Legislative Support Officer

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Archived vacancy details

The following information is provided for archival purpose only.

Issued by: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Vacancy number: VNODIP00828
Vacancy type: International Contracted
Field of expertise: Democratization
Grade: P3
Number of posts: 1
Duty station: Warsaw
Date of issue: 19 November 2020
Deadline for application: 10 December 2020 - 23:59 Central European Time (CET/CEST)
Date of entry on duty: 1 March 2021

Background

		This is a maternity cover position. The contract will be issued for a period of one year. The incumbent is expected to start in March 2021. 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 Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the principal institution of the OSCE responsible for the human dimension. ODIHR is active throughout the OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and the rule of law. ODIHR's assistance projects and other activities are implemented in participating States in accordance with ODIHR's mandate. The Office's democratization activities include the following thematic areas: rule of law, democratic governance and gender, migration and freedom of movement, and legislative support. ODIHR implements targeted assistance programmes facilitating and enhancing participating states' compliance with OSCE commitments towards the development of democratic structures.

Tasks and Responsibilities

		Under the supervision of the Chief, Legislative Support Unit, as Legislative Support Officer, you will perform the following duties: Providing expertise and drafting legal commentaries on questions of conformity of domestic legislation with OSCE human dimension commitments and other relevant international standards; assessing the impact of the commentaries prepared by the Unit and proposing follow-up measures necessary for a proper understanding and implementation of recommendations; Reviewing compliance of domestic legislation with international human rights standards, including OSCE commitments; Implementing democratic law-making projects, including research work in connection with democratic-law making assessments; Following legal developments in selected OSCE participating States; providing briefings to ODIHR management on legislative trends and developments in selected OSCE participating States, as well as on questions of international law, including the interpretation of international instruments; Submitting proposals for the design of the ODIHR legislative assistance and reform programme as well as for the evaluation of its outcomes and impact; providing input for the further development of the ODIHR legislative database (www.legislationline.org); Designing and ensuring the well-functioning of mechanisms for the proper assignment of funds to activities carried out by the Unit; drafting donor reports based on input collected from all unit members; Replacing the Chief of Legislative Support Unit in his/her absence, or as requested. Representing ODIHR at international meetings; Performing other duties as assigned. For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, please see https://www.osce.org/odihr

Necessary Qualifications

		Second-level university degree in law; Minimum of six years of professional work experience in law and at least three years of international experience specifically in law reform in countries in transition to democracy; Excellent knowledge of international human rights law, as well as constitutional and comparative law in the area of human rights and the rule of law; some knowledge of legislative drafting techniques/projects is an asset; Extensive proven experience in drafting legal commentaries on human rights and rule of law issues; Comparative knowledge of law-making processes is an asset; Political intuition and tact; organizational and strong legal analytical skills; resourcefulness, initiative and maturity of judgement; Ability to work with minimum supervision; Ability to advise high-level officials on law reform and lawmaking issues; Excellent working knowledge of English with strong legal writing is required; knowledge of another OSCE language, particularly Russian, is an asset; Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, ethical awareness and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities; Ability to work with people of different nationalities, religions and cultural backgrounds.

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 5,084 depending on post adjustment and family status. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Poland. Social benefits will include participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. The Organization contributes an amount equivalent to 15% of the employee's salary to this Fund and the employee contributes 7.5%. 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 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 https://www.osce.org/participating-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. Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.