Background:

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to an 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 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 OSCE Secretariat in Vienna assists the Chairpersonship 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) plays a key role in supporting the Secretary General in the effective implementation of his/her mandate and specific tasks given to him/her by the OSCE participating States. This includes primarily assisting the Secretary General in his/her activities, serving as a focal point for liaison and support to the Chairperson-in-Office, and co-ordinating tasks across the Secretariat. It groups horizontal services such as Executive Management, Communications and Media Relations, Legal Services, External Co-operation, Security Management, Gender Issues, Conference and Language Services, Central Records Management, and oversees the OSCE Document Centre in Prague (DCiP). The OSG ensures effective co-ordination of policy advice provided to the Secretary General and the Chairpersonship, and management decisions taken by the Secretary General.

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the overall supervision of the Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. Supporting the Senior Adviser on Gender Issues in the co-ordination and management processes, by:

• Co-ordinating, drafting and/or reviewing the preparation of diverse written material on gender issues for the Secretary General, Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, the CiO, OSG and other Directors, as necessary, including background information, talking points, speeches, briefing notes, statements, presentations, reports or parts of reports etc., to ensure accuracy, relevance and completeness of data;
• Co-ordinating and reviewing input for relevant meetings (Heads of Mission and Regional Heads of Mission meetings, Committees, Human Dimension Implementation Meetings, Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meetings, meetings of the Permanent and Ministerial Councils), promoting gender awareness and OSCE priorities on gender issues, and representing the Gender Issues Programme at co-ordination meetings;
• Advising and informing senior management on good gender practices and benefits using practical examples from ongoing OSCE project and policy activities;
• Co-ordinating and managing the annual Unified Budget preparation and reporting cycle, as well as planning the budget and managing the expenditures of the Gender Issues Programme according to the Organization’s regulatory framework.

2. Providing advice and support to Senior Adviser on Gender Issues in efforts to mainstream gender in programmes, projects and activities of the OSCE, in the three dimensions of comprehensive security with emphasis on the implementation of the OSCE 2004 Gender Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality and all relevant Ministerial Council Decisions, by:

• Co-ordinating the provision of technical advice to ensure the implementation of the action plans of field operations to incorporate gender equality commitments into project activities; 
• Overseeing the development and roll-out of capacity development programmes targeting all OSCE personnel, including different training modules, identifying trainers, planning, fundraising and monitoring all capacity development related activities; 
• Promoting coherence and efficiency in gender equality related initiatives within the Gender Issues Programme and across all OSCE executive structures;
• Supporting the Secretariat’s programmes in establishing annual plans for the integration of gender aspects in their work and helping formulate progress indicators for monitoring and reporting;
• Providing support to and co-ordinating activities of the Gender Focal Point Network.

3. Co-ordinating the promotion of gender equality initiatives in line with the relevant MC Decisions across the Organization, especially with regard to the achievement of a gender-balanced and gender-sensitive internal policies, rules and regulations, by:

• Providing guidance and support to the Department of Human Resources in implementing the OSCE Gender Parity Strategy and in fostering a gender-inclusive organizational culture;
• Designing and proposing monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tools to monitor the implementation of gender commitments in the OSCE;
• Providing guidance on gender-sensitive rules and regulations;
• Reviewing project proposals, performing regular gender reviews of materials to be produced by programmes in the Secretariat and institutions, and providing support to activities performed by field officers and gender focal points in field operations;
• Co-ordinating the preparation of the Secretary General’s Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality;
• Providing support in the development and implementation of the Secretariat Roadmap for the implementation of the 2004 Action Plan on the Promotion of Gender Equality.

4. Representing the OSCE in international events on gender issues and ensuring liaison, exchange and the establishment of partnerships, as appropriate, with international organizations, technical agencies, experts, leading NGOs and UN agencies that have complementary mandates for the promotion of women’s and girls’ rights and gender equality.

5. Performing other related duties as assigned. 

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see: http://www.osce.org/secretariat

Necessary Qualifications:

• Second-level university degree in social, political or human sciences, gender studies, development studies 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 advanced university degree;
• A minimum eight years of directly related and progressively responsible professional experience;
• Knowledge of gender issues and gender mainstreaming;
• Several years of serving in senior/policy positions in the context of interaction with multiple and diverse stakeholders;
• Experience in fundraising and advocacy for human rights issues;
• Experience with UN and/or other international agencies is an asset; 
• Professional fluency in English with excellent communication (both oral and written) skills; knowledge of one or more other official OSCE languages is an asset;
• 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;
• Computer literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications.

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 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 the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds.

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

Please apply to your relevant authorities well in advance of the deadline expiration to ensure timely processing of your application. Delayed nominations will not be considered. The OSCE can only process Secondment applications that have been nominated by participating States. For queries relating to your application, please refer to the respective delegation as listed here: https://www.osce.org/contacts/delegations.