Background:

Please note that this is an extra-budgetary position with the funding until 31 December 2025 with possibility of extension.
Please note that the vacancy is open for Kazakhstan nationals and permanent residents of Kazakhstan only.

The work of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana focuses on a range of security issues including countering terrorism and violent extremism, combating organized crime and drug trafficking, or combating trafficking in human beings. Within this context, the Politico-Military Unit, which implements the project, covers a broad variety of tasks related to regional security and OSCE commitments in the framework of the Forum for Security Co-operation that inter alia includes supporting the participating States in fulfilling their commitments in the field of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition (SCA).

The post is located in the Politico-Military Unit (PMU) within the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. It is an extra-budgetary (ExB) post within the project “Addressing Contemporary Safety and Security Risks in the Republic of Kazakhstan” that is currently envisaged to last three years (December 2023 – December 2026). In addition to this post, the project also comprises the following ExB posts: Project Officer, National Project Officer, Procurement / Asset Management Assistant, Finance Assistant, Human Resources / Payroll Assistant, Media Assistant and a Driver.

To provide administrative and substantive support in implementing project activities, including organizing awareness-raising and capacity-building events, supporting process delivery, the development and maintenance of databases of information, and providing project administration support.

Working under the supervision of the Project Officer, the National Project Officer provides technical support to project implementation by assessing, synthesizing and co-ordinating preparation of routine elements of the project requiring application of basic principles of project administration. The incumbent manages programmatic staff in order to facilitate, enhance and assist the host state in efforts to reduce the risks of unplanned explosions of the SCA and illicit SALW, CA and explosive proliferation across Kazakhstan border. It is envisaged that relevant state agencies effectively operate in the field of arms control and using K-9 service and new technologies in the detection of illicit SALW, CA and explosives at the border crossing points and green border.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Project Officer, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. Drafting routine and non-routine correspondence (both on administrative and substantive project matters), working documents and background material pertaining to issues addressed through project activities, including concept notes and sections of project reports and briefing papers;
   elaborating documents into adequate style, language and format, and proofreading documents and editing texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style in accordance with standard practices.
2. Assisting in the development and implementation of project activities by liaising with counterparts and facilitating their participation, drafting terms of reference for the employment of consultants and implementing partners, and monitoring the implementation of activities and submission of reports by the implementing partners and consultants.
3. Supporting preparation and execution of programmatic events, such as trainings, exchange programmes conferences and seminars, as well as official and donor visits within the ExB project.
4. Performing all administrative tasks such as schedules and arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up, research for information and reference material as well as preparing requests/documents, e.g. raising procurement requests in IRMA, travel requests/authorizations, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, etc.
5. Using Enterprise Resource Planning, initiating and following up on actions related to requisitions, recruitment of consultants, training and study tours, travel authorizations requests/claims and dealing with all related inquiries.
6. Undertaking computer based searches, collating, selecting and interpreting information necessary for the development of project activities and events as well as assisting in the preparation of papers and presentations by extracting/summarizing statistics.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Completed secondary education, supplemented by specialized training or formal studies in social sciences or any other field relevant for the post/project.
• Minimum four (4) years of working experience in project management and/or administration, part of which should preferably have been in an international environment;
  Experience in project planning, implementation and reporting;
• Ability to conduct research and collect information from a variety of sources;
• Experience in managing teams is an asset.
• Established organizational, communication and interpersonal skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Russian languages, knowledge of Kazakh language is desirable
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability and willingness to work as a member of team, with people of different cultural, and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Proven ability to compile and analyse information of a political-military and security nature.
• Computer literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration is EUR 1,211. Social benefits will include participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. Appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE’s online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

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 candidates 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.

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please note that for this position the OSCE does not reimburse expenses such as travel in connection with interviews, tests, visas and relocation.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.

The mandatory retirement age at the OSCE is 65 years for contracted positions at the general service, professional and director level. The Organization shall apply an age limit of 63 years at the time of appointment as the incumbent selected is normally expected to carry out the contractual obligation of two years.