Senior Politico-Military Officer (S3)

Background:

This position is open for secondment only. Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered.

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, economic and environmental activities, disaster risk reduction, and mitigation security-related threats caused by climate change, as well as supports conflict prevention and crisis management measures. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana promotes the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments. With particular emphasis on the regional context, it assists Kazakhstan in addressing challenges and threats to security, in line with the host country’s priorities and needs and the Programme Office’s mandate. As such, it works in areas such as border management, police reform and combating cybercrime, confidence- and security-building measures, counter-terrorism, and prevention of violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism (VERLT). Further, it promotes political dialogue of legislative and executive bodies of Kazakhstan with civil society, including within the context of the presidential reform agenda. The Politico-Military Department (PMD) is one of three programmatic departments in the Programme Office.

The incumbent will work with full autonomy and provide direction to activities in accordance with the mandate of the POiA, developing and proposing strategies, identifying priority projects and coordinating and monitoring the development and implementation of PMD activities. The incumbent will coordinate, prepare the Programme’s Unified Budget proposal and monitor the Programme’s budget. Will coordinate cooperation and work of on politico-military issues with host country’s respective authorities, national and international stakeholders.

General Minimum Requirements

The general minimum requirements for working with the OSCE are:

Excellent physical condition

Possession of a valid automobile driving license and ability to drive using manual transmission

Ability to cope with physical hardship and willingness to work extra hours and in an environment with limited infrastructure

Field of Expertise Requirements

The general minimum requirements for working in this field of expertise are:

Significant experience in politico-military relations with international organizations or governments

Ability to compile and analyze information of a politico-military nature

Level of Professional Competence Requirements

Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:

Education:

A Second-level university degree in international studies, diplomacy, military or police affairs, political science or law, public policy or public administration, or related fields; A first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree.

Experience:

A Minimum of 6 years of relevant professional experience.

Mission Specific Requirements

Additionally, this particular post has specific requirements:

Mandatory:

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;

Significant working experience in one of the following fields: security sector governance and reform (SSG/R), cybersecurity and/or countering cybercrime, border management, police reform, countering terrorism and/or violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT);

Relevant experience in the areas of political dialogue with government, political parties, and civil society;

Demonstrable organizational, analytical, communication, team working and interpersonal skills;Experience in negotiating, communicating and liaising with government officials and institutions, incl. military authorities and/or law enforcement agencies, as well as political institutions;Ability to work independently or under minimum supervision;Experience of working in a programmatic/strategic planning role using a results-based management approach;Thorough understanding of multi-disciplinary issues in international co-operation and development;Demonstrated knowledge and willingness to manage, coach and work with a team of people;Demonstrated ability and willingness to work with people of different cultural, ethnic, religious and political backgrounds;

Professional fluency in English with excellent communication (both oral and written) skills; working knowledge of Russian language;

Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;

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;

Advanced ability to operate windows applications, incl. Microsoft Office, Internet and email.

Desirable:

Experience of working in Central Asia and/or knowledge of the region's political history;

Professional fluency in Russian would be an asset;

Working experience in field missions.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the general direction and supervision of the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana (HoO) and direct supervision of the Deputy Head of Office (DHoO), the incumbent in this middle management role will provide support and advice to the Head of Office on all major politico-military issues, and will perform the following duties:

Managing the Politico-Military Dimension (PMD) and providing direction to activities in accordance with the mandate of the POiA and two Extrabudgetary projects;

Informing senior management of political priorities, identifying priority projects and important cross-departmental issues, participating in and contributing to planning initiatives of the Office;

Developing, proposing or implementing strategies, concepts and approaches to meet new challenges, preparing detailed proposals on programmatic issues related to the priorities of the Office;

Compiling, preparing and submitting the Office regular/annual/monthly/periodic reports to the OSCE Secretariat and institutions, on request and approval by senior management;

Preparing and disseminating information about the OSCE and its activities to local and international media, including OSCE press releases and news items, on request and approval by senior management;

Co-ordinating co-operation and work on major politico-military issues with national parliament, government, regional and local authorities, non-governmental organizations, political parties/entities, communities, universities and research institutions, media and international stakeholders; participating in inter-agency meetings and advising on political and security issues of common concern;

Co-ordinating and monitoring the development and implementation of politico-military activities and projects related to Office priorities as defined by HoO;

Supervising and analyzing reports in the field of political and military/security developments;

Assisting in arranging OSCE regional events, among other things, regional seminars and visits to the area by OSCE delegations, as well as other events with OSCE participation; liaises with the other OSCE field operations in the region.

Coaching and supervising the PMD team of national staff;

Contributing to written output, e.g., speeches and talking points (for the HoO/DHoO), analytical notes, reports and input to reports on substantive aspects of the work of the Programme;

Monitoring the budget of projects being implemented and liaises with all relevant counterparts, to ensure timely and accurate payment of expenditures;

Identifying and proposing areas for potential programmatic activity; preparing project proposals including budget formulation; implementing approved projects and activities; proposing corrective action to any problems and issues that arise;

Co-ordinating and preparing the Programme's Unified Budget proposal established on a performance-based programme budgeting approach;

Performing other duties as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the Programme Office in Astana, please see: OSCE Programme Office in Astana | OSCE

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic and social backgrounds. Please note that nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are not eligible to apply.

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.

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

Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered.

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.

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. Additional Information