Background:
Please note that the duration of the assignment is until 28 June 2024.
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 Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) plays a key role in supporting and co-ordinating the OSCE’s activities in the field, in providing analysis and policy advice to the Secretary General (SG) and the Chairmanship, in leading work on all aspects of the conflict cycle, and in supporting the various formats dealing with protracted conflicts. The CPC also serves as the focal point in the Secretariat for co-ordinating and developing the OSCE’s role in the politico-military dimension.
Within the CPC, the Operations Service covers a broad variety of tasks such as operational planning for the set-up, reorganization, and closure of field operations. It provides strategic advice and analysis on conflict cycle issues, including early warning, early action, conflict prevention, mediation, dialogue facilitation, mediation support, crisis management, post-conflict rehabilitation, and peacebuilding. It also contributes to the preservation of key institutional memory through the development and exchange of lessons learned and best practices, primarily related to operational issues, including through the conduct of after action reviews. It also maintains a 24/7 Situation/Communications Room. In its efforts, it ensures operational liaison with other international organizations.
The Mediation Support Team within the Operations Service is the organization-wide focal point for mediation support.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director CPC for Operations Service, as temporary Mediation Support Officer, you will be responsible for providing analytical and operational support in further developing and implementing a comprehensive and systematic mediation-support capacity within the CPC.
Furthermore, you will be expected to interact with OSCE institutions, thematic units and field operations as well as with relevant international and national stakeholders working in similar areas of expertise. More specifically, you will be responsible for the following:
- Providing advice on mediation strategy, process design, and possible steps to be taken by OSCE mediators to increase the effectiveness of the processes;
- Designing appropriate methods to strengthen analytical, strategic, and conceptual thinking on mediation and dialogue processes; facilitating related discussions in the form of briefings, handover meetings, co-ordination retreats, strategy meetings, including with and between high-level mediators;
- Attending negotiations, drafting observation reports and functioning as a sounding board for high-level OSCE mediators to improve their tactics or strategies, upon request;
- Developing curricula for training and capacity building on mediation topics and delivering training on these topics; designing and providing tailor-made coaching and thematic workshops for high-level OSCE mediators and field operations; advising field operations on an integrated training and mediation and dialogue facilitation capacity-building strategy;
- Preparing briefs, speeches and speaking points on issues related to mediation and dialogue facilitation for the Chairmanship and senior management of the Secretariat;
- Deploying temporarily to crisis areas in support of mediation and dialogue facilitation crisis response efforts;
- Conceptualizing and facilitating debriefings of OSCE mediators for the purposes of lessons learning with a view to enhancing the effectiveness and impact of OSCE mediation activities;
- Developing and maintaining a central depository for documents, lessons learned and best practices related to OSCE mediation activities to further preserve institutional memory;
- Developing knowledge products related to different conflicts and contexts, in co-ordination with relevant units within the Secretariat;
- Devising and publishing operational guidance on relevant topics in the field of mediation;
- Representing the OSCE in meetings, conferences and workshops on mediation support topics, including as a speaker in relevant events; establishing and maintaining working contacts with relevant international, governmental, non-governmental and academic organizations and institutions, as well as with prominent research centres;
- Assuming extra-budgetary project management responsibilities, as required, including project budgeting reporting and donor relations;
- Performing other related tasks as required.
For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see https://www.osce.org/secretariat and https://www.osce.org/secretariat/107488
Necessary Qualifications
- First-level university degree in political science, international relations or related field; successful completion of a nationally certified mediation training a distinct asset;
- A minimum of six years of progressively responsible professional experience in mediation and/or mediation-support with a government agency, a national or international organization or a non-governmental organization; experience of working in the field would be an important asset;
- A minimum of three years of practical experience in mediation and/or dialogue facilitation processes;
- Thematic expertise and familiarity with the relevant international efforts on mediation and dialogue facilitation;
- Demonstrated knowledge of mediation methodologies;
- Excellent research and analytical skills;
- Professional fluency in English including excellent written and oral communication skills; knowledge of another official OSCE language would be 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, whilst maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
- Computer literate with practical experience with 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.
Additional Information
- Issued by: OSCE Secretariat
- Requisition ID: SEC000263
- Contract Type: International Secondment
- Grade: S
- Job Type: Seconded
- Number of posts: 1
- Location: SEC – OSCE Secretariat, Vienna
- Issue Date: Jul 26, 2023
- Closing Date: Oct 4, 2023
- Employee Status: Fixed Term
- Schedule: Full-time
- Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree (First-level university degree or equivalent)
- Job Field: Political Affairs
- Target Start Date: As soon as possible