Human Rights Officer (S)

Background:

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to assignment at OSCE/ODIHR 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 Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the principal institution of the OSCE responsible for the human dimension. ODIHR is active throughout the OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and the rule of law. ODIHR's assistance projects and other activities are implemented in participating States in accordance with ODIHR's mandate.

The post is located in the Human Rights Department's Human Rights, Gender and Security portfolio.

Tasks and responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Head, Human Rights Department, the incumbent monitors, analyses, and reports on human rights developments across the OSCE region with a view to assisting participating States in meeting their Human Dimension commitments. They advise ODIHR management on human rights trends, priority areas, and programmatic responses, and provide guidance to participating States. Specifically, the incumbent performs the following duties:

1.    Advising, developing, and implementing programmatic activities and projects on human rights and gender mainstreaming in the security sector, in co-operation with OSCE structures, government counterparts and civil society;
2.    Designing, implementing, and evaluating capacity-building initiatives, training programmes, and field activities such as workshops, seminars, and dialogues;
3.    Liaising with OSCE field missions, gender focal points and implementing partners to collect, analyse, and exchange information supporting programme development and reporting;
4.    Preparing project proposals, budgets and donor reports, and maintaining accurate records in information management systems;
5.    Establishing and maintaining co-operation with government authorities, international organisations, and NGOs, and supervising experts and contractors engaged in programme delivery;
6.    Monitoring and analysing human rights developments across the OSCE region and advising management on priority areas, programmatic responses, and follow-up actions;
7.    Contributing to department-wide initiatives by providing expertise, feedback and support on cross-cutting activities, drafting materials and inter-departmental projects.

Education and Experience:

• Second-level university degree in social sciences, international relations, political science; specialization in human rights preferred. A first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree;
• A minimum of five years (seven years with a first-level university) of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience in the field of human rights, including experience at the international level in an advisory function; 
• Knowledge of UN, Council of Europe, and OSCE human rights and equality standards, as well as human rights monitoring and reporting methodology and practice; 
• Experience of designing and implementing projects; 
• Experience working in or with the security sector is strongly preferred;  
• Established in-depth knowledge of women's human rights and security-related issues and related relevant mechanisms (e.9. UNSCR1325) and implementation efforts; 
• Knowledge of the impact of new technologies on the security sector is also welcomed; 
• Knowledge of gender-based analysis is an asset;
• Computer literate with practical experience in Microsoft applications;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Other OSCE languages are appreciated;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability to work in a team and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
   

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.

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.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation; therefore, the maximum period of service in this post is 10 years.

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 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. 

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

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