Policy and Planning Support Officer (S)

Background:

Please note that this position is open until 01 September 2026 and may be subject to further extension.

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to an assignment at the Secretariat 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 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 Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) plays a key role in supporting and co-ordinating the OSCEùs activities in the field, in providing analysis and policy advice to the Secretary General (SG) and the Chairpersonship, in leading work on all aspects of the conflict cycle, and in supporting the various formats dealing with protracted conflicts. The CPC also serves as the focal point in the Secretariat for co-ordinating and developing the OSCE's role in the politico-military dimension.

The Programming and Evaluation Support Unit (PESU) assists the Secretary General and the Chairpersonship in the implementation of the Organization's Project Management framework and standards, in line with the Common Regulatory Management System (CRMS) and with the recognized international standards. It is the primary point of contact for the Chairpersonship and participating States' delegations on programmatic and project management matters in relation to the Unified Budget (UB) process, as well as the Extra-budgetary contributions. PESU advises senior management and field operations on implementation of programme and project management as well as Performance-Based Programme Budgeting (PBPB) and co-ordinates all related training and coaching activities (i.e. strategic planning, programme management, project management) undertaken by the Unit across the Organization.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

As Policy and Planning Support Officer, you will support the CPC in exercising its programme co-ordination and oversight role on behalf of the Secretary General. You will provide support to implement the OSCE planning programming and project and programme management methodology.

You will work under the supervision of the Chief, Programming and Evaluation Support Unit and will co-operate with the project and programme managers in the Field Operations as well as in the Secretariat on supporting their planning processes for mandate implementation, including the planning of cross departmental or cross organizational initiatives.

More specifically, you will perform the following tasks:

1. Advising and supporting Secretariat Departments and field operations, as and when needed, OSCE institutions, including senior management on multiyear programme planning, strategic planning and related management processes;
2. Designing and delivering training, coaching and capacity building on planning, programming, project cycle management and programme management methodology and approach, both at Secretariat level, and at the field operations;
3. Updating OSCE-specific multiyear planning and management tools, guidelines and training materials including with respect to cross organizational programming initiatives;
4. Supporting internal platforms and formats for sharing of best practices and lessons learned on planning, programming and project cycle management across the Organization;
5. Drafting various documents, background papers, reports and analyses; interacting with other Units of the CPC and/or the Secretariat in the development of policy and analytical papers of a regional, thematic or cross-dimensional nature;
6. Supporting relations with relevant bilateral donors and international organizations to ensure information sharing on planning and programme project management practices. Keeping abreast of donors' requirements in terms of policies and practices, with a view to support extrabudgetary efforts;
7. Collecting and sharing best practices and exchange information on approaches, tools and methods related to planning such as annual, mid-term strategic planning and management processes in coherence with OSCE requirements;
8. Preparing briefing materials, analysis, templates, tools related to internal annual, mid-term strategic planning and management processes;
9. Supporting the preparation of extrabudgetary programmes and projects and the review of unified budget documents of the field operations as and when required;
10. Supporting resource mobilization related efforts and internal processes of the Secretariat;
11. Performing other duties as assigned.

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

Necessary Qualifications:

• First-level university degree in political science, international relations, management or other policy area related to the work of the OSCE;
• A minimum of eight years (six years with a second-level university degree), including three years of relevant professional-level experience with a governmental agency or an international organization in planning, strategic planning, programme and project management and evaluation methodology and practices;
• Demonstrated experience in designing and managing complex programmes in policy areas relevant for the work of OSCE would be an asset;
• Demonstrated experience in coaching facilitation and training delivery capacity is an asset;
• Good understanding of the actors, dynamics and requirements of international assistance, extra budgetary contributions in particular related to conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation and other areas falling under OSCE's mandate;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and experience with enhancing gender mainstreaming of programmes and project proposals; 
• 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;
• Digital literacy and proficient use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet.

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.

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

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.