Note: This vacancy has been re-opened to expand the pool of nominations. Candidates who have already been nominated for this position remain under consideration and do not need to be renominated.
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:
- Experience working with human rights, minority or gender issues
- Demonstrable organizational, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills
- Experience in drafting reports
Level of Professional Competence Requirements
Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following:
Education:
Second-level university degree in gender equality sphere, certified training course in a relevant field desirable; a first-level university degree in relevant fields in combination with two additional years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree;
Experience:
Minimum 6 years of relevant, diversified and progressively responsible professional experience including at least 3 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;
- Second-level university degree (Master's) in gender studies, social sciences, political sciences, international relations, public policy, law, or other relevant fields;
- At least six years of progressively responsible professional experience in gender equality and gender mainstreaming, including provision of strategic and technical advice, support for institutional capacity-building, and integration of gender perspectives into policies, programmes, and operational frameworks, both internally within an organization and through advising external counterparts and stakeholders;
- Demonstrated international field experience addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment issues within the OSCE region;
- In-depth knowledge of methodologies, tools, and best practices for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, including gender mainstreaming and gender-responsive approaches;
- Knowledge of relevant online learning platforms, training resources, and self-learning modules on gender mainstreaming, particularly in the areas of security, democratization, rule of law, and conflict prevention;
- Strong understanding of participatory and inclusive approaches to policy and programme development, project cycle management, including integration of gender mainstreaming throughout the entire process;
- Proven ability to design and facilitate complex learning processes, capacity-building and training initiatives, including elements of research, knowledge management, networking, and advocacy related to gender equality and gender mainstreaming;
- Professional fluency in English, with excellent analytical, drafting, and reporting skills;
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and meet tight deadlines;
- Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills, as well as demonstrated initiative and sound professional judgment;
- Ability to effectively use standard computer applications, including MS Word, PowerPoint, and email;
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in diverse teams, showing cultural sensitivity, integrity, and respect for different backgrounds, genders, and perspectives while maintaining impartiality and professionalism. Desirable:
- Previous working experience in South Eastern Europe;
- Knowledge of any local language(s) spoken in the Mission area.
Tasks and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office of Strategic Co-ordination and in co-ordination with the Deputy Head of Mission (DHoM), who is also the Mission’s Gender Focal Point, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:
- Internal Gender Mainstreaming: Providing strategic policy advice to the Head of Office of Strategic Co-ordination, Head of Mission (HoM), Deputy Head of Mission (DHoM), and senior management on integrating gender equality and gender mainstreaming across the Mission’s internal policies, practices, and operational frameworks, in line with OSCE gender commitments; Conducting and maintaining an in-depth baseline analysis of the Mission’s performance and institutional capacity on gender equality and gender mainstreaming; Developing and periodically updating the 3-years Mission-specific Gender Mainstreaming Strategy, ensuring alignment with OSCE commitments and gender equality standards; Supporting the development and implementation of the annual Mission Gender Action Plan, and regularly reporting progress and challenges to the HoM and senior management; Co-ordinating and providing technical guidance to the Gender Focal Point Support Network (GFPSN), ensuring active participation from all Mission departments/units and the regional centres; Identifying institutional training needs on gender mainstreaming and equality and design and delivering capacity-building sessions for Mission staff, including: briefings, workshops, and training courses; Conducting periodical assessments, prepare analytical briefings, reports, and updates on the implementation of OSCE gender commitments and internal gender mainstreaming initiatives; Facilitating knowledge-sharing and institutional learning on gender equality, including updates on relevant developments, good practices, and policy advancements within the OSCE and internationally.
- Programmatic Gender Mainstreaming: Providing strategic and technical guidance to programme units to ensure the integration and application of gender perspectives and analysis in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of Mission programmes and projects across areas such as security, democratization, rule of law, human rights, and conflict prevention. Reviewing project proposals and programme documents from a gender equality perspective, providing day-to-day technical guidance on gender equality issues and ensuring compliance with OSCE gender commitments and gender-responsive programming standards; Promoting the integration of gender-responsive performance indicators, monitoring frameworks, and reporting mechanisms in Mission programmes and projects in coordination with the Mission Evaluation Officer. Contributing to programme reporting and knowledge products, leading development and drafting where appropriate, ensuring that gender equality results and lessons learned are systematically documented, disseminated and integrated in programming; Supporting the establishment and maintenance of external partnerships and close co-ordination with local counterparts, international community representatives (in particularly Gender Advisors of other organizations), civil society, and other stakeholders to advance gender equality outcomes within Mission programming, as well as active participation in the Kosovo Security and Gender Working Group led by UN Women, and contributing to working groups focused on preventing GBV.
- Performing other duties as required.
For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, please see: https://www.osce.org/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: KOS000482
- Contract Type: International Secondment
- Grade: S3
- Job Level: Middle Management
- Job Type: Seconded
- Number of posts: 1
- Location: KOS - OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Prishtine / Pristina
- Issue Date: May 29, 2026
- Closing Date: Aug 12, 2026
- Employee Status: Fixed Term
- Schedule: Full-time
- Education Level: Master's Degree (Second-level university degree or equivalent)
- Job Field: Human Rights
- Target Start Date: As soon as possible
