Senior Project Assistant (G6)

Background

The OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) has been established in order to continue to support the Ukrainian Government’s reform efforts and to mitigate the increased risks to civilians caused by the war against the country. The objective of the SPU – and therefore of all its projects – is to support Ukraine across all three OSCE dimensions on the government’s reform efforts and on the evolving risks to civilians caused by the war, thus ensuring that the OSCE’s work conducted over the past three decades and in the future, continues to impact positively the institutions and people of Ukraine and that Ukraine’s comprehensive security is enhanced in line with the OSCE commitments.

The incumbent works within the extra-budgetary (ExB) SPU project under the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) at the Secretariat (SEC), Human Security (HS) Component, and provides programmatic and administrative support in the implementation of the “Building Capacity of National Stakeholders to Provide Social and Psychological Support to Conflict-Affected People in Time of War and During Post-Conflict Recovery” project.

The SPU is planned to run until 31 July 2025. The post extension is subject to the availability of funds, as well as an extension of the project duration.

Please note that the post is located in Kyiv, Ukraine. Alternative working arrangements are provisionally in place.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The incumbent works under the supervision and guidance of the Senior Project Associate (G7) and will be tasked with the following: 

1. Assisting in the implementation of projects, in particular:

• Providing input on the prioritization of the projects’ portfolio in the respective area and drafting conceptual outlines of potential projects;
• Planning, organizing and coordinating, attending and participating in specific activities such as seminars, roundtables, workshops, conferences, study trips and training events in the framework of existing projects in the area of elections and local self-government;
• Communicating with government, international entities’ and NGO counterparts on a regular basis to ensure smooth implementation of projects activities;
• Planning and conducting meetings with NGOs, local authorities, and other international organizations if requested.

2. Undertaking analysis of the project implementation and reports on the project implementation status, in particular:

• Monitoring implementation of projects’ activities and providing the supervisor with project implementation progress reports and recommendations/conclusions;
• Drafting project-related reports, including narrative and financial reports;
• Assisting project implementation partners to achieve the planned results by providing general guidance and advice;
• Maintaining project documentation electronically and on physical file.

3. Liaising with representatives of international entities in Ukraine, Ukrainian governmental institutions and NGOs, international and local experts as well as OSCE institutions, in particular:

• Participating in the coordination meetings with other stakeholders;
• Participating in the working group meetings of Ukrainian governmental partners and civil society organization to generate project ideas;
• Updating project contacts database.

4. Raising Procurement Requests in IRMA, monitoring the projects’ implementation rates and spending patterns, and providing recommendations to improve financial planning and monitoring.

5. Supervising other lower-level project staff, if required and performing other related duties as assigned.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Secondary education supplemented by formal training or studies in the field relevant for the Project;
• Minimum 6 (six) years of relevant working experience in the field of human security sector, political affairs or democratization;
• Experience in project planning, implementation and reporting;
• Knowledge of latest political and social developments as well as priority issues on the reform agenda in Ukraine;
• Ability to conduct research and collect information from a variety of sources;
• Computer literate with practical experience in Microsoft packages;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Ukrainian 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 a 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 USD 1,953 as per the relevant OSCE salary scale; the salary payment is effected in EUR. Social benefits will include participation in Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. The Organization contributes an additional amount equivalent to 15% of the employee’s salary to this pension-style fund while the employee contributes 7.5%. 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.