Background:

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 Department of Human Resources (DHR) ensures that the OSCE has the human resources capacity necessary to successfully implement its mandates. DHR sets the policies and provides services in the areas of talent acquisition, administration of benefits and entitlements, payroll, performance management, talent development, and policy and employee relations across the Organization.

The HR Administration and Policy Unit is responsible for the accurate and timely administration of employee benefits and entitlements through the employee life cycle; for the development and interpretation of the HR regulatory framework; and for the management of employee relations cases, such as grievances. The Unit develops and delivers timely, client focused and innovative approaches on all aspects of HR administration, policies and employee relations.

The post of Associate Employee Relations Officer is located in the HR Administration and Policy Unit within the OSCE Secretariat’s Department of Human Resources (DHR). The incumbent provides advice and guidance on the interpretation and application of rules related to staff conduct, discipline and grievance. S/he provides advice ensuring the Organization adheres to due process in handling staff cases, including allegations of prohibited conduct, disciplinary matters, as well as grievances connected with performance shortcomings, while advising senior managers and staff on compliant and viable solutions. Additionally, the incumbent fosters collaboration with decentralized OSCE institutions and field operations, as well as staff representatives, to develop and co-ordinate the OSCE’s duty of care framework.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Chief, HR Administration and Policy, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

Providing guidance to staff and managers on the application of established rules and procedures related to conduct, professional working environment and disciplinary matters; assisting in clarifying roles and responsibilities, and supporting the management of individual cases, including documentation and procedural steps;

Supporting the administration of formal grievance and disciplinary cases by reviewing documentation, preparing case summaries under supervision, liaising with the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) and assisting in drafting procedural documents for review by the supervisor;

Co-ordinating with OSCE institutions and field operations to support activities that promote a respectful and inclusive workplace; participating in meetings and training courses to share information and present the resolution of common HR issues;

Assisting in research and data-gathering related to staff well-being and duty of care initiatives; participating in inter-agency discussions as appropriate and supporting analysis of identified trends under the direction of the supervisor, with a focus on improving HR practices in the field;

Conducting research on HR policies and practices in the OSCE and other organizations, and contributing to the preparation of policy drafts or updates for review by the supervisor; supporting comparative reviews and documentation of precedent cases;

Reviewing requests for exceptions to HR policies under the Common Regulatory Management System (CRMS) and drafting recommendations for consideration by DHR management, under guidance from the supervisor;

Performing other related 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:

Second-level university degree in human resource management, law or a closely related field; a first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree;
A minimum of two years (four years with a relevant first-level degree) of experience in human resource management or administrative law, such as dealing with employee grievances or disciplinary procedures;
Legal or paralegal experience in drafting and reviewing documents of a procedural and technical nature;
Experience working in an international or multicultural setting;
Experience approaching difficult situations with empathy, patience and neutrality;
Proven experience in the management of sensitive information, whilst displaying confidentiality, integrity and discretion.
Professional fluency in English with excellent communication (both oral and written) skills;
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;
Digital literacy and proficient use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet.

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

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.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation; therefore, the maximum period of service in this post is 10 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.

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.

Issued by: OSCE Secretariat
Requisition ID: SEC000844
Contract Type: International Secondment
Grade: S
Job Type: Seconded
Number of posts: 1
Location: SEC - OSCE Secretariat, Vienna
Issue Date: Jul 9, 2025
Closing Date: Aug 5, 2025
Employee Status: Fixed Term
Schedule: Full-time
Education Level: Master's Degree (Second-level university degree or equivalent)
Job Field: Human Resources Management
Target Start Date: As soon as possible