January 2020

Background

		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, 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 Chairmanship in its activities, and provides operational and administrative support to the field operations, and, as appropriate, to other institutions. The Office of the Secretary General (OSG) provides general services to the Secretary General (SG), the Chairperson-in-Office and the participating States. It groups service-oriented offices (Office of Legal Affairs, Conference and Language Services, the OSCE Documentation Centre in Prague), and policy-oriented offices (Communication and Media Relations, External Co-operation, Gender Affairs) as well as Security Management and Executive Management. The OSG also ensures effective co-ordination of policy advice provided to the Secretary General and the Chairmanship, and management decisions taken by the Secretary General. The OSG is led by a Director, who also serves as Chief of Staff and the Head of Executive Management. The OSCE is committed to gender equality. This is a senior management role and females are currently underrepresented in senior management grades. Female candidates are therefore encouraged to apply.

Tasks and Responsibilities

		The Director of the OSG/Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat will provide strategic direction in a complex and dynamic environment. S/he serves the SG as his/her Chief of Staff and principal advisor and directs the work of the programme of the Office of the Secretary General. As part of the senior executive leadership team, under the guidance of the Secretary General, you will be responsible for: Providing the Secretary General with advice on the full range of his mandate, including complex and sensitive issues requiring action in relation to the functions, structure and activities of the OSCE, including in support of the Chairmanship; Assisting the Secretary General in co-ordinating the work of other Departments; Chairing the Directors meeting in absence of the SG; Assisting the Secretary General in implementing sound financial management and performance-based programming budgeting organization-wide; Supervising the activities of all units in OSG, including policy analysis and planning, contacts with international and non-governmental organizations and with the OSCE Partners for Co-operation; Serving as a primary focal point for assistance to the Chairmanship-in-Office, i.e. preparing and following up on the regular OSCE Chairmanship, Troika and bi-/multi-lateral meetings, as well as internal regular or ad-hoc co-ordination meetings; Assessing and interpreting major policy issues, procedures and practices to improve the OSCE’s effectiveness and efficiency; Following up on the implementation of instructions and decisions of the Secretary General and relevant decisions of the participating States; establishing tasks for the Secretariat; Screening and commenting on proposals submitted for decision of the Secretary General, as well as on texts of speeches and reports; Co-ordinating work on horizontal issues impacting on the activities of the OSCE, in consultation with relevant actors within and outside the Secretariat; Coordinating the regular meetings with Directors of Institutions; Ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely, efficient and effective fashion; Performing other related duties as assigned. For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see https://www.osce.org/secretariat

Necessary Qualifications

		Second-level university degree in political science, international relations, law, history, public administration or a related field; 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; A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience at the senior management and policy-making level, preferably in a governmental, intergovernmental or international organization; Extensive and broad management experience; Experience in the diplomatic service; political sensitivity, mature judgment and strong analytical and negotiation skills; Good knowledge of the OSCE and its areas of activity; Strong interpersonal skills coupled with sound judgement and a high level of integrity; Ability to work in a complicated and complex political environment; Ability to manage a large span of control, e.g. to master a wide range of administrative and political issues simultaneously and to co-ordinate programmes and plans of action; Ability to identify and analyse emerging problems and propose timely solutions; Ability and willingness to serve and support; Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds, whilst remaining impartial and objective; Ability to provide leadership and motivation; Ability to supervise a large number of staff and to plan the work and manage organizational units involved in cross-cutting issues; Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities; Professional fluency in English and at least one other OSCE working language, with excellent communication, drafting and editing skills; Ability to operate Windows applications including word processing, internet and other software applications.

Required competencies

		Core values Commitment: Actively contributes to achieving organizational goals Diversity: Respects others and values their diverse perspectives and contributions Integrity: Acts in a manner consistent with the Organization’s core values and organizational principles Accountability: Takes responsibility for own action and delegated work Core competencies Communication: Actively works to achieve clear and transparent communication with colleagues and with stakeholders of the Organization Collaboration: Works effectively with others on common goals and fosters a positive, trust-based working environment Planning: Works towards the achievement of goals in a structured and measured manner Analysis and decision-making: Analyses available information, draws well-founded conclusions and takes appropriate decisions Initiative-taking: Proposes and initiates new ideas, activities and projects Flexibility: Responds positively and effectively to changing circumstances Managerial competencies (for positions with managerial responsibilities) Leadership: Provides a clear sense of direction, builds trust and creates an enabling environment Strategic thinking: Identifies goals that advance the organizational agenda and develops plans for achieving them Managing performance: Helps to maximize team performance by providing active feedback and skill development opportunities

Remuneration Package

		Monthly remuneration is approximately EUR 10,147 depending on post adjustment and family status. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Austria. Social benefits will include possibility of participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System. Appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale.

How To Apply

		If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://jobs.osce.org/vacancies. The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment at a lower grade or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration. Only those applicants 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 http://www.osce.org/states. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization. The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation, therefore the maximum period of service in this post is 4 years. Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.