Deputy Head, Office of Political Affairs and Communications (S3)

General Minimum Requirements

The general minimum requirements for working with the OSCE are:

• Excellent physical condition
• Possession of a valid automobile driving license and ability to drive using manual transmission
• Ability to cope with physical hardship and willingness to work extra hours and in an environment with limited infrastructure 

Field of Expertise Requirements

The general minimum requirements for working in this field of expertise are: 

• Second-level university degree in international studies, public policy, political science or law or related fields
• Diplomatic experience or experience working in political affairs with international organizations or governments
• Experience in preparing analytical reports
• Excellent communication and drafting skills
• Knowledge of regional political history and developments
• Diplomatic and negotiating skills
• Some knowledge of the OSCE principles and commitments

Level of Professional Competence Requirements

Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:

Education:

Second-level university degree/certified training course in a relevant field desirable

Experience:

Minimum 6 years of relevant, diversified and progressively responsible professional experience including at least 3 years at the management level relevant to the actual position

Mission Specific Requirements

Additionally, this particular post has specific requirements:

Mandatory:

• Experience in compiling, analysing and editing information and reporting
• Professional fluency in the English language, including professional writing
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to work as a member of a team, with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity
• Experience in policy planning and advising
• Previous experience in a liaison function
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and with limited time frames
• Ability to operate main computer applications, including Microsoft and social media

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the local languages spoken in the mission area
• Previous international work experience and/or experience in field missions
• Working experience in one or more of the main functional areas of the Mission’s mandate, preferably in an international environment, including communications and media

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Head of the Office of Political Affairs and Communications (OPAC), the Deputy Head of Office will be assisting the Head of OPAC in advising the Head of Mission on all topics pertaining to the implementation of the Mission’s mandate. Reporting to the Head of OPAC, the incumbent will be responsible for:

1. Participating in data collection, analysis, report writing, editing and clearance procedures;
2. Monitoring compliance of the Mission’s programmatic departments with established Mission policies and guidelines and the Mission’s overall mandate;
3. Acting as the Office’s focal point for interaction with OSCE Institutions and assist the Head of OPAC in dealing with the CPC and other Departments of the OSCE Secretariat;
4. Acting as a focal point for interaction with international organizations in Kosovo and monitoring the general interaction of the Mission with other international organizations;
5. Overseeing and advising the Office in the review and compilation of reports produced by the Mission, as well as speeches, speaking notes and other written material for the Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission;
6. Acting as a task-manager for the political affairs component of the Office, ensuring that the workload is fairly divided, and helping with case-work to cover absences;
7. Assisting the Office in distributing accurate information on OSCE activities to partner organizations and institutions, embassies and liaison offices, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other key audiences and stakeholders;
8. Acting as A/Head of OPAC in the Head’s absence and otherwise substituting for the Head of OPAC when necessary;
9. Representing the Mission in working groups and meetings within and outside of Kosovo as appropriate and as delegated by the Head of OPAC or the Head of Mission;
10. Supporting delivery of the Mission’s communication strategy and action plan, as necessary;
11. Performing other duties as required.   

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, please see: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic and social backgrounds. Please note that nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are not eligible to apply.

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.

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.

Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered. 

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE’s online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/. If your participating State does not provide the option to apply online for seconded positions, you are kindly requested to submit your offline application form available at https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/offline-application-formto the respective OSCE delegation whose address can be found at https://www.osce.org/contacts/delegations.

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.