Chief, HR Administration and Policy (P4)

Background:

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 Department of Human Resources (DHR) ensures that the OSCE has the human resources capacity necessary to successfully implement its mandates. DHR sets the policies and provides services in the areas of talent acquisition, administration of benefits and entitlements, payroll, performance management, talent development, and policy and employee relations across the Organization.

HR Administration and Policy is one of the business units within the DHR. The Unit is responsible for the accurate and timely administration of employee benefits and entitlements through the employee life cycle; for the development and interpretation of the Human Resources (HR) regulatory framework; and for the management of employee relations cases, such as grievances. The Unit develops and delivers timely, client focused and innovative approaches on all aspects of HR administration, policies and employee relations.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

As Chief, HR Administration and Policy, you will be responsible for ensuring business process excellence in the employee lifecycle, developing HR policies, interpreting and proposing changes in the provisions of Staff Regulations, Rules and Instructions, managing employee relations cases (e.g. grievances, performance improvement plans, appeals), and, when required, advising management and Institutions and field operations on HR Common Regulatory Management System (CRMS) related queries.

You will possess significant autonomy to develop and implement comprehensive procedures and approaches to enhancing the staff administration practices; developing innovative approaches to benefits and entitlements, and enhancing the OSCE's HR policies; and for managing employee relations cases and proposing the course of action in each case to the D/DHR. Crucially, this role integrates the staff administration, policy and employee relations business streams into coherent and impactful deliverables, ensuring efficient resource management, preventing unnecessary expenditures and effort duplication.

You will report directly to the Deputy Director for Human Resources, while the Director for Human Resources serves as your second-level supervisor, and may oversee directly the HR policy and employee relations streams of the role. You will supervise one Human Resources Officer, one HR Policy and Employee Relations Officer and two Associate HR Policy and Employee Relations Officers.

More specifically, you will perform the following tasks:

HR Administration
1. Overseeing rule-compliant administration of staff contracts, benefits, entitlements and conditions of service in accordance with the OSCE Staff Regulations, Rules and Instructions for all staff categories at the OSCE; proposing innovative approaches to enhancing the conditions of service of the OSCE’s workforce;
2. Conceptualizing lean administrative processes, leveraging available technology, to deliver business process excellence; ensuring effective application of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices across the OSCE, with tailored approaches to address specific conditions of service of personnel in the OSCE’s autonomous institutions and decentralized field operations;
3. Advising on complex or multifaceted issues related to contracts, benefits and entitlements; interpreting relevant policies to support sound decision-making on individual cases in a solution-oriented manner while ensuring compliance.

HR policy
4. Conceptualizing and developing innovative, streamlined and people-centric HR policies (Staff Regulations, Rules, Instructions, guidelines and standard operating procedures), drawing on best HRM practices and UN common system frameworks and tailored to the OSCE’s requirements, goals, resources and employee needs;
5. Working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders, including staff representatives and delegates of participating States, to gather feedback, address concerns and ensure inclusive decision-making processes on issuance or revision of HR policies;
6. Providing authoritative advice on HR policy interpretation, HRM practices, waivers and exceptions, in consultation with other stakeholders and taking into account precedence and relevant jurisprudence; representing DHR in working groups, task forces and other bodies requiring a coherent, rule-compliant and solution-oriented application of HR policies throughout the Organization.

Employee relations
7. Establishing best practices, providing expert advice and managing a range of complex and sensitive people management issues, including underperformance, grievances and disciplinary proceedings, in collaboration with the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA);
8. In co-ordination with OLA and the OSCE Ethics/Mediation Co-ordinator, supporting staff and management in addressing workplace conflicts, disagreements and employee relations matters, and facilitating solution-oriented dialogue; identifying systemic issues and proposing solutions; promoting the effective use of informal and formal conflict resolution mechanisms; ensuring timely, confidential and responsive case management for complaints of harassment, discrimination and abuse of authority.

Leadership and management
9. Fostering a positive workplace environment that promotes internal communication, teamwork and client orientation; ensuring that the work of the unit is integrated into coherent and impactful deliverables; providing leadership on all aspects of people management in the unit, including task distribution and performance management and development; ensuring optimal management of allocated resources.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see https://www.osce.org/secretariat 

Necessary Qualifications:

• Second-level university degree in human resources management, law, public or business administration, social sciences or another related field; a relevant first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree;
• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in modern human resource management, including experience in managing compensation, benefits and entitlements, developing HR policies and managing staff/management relations, of which at least two years in an international environment; 
• Proven experience in supervising and leading teams with diverse functions and responsibilities;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; knowledge of other OSCE official languages is considered an asset;
• Professional experience in other areas of HR management (talent acquisition, talent development, performance management, people analytics) is highly desirable;
• Proven experience in business process improvement and automation/digitalization is desirable;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, innovate and manage change;
• Computer literate with practical experience with Microsoft applications;
• 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 is around EUR 9,400, with the actual monthly salary depending on post adjustment and family status. 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. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System.

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.

Candidates interviewed and found suitable in the recruitment process for this vacancy notice will be placed on a roster of suitable candidates (valid for three years) for fixed-term posts, should a suitable opportunity arise. The placement on a roster does not guarantee a future appointment or assignment.

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.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation, therefore the maximum period of service in this post is 7 years.

Please be aware that OSCE appointments are subject to medical clearance. 

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 62 years at the time of appointment as the incumbent selected is normally expected to carry out the contractual obligation of two years. 

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.