Administrative Assistant (G5, 50%)

Background:

Please note that this position will be on a fixed-term (50% of full time) with a duration from 1 January 2024 to 31 August 2024.

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 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, Communications and Media Relations, Legal Services, External Co-operation, Security Management, Gender Issues, Conference and Language Services, Central Records Management, and oversees the OSCE Documentation 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 Security Management Unit is located in the Office of the Secretary General and is an overarching body, providing a clear, uniform and standardized approach to security management across all Executive Structures. In accordance with the Common Regulatory Management System and the OSCE’s duty of care towards OSCE Officials, the OSCE Security Management Unit is designed to enhance security planning and preparedness and ensure that all reasonable and practicable measures are in place for managing foreseeable security risks. The principal aim of the OSCE Security Management Unit is to safeguard the safety and security of OSCE Officials, OSCE Personnel, Dependents, premises and assets whilst also facilitating the delivery of OSCE’s programmatic activities, in line with OSCE mandates.

The incumbent’s role is leading the Administration Sub-Unit in the Security Management Unit, by ensuring effective and efficient implementation of security management support functions; coordination of budgetary matters; coordination and planning of security-related meetings, events, training programs, conferences, and other activities; provision of administrative and office management support for the H/SM and the Security Management Unit; security records management; arranging and supporting the Crisis Management Team (CMT) and Security Management Team (SMT) meetings; ensuring the dissemination of security policies and guidelines and providing security-related information for Secretariat staff. The incumbent will be responsible for the administrative security arrangements in the Secretariat.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Head, Security Management, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. Providing administrative security and office management support by maintaining and updating files, reports, correspondence and other relevant material, both in paper and electronic formats;
2. Maintaining attendance and leave sheets for the Unit, preparing and submitting monthly attendance records; monitoring/consolidating the staff leave and travel plans in the Unit;
3. Drafting standard correspondence in English or German on the basis of instructions received and/or on the basis of own knowledge of work;
4. Arranging informal and official meetings, seminars and workshops; booking meeting rooms, preparing and sending out the agenda and other background material for meetings, assembles and distributing related documents;
5. Acting as IRMA Focal point for Purchase requisitions for the Unit, raising Purchase Orders (POs) with Terms of Reference (TORs), receiving the Purchase Requisitions (PRs);
6. Acting as a DocIn Focal Point, updating and maintaining DocIn on behalf of the Security Management Unit; updating and maintaining the e-filing and records management system;
7. Acting as a Focal Point for travel arrangement services and online booking system; training new incoming Security Management staff on IT matters required for their duties. Generating statistical travel reports; taking independent action on routine correspondence;
8. Collecting and reporting financial information and supporting the Unit’s budget-related activities: working with the Budget Unit as a Focal Point for the Program Outline, Unified Budget, Extra-Budgetary Funding, Programme Budget Performance Report, Year-End Revisions, and Quarterly Budget Reports. Monitoring the budget spending for the Unit and, if necessary, proposing budget line adjustments;
9. Providing support for security operations, planning and coordination: as requested contacting the Austrian Authorities, especially during emergency situations where security personnel are addressing the emergency; covering administrative duties of the Senior Security Assistant when he/she is out of the office (co-ordination of Emergency Evacuation Marshals, co-ordination of Security Guards, sending out security warnings);
10. Acting as a Fire Warden to co-ordinate evacuation of Secretariat premises during emergency situations; maintaining liaison with other Secretariat’s Units regarding administrative or security matters; maintaining and updating a compendium of Security Focal Points from OSCE Field Missions and contacting them on security-related issues on a regular basis;
11. Coordinating informal and official meetings, seminars and workshops; arranging and coordinating the Security Management Team (SMT) and Crisis Management Team (CMT) as well as other meetings, drafting and distributing minutes;
12. Performing other related tasks as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see: Secretariat | OSCE.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Completed secondary education, as well as specialized training in administration, programme and project management, office management, etc. A first-level university degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Social Sciences, International Relations or any related fields would be an asset;
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant working experience in administration, programme and project management, office management, event management, etc;
• Accuracy in setting up and maintaining complex filing system and databases;
• Co-ordination and organization skills;
• Preferably expenditure and budget monitoring experience;
• Ability to organize and plan work;
• Ability to collect and present information;
• Professional fluency in English with excellent communication (both oral and written) skills; working knowledge of German is desirable. Working knowledge of other official OSCE languages would be an asset;
• 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 literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications (word processing, power-point, database and spreadsheets).

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deduction, is EUR 2,202 a month. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Austria. Social benefits will include 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.