Chief of Fund Administration (P4)

Background:

The post is located in the Fund Administration Unit (FAU) of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Mission). The FAU consists of four distinct thematic sections Finance and Budget, Human Resources, General Services and ICT as well as two support interconnecting sections Office of Central Coordination and Medical Office. The post is also overseeing the operations of OSCE`s Shared Services Centre consisting of ICT Helpdesk, Oracle Service Desk and part of the Security Operations Centre located in BiH.

The main purpose of the job is supporting the Fund Manager in the day-to-day management of resources. The Chief of Fund Administration (CFA) ensures the most efficient use of OSCE’s resources and is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of, and compliance with, the Common Regulatory Management System (CRMS), and for liaison with local authorities on matters related to the status of staff in the host country. In approving administrative actions, the CFA ensures that they are taken and implemented in accordance with the CRMS and within budget allotments and available resources. On matters of compliance, the CFA reports to the Secretary General and the Fund Manager. The key functions of the role include: preparation of budgets and maintenance of accounting records, human resource management, including administration and payroll functions, recruitment, and talent development, as well as procurement, logistics, asset management, buildings management, ICT and documents and records management.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Head of Mission, and overall supervision of the Head of Mission, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. Directing the overall application of the CRMS within the Fund on behalf of the Fund Manager and the Secretary General; advising the Fund Manager on administrative policies and the management of the financial, human and material resources, and on the budgetary consequences of the programme initiatives; implementing administrative/financial/staff instructions and adapting them to the local conditions when necessary; chairing the Mission`s Fund Material Management Committee and participating in the Mission`s ExB review Board;
2. Ensuring that staff is recruited and administered in accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules and Staff Instructions, overseeing the administration of the performance management system and payroll processing, assisting the Fund Manager in establishing staffing requirements, overseeing staff development and staff health and welfare issues, overseeing and participating in staff/management relations;
3. Acting as Administrative Approval Authority for the Fund; ensuring the financial resources are used in accordance with the Financial Regulations, Rules and Instructions, the internal mechanisms are in place for the processing, control and reporting of financial transactions, that Budget proposals prepared by the Fund Manager are in accordance with the standards of the OSCE and clearly identify objectives and outputs and full resource cost of each and that the financial and programme implementation reports are prepared in accordance with the Financial Regulations, Rules and Instructions;
4. Ensuring that the needs of the Mission for goods and services are accurately assessed and properly budgeted; overseeing the procurement of goods and services in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules, procurement standards and relevant OSCE instructions and within the limits of delegated authority; ensuring that contracts are drawn up in accordance with OSCE standards and formats and that procedures are in place to ensure proper contract administration, monitoring and control, and approving contract awards;
5. Establishing a supply chain system in the Mission to deliver goods and equipment where and when needed, including the functions of the receipt, inspection, supply, warehousing, transport and distribution; implementing asset management standards, including vehicle management for the efficient utilization of the material resources, maintaining the material management and inventory system of IRMA; ensuring the efficient use, distribution, maintenance and operational readiness of the vehicle fleet; implementing the building management policies and standards of the OSCE and ensuring that they are observed when renting, refurbishing, occupying or using premises for OSCE operations; implementing a comprehensive organization-wide insurance programme and ensuring that the Mission is covered effectively and in a cost-effective manner against all identified risks; implementing the OSCE travel policies and ensuring that cost-effective arrangements are in place to administer travel funds;
6. Ensuring effective and efficient implementation of the Shared Service model for ICT services to participating OSCE executive structures; ensuring that the IR local area network and wide area network is in place and properly maintained in line with OSCE standards, that telephone, radio, voice and data transmission systems are in place and maintained utilizing landline and satelite facilities, that the required equipment, software, operating and maintenance systems are secured to the systems in good operating order; implementing instructions in ICT matters and adapting them to local conditions and operating requirements as necessary; overseeing the implementation of the records and documents management system of the OSCE applying the common standards for registry, distribution, local filing and retrieval; the implementation of the electronic retrieval system of centrally maintained records, documents, and archival system, and the implementation of OSCE standards for classification, handling, disposal and archiving of documents including institutional memory documents;
7. Ensuring that effective, streamlined and transparent internal administrative processes and workflows are in place, maintaining an appropriate control framework and supporting the Mission's operational needs; ensuring regular review of administrative procedures and practices are conducted in order to maximize efficiency and provide a coherent and comprehensive source of advice and support in delivering financial and human resources, ICT and material management services to programme implementation; ensuring the effective management of the Mission`s risk management catalogue, maintaining applicable crosscutting controls to ensure that identified administrative risks are efficiently controlled and/or mitigated;
8. Performing other related duties as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, please see: https://www.osce.org/mission-to-bosnia-and-herzegovina.

Necessary Qualifications:

• International mission members in the OSCE are internationally recruited. For the purposes of OSCE Missions (Field Operations) this means that they are hired to work in a duty station outside of their home country or country of permanent residence. As a result, nationals and permanent residents of the duty station are not eligible for international mission member positions. In the case of individuals with multiple nationalities, candidates are still ineligible for consideration even if using another citizenship for application while simultaneously maintaining the citizenship or permanent residence status of the country where the duty station is located;
• University degree in public or business administration, management, finance, accounting or related field;
• A minimum of nine (9) years of progressively responsible professional experience (or seven years with a relevant second-level university degree), of which at least three in a management role, preferably working in international organizations and/or a multinational setting;
• Experience in the field of general administration (especially finance, human resources management or procurement/logistics);
• Established knowledge of financial, human resource and material resource management principles and concepts;
• Proven experience in managing large and diverse teams;
• Proven experience in coordinating management actions with the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders;
• Proven experience in communicating management actions both in writing and orally;
• Established ability to identify and analyse problems and take corrective actions;
• Professional fluency in English with excellent communication (both oral and written) skills; working knowledge of the BiH official languages is an asset;
• Computer literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications;
• Experience with ERP systems;
• Holding a valid category B driving licence.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration subject to social security deductions is around US$ 6,440 to which is added Board and Lodging Allowance (currently EUR 118 per day subject to change without prior notice). Social benefits will include possibility of participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund.

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.