Programme Associate (G6)

Background:

The work of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB) focuses on a range of security issues, from countering terrorism, border security and transnational threats such as human trafficking, to developing the country’s regions, strengthening efforts to combat corruption on all levels, as well as supporting the reform of the justice sector, implementation of election reform, gender equality and building open and resilient societies.
The incumbent will be positioned within the Anti-Corruption unit of the Economic and Environmental Department (EED). The unit implements projects aimed at assisting the Host State in promoting good governance, fighting corruption and money laundering, and promoting regional development in the Kyrgyz Republic. The incumbent will be responsible for delivering program/project-related tasks focused on digital transformation and financial security. 

Main Purpose:

Provides information regarding proposed and ongoing projects and other program activities for the Unified Budget’s planning; assists in developing and reviewing project proposals, budgets, and reports from implementing partners. Additionally, the Programme Associate (PA) provides functional support for project implementation, assists in monitoring projects by collecting, registering, reporting, and maintaining information on project activities, and performs other duties as required by the program operation.   
Working with limited supervision, the PA provides technical support and recommends ways of improvement for the implementation of the programme/project and collaboration with respective stakeholders by performing skilled, semi-professional functions of substantial variety and complexity that require the application of different and unrelated processes and methods and an understanding of a broad area of operation within the field relevant for the project, including proposing new areas of activity. PA also provides substantive input to project design, planning, delivery, monitoring, and reporting of project activities. 

Work Relationships:

The Programme Associate reports to the National Anti-Corruption Officer (NP1), while the Head of the Economic and Environmental Department (S3) acts as the second-level supervisor. 
Internal contacts are mainly with other teams within EED (social-economic and environmental), the Fund Administration Unit (FAU), the Press and Public Information Unit, the Office of the Head of Mission, and others to provide advice or guidance related to project administration. This includes handling project documents, correspondence, and expenditures, as well as making administrative arrangements for the implementation of project activities. External contacts are mainly with state partners, such as the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the National Bank to clarify and discuss project outputs and arrange joint implementation of project activities. The incumbent collaborates with international and national experts contracted by the OSCE POiB to achieve the program and project results. 

Tasks and Responsibilities:

To successfully contribute to the implementation of the program and project tasks related to the development of the economy in the Kyrgyz Republic, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

1. Collecting, registering, reporting, and maintaining information on project activities by reviewing reports and establishing and maintaining liaison with partners for implementation. Following up on all aspects of the project, including project formulation and provision of functional support to project implementation. In coordination with partners, assessing program implementation and other related issues, reporting regularly to the Project Manager (PM) and preparing various written outputs, and drafting background and briefing papers;
2. Following up on the implementation progress of ongoing projects, investigating designated project activities, and discussing findings with the PM to identify implications for the work of the Office, considering problem identification and resolution;
3. Coordinating the collection and verification of documents, actions, and data; assembling and editing basic data required for planning and negotiation, as instructed by the PM. Checking project documents for clarity, consistency, and completeness; monitoring project activities and events in line with the organization’s existing monitoring and evaluation system; facilitating the visibility of the project by liaising with the Press and Public Information Unit;
4. Preparing project/program reports, activities, and budget requirements for the planning of the Unified Budget (UB); planning, coordinating, and developing project budgets in close cooperation with FAU; following up and keeping records on project expenditures and overall financial status; preparing PR and PO, receiving funds from FAU for project activities, and preparing and submitting financial reports for project expenditures for UB projects and Extra-budgetary (ExB) projects if needed;
5. Compiling general background information from available sources for the assigned sector or area; designing and drafting supporting flow charts, schedules, graphs, and tables; maintaining institutional memories or other documentation systems to record program and project history and ongoing activities;
6. Attending and contributing to briefings for visiting delegations on matters relating to the organization’s mandate and other important sectors pertinent to the organization’s mission. Paying field visits and participating in subsequent discussions and decision-making regarding follow-up actions on the projects;
7. Providing inputs for all reporting exercises (regular and ad hoc), drafting notes for the supervisor on specific issues and topics as requested, providing accurate interpretation when necessary for the PM or other international mission members during official meetings, receiving visitors and responding to routine requests for information.   

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, please see: https://www.osce.org/programme-office-in-bishkek.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Completed secondary education supplemented by specialized training or formal studies in international relations, business administration, law, project management, economics or management; 
• A university degree in economics, international relations, public policy, political science, public administration, business administration or management is an asset;
• Minimum of six (6) years of working experience in good governance, anti-corruption, economics, sustainable development or project management;
• Experience in an international organization is desirable;
• Established knowledge and understanding of the developments in national and regional context and programme matters in regard to good governance, anti-corruption, economics, sustainable development and project management;
• Experience in project management, including project design, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting;
• Experience working with state bodies, local and international NGOs, and national or international financial institutions will be an asset;
• Ability to collect and comprehend versatile information in aim to perform appropriate analyses;
• Ability to conduct independent research and collect information from a variety of sources;
• Digital literacy, proficient use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and the Internet. Experience with ERP software is an asset;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Russian/Kyrgyz languages;
• 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.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deductions, is EUR 1048.25/month. Social benefits will include the possibility of participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. Please note that 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.