Chief, Legislative Support Unit - OSCE

Background   
The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the principal institution of the OSCE responsible for the human dimension. ODIHR is active throughout the OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and the rule of law. ODIHR's assistance projects and other activities are implemented in participating States in accordance with ODIHR's mandate.

The Office’s democratization activities include the following thematic areas: rule of law, democratic governance and gender, migration and freedom of movement, and legislative support. ODIHR implements targeted assistance programmes facilitating and enhancing participating states’ compliance with OSCE commitments towards the development of democratic structures.
 
Tasks and Responsibilities  
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Democratization, the incumbent will be tasked with:

• Conceptualizing, identifying, designing and implementing legislation-reform assistance and democratic law-making schemes;
• Advising on legislation reform policy issues as well as on questions of international law, including the interpretation of international instruments and compliance of domestic law with relevant international standards;
• Preparing and co-ordinating meetings, workshops, conferences and seminars in the area of legislative reform;
• Analyzing, reviewing and commenting on questions of conformity of domestic legislation with OSCE commitments and other relevant standards;
• Providing standards and assistance in  the production, quality and consistency of all recommendations, reviews and opinions issued or endorsed by the ODIHR in respect of legislative developments throughout the OSCE region;
• Monitoring legislation and state practices affecting human dimension issues;
• Developing, maintaining, updating and adjusting to new needs the ODIHR legislative data-base (www.legislationline.org);
• Establishing a system to regularly monitor, assess, evaluate and report on outcomes and impact of Legislative Support Unit work;
• Managing the work of the Legislative Support Unit;
• Maintaining and developing contacts with international organizations, experts, NGOs, national correspondents for the ODIHR legislative database and other relevant agencies on Human Dimension issues;
• Reporting to ODIHR management and, as required, to ODIHR partners and donors on the progress in the implementation of the projects and activities conducted by the Legislative Support Unit;
• Performing other related duties as required.

Necessary Qualifications   

• Advanced university degree in law;
• Thorough knowledge of public international law, constitutional law or comparative government structures; knowledge of human rights and democracy-building issues;
• Eight to ten years of professional work experience in law, including at least six years of experience at the international level; knowledge of the functioning of political institutions, other international organizations and government offices;
• Political intuition; organizational and analytical skills; resourcefulness, initiative and maturity of judgment;
• Excellent knowledge of English with good drafting skills; knowledge of other OSCE working languages would be an asset;
• Ability to work with minimum supervision;
• Ability to advise high-level officials on the interpretation of international human rights instruments, and the compliance of domestic laws with OSCE commitments and international standards;
• Gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability to co-operate effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

   
Remuneration Package   
Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deductions as well as monthly changes of the post adjustment multiplier and exchange rate, is approximately EUR 5,990(single rate) and approximately EUR 6,430 (dependency rate). OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Poland.

Social security will include participation in the Vanbreda International medical insurance scheme and OSCE Provident Fund maintained by the OSCE. The Organization contributes an amount equivalent to 15% of the employee's salary to this Fund and the employee contributes 7.5%. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System.

Appointments are always made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale. At the discretion of the appointing authority a higher step may be approved up to a maximum of step 3 subject to specific conditions.
 
   
How To Apply   
If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found underhttp://www.osce.org/employment.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise 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 shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Please note that vacancies in the OSCE are open for competition only amongst nationals of participating States, please see http://www.osce.org/who/83.

The OSCE is committed to achieving a better balance of women and men within the Organization. Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation, therefore the maximum period of service in this post is 7 years.

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