Head, Legal Services, P5

Head, Legal Services, P5
OSCE Secretariat, OSG/Legal Services

Vacancy Notice Number: VNSECP00828
Field of Expertise: LEGAL AFFAIRS
Vacancy Type: International Contracted
Post Title: HEAD, LEGAL SERVICES
Grade: P5
OSCE Mission/Institution: OSCE Secretariat
Duty Station: Vienna, Austria
No. of Positions: 1
Vacancy Notice Issue Date: 06-Sep-2013
Deadline for Application: 23-Oct-2013

Background:
The Office of the Secretary General (OSG) provides general services to the Secretary General (SG), the Chairperson-in-Office and the participating States. It groups horizontal services such as Executive Management, Press and Public Information, Legal Services, External Co-operation, Security Management, Gender Affairs and Central Records Management, and oversees the Prague Office. The OSG also ensures effective co-ordination of policy advice provided to the Secretary General and the Chairmanship, and management decisions taken by the Secretary General. The OSG is led by a Director who also functions as the Head of the Executive Management Section.

Legal Services provides authoritative legal advice and assistance on a wide range of issues to the Secretary General and the Secretariat’s Departments, the Chairmanship, the Institutions and Field Operations and, as required, to the Delegations.

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Under the direct supervision of the Director of the Office of the Secretary General, the incumbent shall perform the following functions:

• Managing all personnel in Legal Services under his/her supervision; overseeing the preparation, management and reporting of the annual programme budget; co-ordinating, planning and overseeing the deliverables and outputs of the Section in a timely and effective manner;
• Providing expert legal advice to the Secretary General, the Chairmanship, participating States, OSCE executive structures and Secretariat departments and thematic units on multi-disciplinary, highly complex, and often sensitive legal matters involving issues relating to international, public, private and administrative law and the common regulatory framework of the OSCE, including the interpretation and application of instruments related to administration and management, institutional support, procurement and contracts, and other operational modalities;
• Liaising with other legal units within the OSCE and co-ordinating their activities as appropriate; maintaining and developing contacts and close co-operation with legal units from partner organizations and Institutions;
• Drafting, reviewing, interpreting and assisting in the preparation of internal regulatory documents of the Organization, including Staff Regulations and Rules, Financial Regulations and Administrative Issuances and Instructions, the OSCE Rules of Procedure, that affect the day-to-day conduct of OSCE business actions;
• Preparing analyses and evaluations of human resources policies and practices; closely consulting with the Department of Human Resources on personnel-related issues, including complaints related to respective rules and regulations;
• Counseling and/or representing the Organization and its separate funds  in the negotiation and settlement and, where necessary, the adjudication and arbitration of claims and disputes arising from the operational activities of the Organization, including its funds and programmes, private third party claims, or commercial claims and disputes arising from OSCE contracts before local/international courts, or appeals before internal bodies or the external OSCE Panel of Adjudicators; supporting the activities of the Panel of Adjudicators while respecting its specific mandate;
• Advising the Secretary General, Heads of executive structures, the Chairmanship and participating States on the legal status of the Organization and its staff, particularly with regard to the applicable privileges and immunities in the different executive structures;
• Performing other related duties as required, including representing the Secretariat in administrative/legal conferences and effectively co-ordinating legal advice throughout the OSCE executive structures.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree in law with a post-graduate degree in public/international law;
• Minimum of 12 years of directly related and progressively responsible professional experience, including at least 8 years in administrative legal service of an international organization or in a national administration;
• Extensive knowledge of the administration of international organizations, including the staff administrative laws, is required;
• Demonstrated managerial and supervisory experience, particularly with staff and financial resources, is essential;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, including excellent drafting skills and an ability to produce concise reports and opinions; working knowledge of German and/or another OSCE official language is desirable;
• Computer literate with practical knowledge of word processing and related Microsoft applications;
• 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, whilst maintaining impartiality and objectivity.

Remuneration:
Monthly remuneration will vary between EUR 8,305 (single rate) and EUR 8,939 (dependency rate) depending on post adjustment and family status. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Austria. Social benefits will include possibility of participation in the Vanbreda medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System.

Appointments are normally 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.

Notes:
If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under http://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.

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 5 years.

No application fees or information with respect to bank account details are required by OSCE for our recruitment process.