Project Officer (P2) Part-time

Background:

The work of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB) focuses on a range of security issues, from countering terrorism, border security and transnational threats such as human trafficking, to developing the country’s regions, strengthening efforts to combat corruption on all levels, as well as supporting the reform of the justice sector, implementation of election reform, gender equality and building open and resilient societies.

The Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) deals with economic and environmental issues, operating under the premise that promoting economic prosperity and co-operation on environmental concerns can contribute to peace, security and stability. The OCEEA’s role is twofold: a) to monitor economic and environmental developments among participating States, and alert them to any threat of conflict, and b) to facilitate the formulation of economic and environmental policies and initiatives among participating States, to promote peace and security.

The Project Officer post is positioned within the Economic and Environmental Department (EED). The EED implements projects aimed at assisting the Host State in enhancing the capacities of the state institutions on environmental protection, monitoring, disaster risk reduction, awareness raising on environmental and climate change issues and development of the ‘green’ economy in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Project Officer is responsible for delivery and implementation of the ExB regional project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia. Phase III” managed by the OCEEA. The project will concentrate on engaging, capacity-building, and raising awareness among local stakeholders in participating countries for uranium legacy sites remediation and improved socio-economic conditions in target communities driven by local participatory planning, gender-sensitive solutions, business development, and strengthened regional cooperation

Main Purpose

Project Officer is responsible for collaborating with several national and international stakeholders in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and assisting in design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project activities which, at times, will require persistence and flexibility. The Project Officer exercises high sense of responsibility and due efforts in prioritizing and address the challenges.  To implement and administer the ExB project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia. Phase III” by performing a variety of operational activities and conceptual analyses fundamental to the formulation, administration and evaluation of project, by holding responsibility for project deliverables and team supervision, and by overseeing the work of external experts and negotiating activities with partners.

Working with minimum supervision and substantial independence, the Project Officer provides advice on project implementation modalities and the planning and conduct of potential programmatic activities in the relevant field of expertise, where required in close co-ordination with other OSCE executive structures and/or participating States.

Work Relationships

The Project Officer reports to OCEEA Senior Environmental Affairs Adviser while Deputy Head of OSCE POiB acts as the second-level supervisor. 

Internal contacts are mainly with other teams within EED (social economic and good governance), Fund Administration Unit (FAU), Press and Public Information Unit, Office of Head of Mission and others to provide advice or guidance related to project administration, including in relation to project documents, correspondence and expenditure, as well as to make administrative arrangements for the implementation of project activities. External contacts are mainly with the relevant state and international partners in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, such as the Ministry of Emergency Situation, Academy of Science, Ministry of Environment  and non-state partners, such as the United Nations Development Programme, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Union Delegation in the Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, OSCE Field operations in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, OCEEA and etc., to clarify and discuss project outputs and to make arrangements for joint implementation of project activities. 

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the OCEEA Senior Environmental Affairs Adviser, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1.    Provide support and advice to the OCEEA Senior Environmental Affairs Adviser in the implementation of the ExB project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia. Phase III”;
2.    Leading the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project by identifying potential programmatic activities; preparing project implementation reports; defining implementation modalities; forecasting and monitoring expenditures; providing progress reports to donors; and fundraising;
3.    Appraising, reviewing and adjusting the project and/or project outputs and activities to ensure consistency with national, regional and sectoral priorities and programmes, and with available resources; formulating and presenting such proposals on the basis of technical and substantive input in accordance with required format for final review and approval; developing schedules, arrangements and methods for the management of the implementation of project activities, in consultation with the supervisor, technical, substantive and administrative service units; 
4.    Exchanging information and negotiating on project formulation and implementation with government officials in planning, finance, donor input co-ordination and sectoral functions, as well as with representatives of multilateral and bilateral donor agencies; 
5.    Monitoring and expediting project implementation systematically through discussions and correspondence with technical, substantive and project staff, field visits, analysis of periodic project progress reports, participation in project reviews and evaluations; utilizing information obtained as an input to corrective decision-making and revisions;
6.    Organizing and conducting briefings and debriefings on projects with special regard for the country and regional aspects, resources and development characteristics, with a view to maximizing project performance levels.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, please see: https://www.osce.org/programme-office-in-bishkek.

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 Environment, Economics, Social Science, International Relations or related field.
• A minimum of 4 years of relevant international experience in environment and security projects, increasing post remediation growth, industrial development activities and/ or other related fields;
• Specialization in regional integration and knowledge of regional environment security projects and/or social-economic projects will be a distinct advantage;
• Good knowledge of the post uranium legacy sites rehabilitation process with the focus on social-economic and environmental development including stakeholder’s engagement;
• Demonstrated experience in planning, implementing and managing donor-funded regional projects;
• Established knowledge and understanding of the developments in national and regional context and programme matters in regard to radioactive safety, stakeholder’s engagement processes, post-remediation processes of the uranium legacy sites;
• Digital literacy and proficient use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Russian.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration subject to social security deductions is about USD 2,298 to which Board and Lodging Allowance is added, currently at EUR 114 per day (about EUR 3,420 per month). Social benefits will include the 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. At the discretion of the appointing authority a higher step may be approved up to a maximum of step 3 subject to specific conditions.

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 XXX 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.