Background:
The Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) provides legal services OSCE-wide with respect to public international law, internal justice matters, financial and contractual matters, and legal issues related to the structure and activities of the OSCE, including claims against it. OLA also advises on personnel matters, develops and strengthens the overall regulatory framework of the OSCE, and advises on its implementation, including with respect to international civil service law.
The Office of Legal Affairs sits within the Office of the Secretary General, which in turn plays a key role in supporting the Secretary General in the effective implementation of the mandate and specific tasks assigned to the Secretary General by the OSCE participating States. This includes primarily assisting the Secretary General in carrying out activities, serving as a focal point for liaison and support to the Chairperson-in-Office, co-ordinating policy advice provided to the Secretary General and the Chair as well as management decisions taken by the Secretary General.
The Deputy Head is expected to assist H/OLA carry out the main tasks necessary for the functioning of the Office by preparing expert and timely legal advice on the full range of legal issues that affect the OSCE, including by representing OLA in working groups and committees and supporting H/OLA in the mentoring of Junior Professional Officers (JPOs), staff members hired on Short-Term Appointments (STAs) and interns.
The Deputy Head closely co-ordinates and liaises with H/OLA on requests for legal advice to ensure a common and consistent approach in OLA to, inter alia, the interpretation and application of the OSCE Common Regulatory Management System (CRMS), the decisions of the OSCE decision-making bodies, the resolution of administrative and personnel matters, and other matters falling within OLA’s portfolio of responsibilities.
The Deputy Head is directly supervised by H/OLA (P5). The Director, Office of the Secretary General (D1) is the second level administrative supervisor. The incumbent directly supervises Junior Professional Officers and interns.
The Deputy Head communicates with OSCE officials requiring OLA’s advice, as appropriate. The incumbent may be required to contact officials from the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as international and non-governmental organizations to obtain or provide any kind of information required by or of OLA.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Office of Legal Affairs, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:
1. Provides expert and timely legal advice on the interpretation of the regulatory framework of the Organization, including the Financial and Staff Regulations, Rules, Instructions and other administrative issuances, and prepares drafts and reviews proposed amendments thereto; and prepares drafts and reviews other administrative issuances (e.g., policy guidance, guidelines) and verifies their consistency with the Regulations, Rules and Instructions;
2. Provides expert and timely legal advice on the full scope of multi-disciplinary, complex and novel legal issues relating to the function of the Organization, including concerning the legal status and privileges and immunities of the OSCE and its officials;
3. Provides expert and timely legal advice on the drafting, negotiation and interpretation of legal instruments, including international agreements, arrangements, memoranda of understanding or other legal arrangements concluded on behalf of the Organization with participating States, international organizations and other entities;
4. Provides expert and timely legal advice on contractual matters, as required, including dispute resolution, intellectual property rights, insurance and data protection; participates in the drafting and negotiation of leases and high value and complex commercial contracts with senior officials in the Secretariat, Institutions and Field Operations;
5. Provides expert and timely legal advice on procedural issues arising in OSCE decision-making bodies;
6. Conducts legal research and analysis for the preparation of legal opinions, studies, reports or correspondence;
7. Serves as Officer-in-Charge (OiC) of the office, in the absence of H/OLA.
For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see: https://www.osce.org/secretariat .