Deputy Head of Mission (DHoM)

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:

• Diplomatic experience or experience working in political affairs with international organizations or Governments
• Experience in preparing analytical reports
• Excellent communications and drafting skills
• Knowledge of regional political history and developments
• Diplomatic and negotiating skills
• Knowledge of the OSCE principles and commitments

Level of Professional Competence Requirements

Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:

Education:

Second-level university degree in political sciences, public or international law, international relations, or another related field; a first-level university degree in relevant field(s) in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree

Experience:

Minimum 10 years of relevant, diversified, and progressively responsible professional experience including at least 5 years at the management level relevant to the actual position

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;
• In-depth regional knowledge with professional work experience in settings similar to the one of the Mission's and in the areas covered by the Mission mandate;
• Strong management skills, including in strategic planning, budgeting, results-based programme development and management;
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all departments, sections, and offices throughout the Mission with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining strict impartiality and objectivity;
• Proven experience in leading organizations through complex transitions and change management, delivering effective change with a compelling vision for the future;
• Experience in dealing with press and media;
• Demonstrated ability to establish, maintain and promote effective working relationships with public officials (at governmental and municipal levels), diplomatic corps and international organizations, civil society whilst maintaining strict impartiality and objectivity;
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems effectively and efficiently;
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure and with limited timeframes;
• Professional fluency in English with excellent communication (both oral and written) skills;
• Computer literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications;
• Possession of a valid automobile driving license and the ability to drive using manual transmission is a requirement of this post;
• 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.

Desirable:

• Relevant knowledge of the OSCE principles and commitments;
• Work experience in South Eastern Europe;
• Experience working in field operation/s;
• Knowledge of the local languages spoken in the Mission area.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Mission (HoM), the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. In agreement with the HoM, overseeing and managing the implementation of the Mission's mandate, plans and policies, co-ordinating departments/programmes including the related administrative and operational matters;
2. Providing strategic advice to the senior management on Mission priorities in such areas as the development of policies and programmes, management and administration;
3. Co-ordinating and advising Heads of Departments to ensure that the Mission's programming adhere to the mandate and that objectives are met in accordance with the Mission's strategic orientation; reporting to the HoM on the Mission's activities and their progress;
4. Ensuring co-operation and integration of programmatic and administrative activities through sound procedures, practices and tools, contributing to a comprehensive approach and consistency in the implementation of the Mission's mandate, including in such areas as budget, human resources management, and security;
5. Liaising, negotiating and maintaining effective communication with external interlocutors such as Kosovo institutions, as well as with the OSCE Secretariat and other executive structures as guided by the Head of Mission;
6. Providing guidance, support, performance evaluation, supervision and mentoring to senior staff and other staff in the areas of their responsibility;
7. Supporting Mission-wide co-ordination and strategic guidance on local dialogue facilitation and community engagement approaches in line with the Mission's mandate and strategic priorities;
8. Acting as Gender Focal Point within the Mission;
9. Deputizing for the HoM in her/his absence;
10. Performing other duties as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, please see: Mission in Kosovo

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.

Candidates interviewed and found suitable in the recruitment process for this vacancy notice will be placed on a roster of suitable candidates (valid for three years) for fixed-term posts open for secondment, should a suitable opportunity arise. The placement on a roster does not guarantee a future appointment or assignment.

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

• Issued by: OSCE Mission in Kosovo
• Requisition ID: KOS000504
• Contract Type: International Secondment
• Grade: DHoM
• Job Level: Senior Management
• Job Type: Seconded
• Number of posts: 1
• Location: KOS - OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Prishtine / Pristina
• Issue Date: Jul 20, 2026
• Closing Date: Aug 18, 2026
• Employee Status: Fixed Term
• Schedule: Full-time
• Education Level: Master's Degree (Second-level university degree or equivalent)
• Target Start Date: As soon as possible