Roster Call for Anti-Corruption Experts
Background:
Corruption remains a key governance challenge in Albania, affecting institutional integrity, rule of law, economic development and public trust. While progress has been made in the context of EU accession under Cluster 1 “Fundamentals,” the implementation of anti-corruption policies continues to be uneven across institutions.
Recent assessments, including those linked to the Inter-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Strategy (ISAC) for 2024 - 2030, highlight persistent systemic challenges such as limited institutional capacities for prevention and risk assessment, fragmented mandates, weak inter-agency coordination, and gaps in the application of evidence-based and risk-based approaches. Preventive frameworks, in particular, require further operationalization, standardization and integration into institutional practices.
High-risk areas such as, for example, public procurement and service delivery sectors remain particularly exposed to corruption vulnerabilities, as also reflected in ISAC priorities. At the same time, ongoing reforms, including the introduction of risk-based methodologies and increasing digitalization of public services, create opportunities for enhanced transparency, while also introducing new integrity risks related to data governance, emerging technologies and automated decision-making.
Despite strengthened enforcement efforts, there remains a continued need to reinforce preventive mechanisms, improve institutional coordination and enhance the consistency and quality of administrative processes, including investigations, reporting and follow-up, in line with ISAC objectives and EU standards.
In this context, Albanian institutions need to further strengthen their capacity to systematically fight corruption related challenges across sectors, including through the development and use of practical tools and methodologies for identifying and mitigating corruption risks. At the same time, institutions are required to better respond to emerging integrity risks linked to digitalization, financial systems and new technologies, while improving coordination among oversight, prevention and enforcement bodies. Strengthening inclusive and participatory approaches through the engagement of civil society, youth and vulnerable groups also remains essential to promoting transparency, accountability and public trust.
To support these priorities and contribute to the implementation of the Inter-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Strategy (2024 - 2030), the OSCE Presence in Albania seeks to expand a roster of qualified local experts in anti-corruption and good governance.
Objective of Assignment:
To extend the roster of qualified local experts who can provide specialized technical assistance, advisory services, analytical work and capacity-building support in anti-corruption and good governance areas, in line with OSCE commitments in the area and Albania’s national reform priorities.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
In line with the purpose of this ToR, GEEID is looking to expand the roster of local experts in the following anti-corruption areas:
A. Anti-corruption Prevention, Integrity Systems and Risk Assessment
• Corruption risk assessments (e.g. CRAM, sectoral and institutional diagnostics);
• Development and application of risk-based methodologies and tools;
• Integrity planning and institutional safeguards;
• Conflict of interest and asset declaration systems;
• Ethics frameworks, codes of conduct and integrity compliance systems;
• Whistleblowing systems and protection mechanisms;
B. Public Procurement
• Procurement integrity and compliance systems;
• Corruption risk assessments in public procurement;
• Risk-based approaches to procurement oversight;
C. Public Administration Reform and Institutional Governance
• Integrity and anti-corruption aspects of public administration reform (PAR);
• Civil service management, merit-based recruitment and depoliticization;
• Integrity risks in HR management (recruitment, promotion, disciplinary procedures);
• Public service delivery integrity and administrative simplification;
• Institutional performance, accountability and internal control systems;
D. Anti-Corruption Enforcement, Financial Investigations and Asset Recovery
• Administrative investigations and compliance systems;
• Financial investigations and illicit asset tracing;
• Asset recovery (including cross-border and virtual assets);
• Tax fraud detection, tax investigations and analysis of tax evasion schemes (including VAT fraud and cross-border schemes);
• Integration of financial and tax intelligence in anti-corruption investigations;
• Co-operation with FIUs and law enforcement;
• Risk-based approaches in enforcement and investigation processes;
E. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Financial Integrity (including Risk Analysis)
• AML/CFT frameworks and national/sectoral risk assessments;
• Financial transparency and beneficial ownership;
• Crypto-assets and virtual asset regulation and risk analysis;
• Illicit financial flows and financial crime prevention;
F. Digital Governance, AI and Emerging Integrity Risks
• Corruption and integrity risk assessments in digital public services;
• AI-enabled decision-making (e.g. procurement systems) and associated risks;
• Data governance and algorithmic transparency;
• Corruption risks in digital economy ecosystems and e-governance systems;
G. Legal, Policy and Institutional Frameworks
• Drafting and reviewing anti-corruption and governance legislation, including secondary legislation (bylaws, regulations etc.);
• Regulatory impact assessments (ex-ante and ex-post), including corruption risk considerations;
• Development and evaluation of anti-corruption strategies and policies;
• Alignment with EU acquis, GRECO, OECD/SIGMA and international standards;
H. Transparency, Accountability and Oversight Systems
• Access to information and transparency frameworks;
• Internal and external audit systems;
• Parliamentary oversight and accountability mechanisms;
• Role and capacity of oversight institutions (e.g. HIDAACI, Supreme Audit Institutions, Competition Councils etc.);
• Public financial management integrity
I. Anti-Corruption Communication, Ethics and Public Engagement
• Public awareness and behavioral change campaigns;
• Promotion of integrity culture and ethical standards;
• Whistleblowing awareness and trust-building;
• Engagement of civil society organizations (CSOs) in anti-corruption, monitoring and policy dialogue;
• Support to civic oversight, watchdog functions and community-based monitoring initiatives;
• Communication strategies targeting youth and vulnerable groups;
J. Research, Analysis and Monitoring
• Evidence-based research and analytical studies;
• Development of corruption risk indicators and monitoring frameworks;
• Evaluation of anti-corruption interventions;
• Data-driven governance and risk analysis;
• Use of open data and public datasets for corruption analysis and accountability;
K. Capacity Building and Training
• Development of training curricula and materials;
