Senior Administrative Assistant (G6)

Background:

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 Office of Internal Oversight (OIO) is part of the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, Austria. OIO is responsible for planning and delivering internal audits, investigations, and independent evaluations of the Organization's activities, including field operations. The work of OIO assures the adequacy of governance, risk management, and internal control, ensures compliance with the Organization's internal control framework, and enhances performance and the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

As Senior Administrative Assistant, you will support the Office of Internal Oversight by carrying out substantive administrative tasks, including the preparation and tracking of the Office’s operational budget and annual report. 

Under the supervision of the Director of Internal Oversight (D/OIO), as Senior Administrative Assistant, you will perform the following duties:

1. Providing support for the Office's programmatic quality assurance; co-ordinating activities related to the follow-up of oversight activities, including the dissemination of draft and final report, management response receipt; ensuring through copy editing that final oversight reports are logically consistent and conform to internal OIO guidelines and OSCE style standards;
2. Assisting in the administration of OIO's Performance Based Programme Budgeting (PBPB) related activities and monitoring the Office's operational budget and expenditure; performing calculations for D/OIO in preparation for the Office's Unified Budget Proposal (UBP) submission; drafting proposals for the project-based management of the Office's operational budget; monitoring the Office's operational spending by running the relevant reports in Oracle; preparing regular expenditure forecasts for OIO management;
3. Performing secretarial and administrative duties, including correspondence: receiving, screening, recording and identifying incoming messages; drafting correspondence in one or more languages; checking outgoing material for conformity with the OSCE Style Manual; scheduling appointments and maintaining an appointment calendar for D/OIO; acting as Travel Arranger for OIO, preparing travel authorizations, ensuring that visas are obtained in time, and assisting with the completion of claim forms; preparing procurement requisitions in Oracle for review and approval by D/OIO; participating in the drafting of terms of reference for special service agreements and short-term assistance;
4. Maintaining office records; maintaining and updating the work area's files of reference material;
5. Researching and compiling material as required; identifying D/OIO’s need for specific information; researching and compiling background material required by D/OIO for the preparation of papers, briefs, correspondence and various presentations; preparing papers, graphics and PowerPoint presentations as required;
6. Providing administrative support for meetings; arranging meetings and workshops; taking minutes at meetings and preparing a first draft of the minutes for the consideration of D/OIO; ensuring and supporting regular OIO management and staff meetings and preparing minutes; preparing and co-ordinating OIO's annual planning retreat;
7. 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:

• Completed secondary education, supplemented by secretarial and administrative training;
• A minimum of six years of secretarial and administrative experience, preferably in an international set up;
• Knowledge of administrative and financial regulations of international organizations, and a thorough knowledge of the field of work and various channels of communication are necessary;
• Accuracy in keeping a filing and records system, and ability to work with numbers;  
• Ability to conduct independent research and collect information from a variety of sources;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of German and another official language of the OSCE would be an asset;
• Digital literacy and proficient use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet;
• Experience with an ERP software is an asset;
• 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.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deduction, is around EUR 5,090 (12 times a year) depending on family status. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Austria. Social benefits will include possibility of participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. 

Please note that appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale. 

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.

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.

Please note that for this position the OSCE does not reimburse expenses such as travel in connection with interviews, tests, visas and relocation.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.

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 63 years at the time of appointment as the incumbent selected is normally expected to carry out the contractual obligation of two years.