Executive Officer

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to 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 Office of the Secretary General (OSG) supports the tasks of the Secretary General as the OSCE chief manager and administrator. This includes on the one hand diplomatic liaison, press and public information, legal services, internal auditing, conference and language services, gender issues and contacts with international and non-governmental organizations and with the OSCE Partners for Co-operation. On the other hand, the OSG clusters thematic units covering police assistance, anti-trafficking in human beings and anti-terrorism matters. The Director of the OSG also functions as the Head of Executive Management.

The Executive Officer¿s role is that of co-ordinating tasks between the Chairmanship and the units of the Secretariat, co-ordinating the management of OSCE field operations in support of the Secretary General (SG) and supporting the Chairperson-in-Office in the implementation of OSCE activities in participating States where no field missions exist. Under the direct supervision of the Senior Adviser, the incumbent will be responsible for:

• Advising the SG and the Director of the OSG on OSCE policies in relation to countries in the Eastern European and the Central Asian regions; following political and socio-economic developmentsand alerting the SG and the Director OSG when their involvement is required; co-ordinating action and policies in these countries by OSCE institutions, field operations and other bodies and the OSCE delegations in close co-operation with the Conflict Prevention Centre;
• Advising on policies concerning OSCE participating States where field operations do not exist, attending bilateral meetings, liaising with delegations and capitals, drafting speaking points and policy papers, advising on ways to engage these States in activities serving the common purpose of the Organization; co-ordinating the SG¿s and the Director¿s meetings and visits and reporting on results;
• Advising on strategic project activities such as the Disposal of the Rocket Fuel ¿Mélange¿, co-ordinating the involvement of relevant branches of the Secretariat and the field operations;
• Attending and reporting on meetings of the advisory and decision-making bodies of the OSCE, including the Troika, the Permanent Council, the PrepComm, and bilateral meetings with the Chairmanship; ensuring implementation of tasks by the relevant departments and units of the Secretariat in co-ordination with the OSCE Institutions;
• Serving as liaison for all tasks from the Chairmanship to the Secretariat; preparing advisory notes, background information, policy papers, draft speeches and speaking points on issues related to the role of the Chairmanship and the position of the OSCE Institutions and participating States;
• Maintaining contacts with think tanks, academia and NGOs, with a view to strengthening awareness of OSCE activities among interested audiences; contributing to publications and public events on OSCE affairs;
• Serving as a focal point for the network of Vienna-based international organizations and the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• Performing other related duties, such as deputizing for the Senior Adviser, as required.

• University degree in international relations, political sciences, administration, regional studies or related field; an advanced degree would be an asset;
• A minimum of six years of progressively responsible professional experience in internal relations work at national and international levels;
• Excellent diplomatic skills with ability to maintain neutrality in political analysis;
• Ability to work independently;
• Ability to operate windows applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, e-mail and Internet.
• Excellent knowledge of English, with excellent communication and drafting skills; working knowledge of other OSCE working languages, especially Russian, German and/or French, would be desirable;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and constructive working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.