• Training-of-trainers (ToT) programmes;
• Institutional learning and knowledge transfer;
• Integration of anti-corruption and integrity into public administration training systems;
L. Gender, Inclusion and Anti-Corruption
• Gender-sensitive corruption analysis and risk assessments;
• Integration of gender dimensions into anti-corruption policies and programmes;
• Inclusion of vulnerable and underrepresented groups in governance systems;
• Gender-responsive public service delivery and integrity frameworks;
M. Sectoral Governance and Anti-Corruption
• Anti-corruption and integrity in key sectors (e.g. health, education, environment, infrastructure, local governance etc.);
• Municipal governance and decentralisation-related integrity risks;
• Sector-specific corruption risk assessments and mitigation measures;
N. Transparency, Accountability and Open Government
• Open government and open data frameworks;
• Transparency and access to information systems;
• Mechanisms to enhance public accountability of decision-makers;
• Citizen oversight, participatory governance and feedback mechanisms;
• Social accountability tools (e.g. public monitoring, community scorecards etc.);
• Strengthening accountability linkages between institutions and the public;
• Anti-corruption through open data in high-risk sectors (e.g. procurement, budgets etc.);
Deliverables:
Depending on the assignment, experts are expected to contribute to the following categories of outputs:
1. Analytical, Diagnostic and Advisory Outputs
• Conduct analytical assessments, corruption risk assessments and diagnostics (e.g. CRAM, sectoral or institutional analyses);
• Produce evidence-based reports, policy briefs and advisory notes identifying key risks, vulnerabilities and reform priorities;
• Provide technical advice and recommendations to public institutions on anti-corruption, governance and integrity reforms;
• Contribute to stakeholder consultations and multi-institutional coordination processes;
2. Legal, Policy and Strategic Outputs
• Draft or review legal, regulatory and policy documents, including anti-corruption legislation, strategies and action plans;
• Develop methodological frameworks and strategic guidance, ensuring alignment with EU acquis and international standards (GRECO, OECD/SIGMA, FATF);
• Support regulatory impact assessments, including corruption and integrity risk considerations;
3. Institutional, Operational and Methodological Outputs
• Develop practical tools, methodologies and guidelines (e.g. risk matrices, SOPs, integrity plans, compliance tools etc.);
• Support strengthening of institutional systems, internal controls, oversight and coordination mechanisms;
• Provide expertise on specialised areas, including financial and tax investigations, AML/CFT, digital governance, AI and emerging integrity risks;
4. Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer Outputs
• Design and deliver training programmes, workshops and training-of-trainers (ToT) activities;
• Develop training curricula, manuals and knowledge products tailored to institutional needs;
• Facilitate institutional learning, peer exchange and knowledge transfer processes;
5. Communication, Public Engagement and Accountability Outputs
• Support the design and implementation of communication strategies, awareness campaigns and outreach activities;
• Contribute to engagement of civil society, stakeholders and the public, including participatory and social accountability approaches;
• Develop tools and approaches to enhance transparency, accountability and public trust;
6. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Outputs
• Contribute to the development of monitoring frameworks, indicators and data collection tools;
• Produce progress reports, evaluation reports and assessment notes on anti-corruption interventions;
• Support data-driven analysis, including the use of open data and evidence-based approaches;
7. Cross-Cutting Requirements
• Apply risk-based and evidence-based methodologies;
• Integrate gender equality, inclusion and human rights considerations;
• Ensure alignment with national priorities (e.g. Inter-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2024 - 2030) and relevant international standards;
• Deliver outputs that are practical, actionable and tailored to institutional needs
Necessary Qualifications:
• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in law, public administration, political science, social science, economics, finance, public policy, or other relevant fields;
• A first-level university degree combined with additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree;
• Additional certifications or specialised training in anti-corruption, financial investigations, AML/CFT, public procurement, audit, compliance, or related fields will be considered an asset.
• Minimum 5 - 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in anti-corruption, good governance, public administration reform, or related fields;
• Proven experience in one or more of the following areas:
o Corruption risk assessment and integrity systems (e.g. CRAM, sectoral diagnostics);
o Public procurement integrity and risk-based oversight;
o Anti-corruption enforcement, financial investigations, tax fraud and asset recovery;
o AML/CFT frameworks, financial integrity and illicit financial flows;
o Legal drafting, policy development and alignment with EU/international standards;
o Public administration reform, civil service systems and institutional governance;
o Transparency, accountability and oversight mechanisms;
o Digital governance, AI and emerging integrity risks;
o Research, monitoring and evaluation of anti-corruption interventions;
o Capacity building, training delivery and institutional learning;
o Communication, public engagement and cooperation with civil society.
o Preparing analytical reports, policy papers, legal reviews or operational tools;
o Providing advisory support to public institutions or international organisations;
o Designing and/or delivering trainings, workshops or technical assistance activities;
o Applying risk-based and evidence-based methodologies in governance or anti-corruption work.
• Experience in Albania or the Western Balkans region, and familiarity with the OSCE standards and best practices, and EU accession process , is considered a strong asset.
• Strong analytical, research, drafting and reporting skills;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in Albanian and good working knowledge of English;
• Ability to analyse complex governance and corruption risks and develop practical, evidence-based solutions;
• Strong knowledge of anti-corruption frameworks, governance systems and relevant international standards (EU acquis, GRECO, OECD/SIGMA, FATF);
Remuneration Package:
Remuneration will be based on the specific consultancy and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.
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 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.
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.
Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.