Head of Comms

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, Communication 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. 

The Communication and Media Relations Section (COMMS) supports and advises the Secretary General and the OSCE Chairpersonship on media and public relations activities and informs the public about the work of the OSCE. COMMS also serves as the focal point for public statements and other communication material from OSCE Institutions and field operations. COMMS produces and disseminates press releases, information materials and regular publications, maintains the public website, the Organization’s social media presence and promotes the OSCE’s values, principles and work.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the general supervision of the Secretary General and the direct supervision of the Director of OSG, the Head of COMMS is responsible for managing the team leading the OSCE’s communication and media relations activities, as well as working to raise the profile of the OSCE and highlight its achievements. The incumbent leads a team of communications professionals, serves as clearinghouse for press releases and media statements, and co-ordinates the communication and media relations activities of the OSCE Institutions and Field Operations. More specifically, her/his responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Advising and supporting the Secretary General, the OSCE Chairmanship and senior OSCE officials on media relations, including shaping, co-ordinating and delivering media and online messages in a timely and effective manner;
• Managing the work and further developing the skills of the Communication and Media Relations section ensuring that its work is delivered through a full mix of modern and innovative communications approaches, in a timely fashion and in accordance with communication industry best practices, while maintaining accountability and measurable results; planning and implementing COMMS annual budget;
• Developing and implementing through employment of modern communications tools and OSCE-wide communication policies to promote the OSCE and raise awareness of its work, ensuring that information is conveyed with appropriate political sensitivity in an effective and accessible form to varied stakeholders, including policymakers and the diplomatic community, media and opinion-makers, the public, and the internal OSCE audience; Clearly and accurately articulating OSCE policies and priorities and explaining the Organization’s actions to media external audiences and the public, ensuring that OSCE messaging reflects OSCE policies and priorities appropriately;
• Closely following political developments in the OSCE region and maintaining good relations with influential journalists and media actors, OSCE delegations, and other key partners; guiding the work of the COMMS team in their contacts with the media to ensure that political messaging is in line with OSCE policies and priorities;
• Overseeing the OSCE’s online platforms, including the public website and social media, ensuring quality, accuracy of political messaging, functionality and appeal; building engagement from different target audiences, tracking trends and identifying new opportunities;
• Overseeing the editorial content and production of public statements and other communication material from OSCE Institutions and field operations, as well as all OSCE COMMS publications and public information materials either from the Chairmanship, the Secretary General or any other Department;
• Maintaining close relationships with OSCE Field Operations and Institutions to ensure the efficient running of communication and media operations, providing guidance, advice and specialized training as needed, and responding to any emerging issues;
• Advising and supporting Secretariat Departments and Units on media and public outreach activities in relation with their conferences, workshops, public events and activities;
• Performing other relevant duties as assigned.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Second-level university degree in administration, communication, journalism, international relations, political science, regional studies, or another relevant field. A first-level degree in combination with a minimum of 5 years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu;
• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience, four of which should be at the management level, in the field of communication and media relations, preferably in a large governmental, intergovernmental or international organization or in a major news organization; experience as a journalist is an asset;
• Excellent knowledge of the OSCE and its areas of activity, sound political judgment and diplomatic skills, with the ability to draw accurate and appropriate conclusions and suggest a course of action regarding media outreach;
• Demonstrated ability to lead a team of professionals effectively, fostering motivation and productivity;
• High proficiency in modern communication methods and their tools as well as proven experience in leading teams in the development and delivery of digital communication strategies;
• Professional fluency in English, including excellent writing and presentation skills; professional fluency or working knowledge of another official OSCE 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;
• Computer literacy with practical experience with Microsoft applications.

Source: https://vacancies.osce.org/jobs/head-of-comms-p5-3738