Mediation Support Officer (S)

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 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 Chairpersonship, 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:

UnderthedirectsupervisionoftheDeputyDirectorCPCforOperationsService,asMediationSupportOfficer,youwill co-operate closely with the CPC/Policy Support Service (PSS) in providing advice and operational support to high-level OSCE mediators and field operation senior management and staff. You will also closely co-operate with the Operations Service/Planning and Analysis Team in the preparation of analyses and in work related to the conflict cycle, and with thematic staff of the Secretariat and staff from OSCE institutions on thematic issues related to mediation, mediation support, and dialogue facilitation.

Furthermore, you will be expected to interact with the OSCE Chairpersonship, Special/Personal representatives of the Chairperson-in-Office (CIO), and delegations of participating States in providing mediation advise and support, and in the organization of relevant events, as well as with international and national stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions working in similar areas of expertise to exchange information and to create synergies. All interactions of the Mediation Support Officer require discretion and due awareness of the politically sensitive nature of issues within this portfolio.

More specifically, you will be tasked with the following:

1. Analysing mediation and dialogue facilitation processes and providing advice and operational support, including on mediation and dialogue facilitation strategy, process design, and possible steps to be taken by OSCE mediators to increase the effectiveness of mediation and dialogue processes, upon request;
2. Designing appropriate methods to strengthen analytical, strategic, and conceptual thinking on mediation and dialogue processes;
3. Facilitating related discussions in the form of briefings, handover meetings, co-ordination retreats, strategy meetings – including with and between high-level mediators;
4. Supporting the current and incoming OSCE CiO and Chair in implementing their priorities with regard to mediation and dialogue facilitation, e.g., by conceptualizing and conducting high-level events;
5. Observing high-level mediation processes, drafting reports, and providing advice and support to high-level OSCE mediators to improve their tactics or strategies, upon request;
6. Providing advice on mediation and dialogue facilitation to field operations, in co-ordination with geographical desks within CPC/PSS, to increase the effectiveness of mediation and dialogue facilitation processes;
7. Developing, designing, and implementing training and capacity-building on mediation and dialogue facilitation, by (1) developing related curricula for training and capacity building and delivering training, (2) designing and providing tailor-made coaching and thematic workshops for high-level OSCE mediators and field operations, (3) advising field operations on an integrated training and mediation and dialogue facilitation capacity-building strategy;
8. Improving knowledge management and providing operational guidance with regard to mediation, mediation-support and dialogue facilitation, by (1) conceptualizing and facilitating debriefings of OSCE mediators to identify lessons toward enhancing the effectiveness and impact of OSCE mediation activities, (2) developing and maintaining a central depository for documents, lessons learned, and best practices related to OSCE mediation activities to preserve institutional memory, (3) developing knowledge products related to conflicts and mediation contexts, in co-ordination with relevant units within the Secretariat, (4) conducting research on topics related to mediation, dialogue facilitation, and mediation support, and (5) devising and publishing operational guidance on relevant topics in the field of mediation;
9. Preparing briefs, speeches, and speaking points on issues related to mediation and dialogue facilitation for the Chairpersonship and senior management of the Secretariat;
10. Representing the OSCE in meetings, conferences, and workshops on mediation support topics, including as a speaker;
11. Contributing to the visibility and relevance of OSCE mediation and dialogue facilitation processes, and establishing and maintaining working contacts with relevant international, governmental, non-governmental, and academic organizations and institutions, as well as with prominent research centres;
12. Deploying temporarily to crisis areas in support of conflict resolution/crisis response efforts, as required;
13. Managing the Mediation Support Extra-budgetary project, including project budgeting, reporting, donor relations, and supervising the Mediation Support Assistant, as required;
14. Performing other related tasks as required.

FormoredetailedinformationonthestructureandworkoftheOSCESecretariat,pleasesee https://www.osce.org/secretariat and https://www.osce.org/secretariat/107488

Necessary Qualifications

• First-leveluniversitydegree in international relations, political science, mediation or a related field;
• Successful completion of a nationally certified mediation training would be desirable;
• A minimum of six years of progressively responsible professional experience in mediation, mediation support, and/or dialogue facilitation with a government agency, a national or international organization or a non-governmental organization;
• Previous field experience in mediation, mediation support, and/or dialogue facilitation would be desirable;
• Thematic expertise and familiarity with the relevant international efforts on mediation and dialogue facilitation;
• Demonstrated strategic thinking skills to be able to analyse geo-political trends and developments; to identify strategic issues, opportunities and risks; and to understand and integrate political sensitivities;
• Demonstrated knowledge of mediation, process design and conflict analysis;
• Excellent research and analytical skills;
• Demonstrated political acumen; 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of another official OSCE language would be desirable;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability to work in a team and establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds whilst maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Computer literate with practical experience with Microsoft applications;
• Experience in project management in an international environment would be desirable.

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-form to 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. 

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.