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To support the Organization’s daily functioning and the implementation of its mandate, core operational functions provide essential enabling services across a wide range of areas, including human resources, legal services, communications, evaluation, investigation, audit, budget and finance, travel and logistics, procurement, ICT support, compliance, policy, and mission support.
Last checked: 3 hours ago
Closing date: Thursday, 31 December 2026
Country: Global
Duty station: SEC - OSCE Secretariat, Vienna
Contract type: Intern
Grade: No grade
Open to: Internationals
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Background:
With 57 participating States in North America, Europe and Asia, the OSCE – the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – is the world’s largest regional security organization. The OSCE works for stability, peace and security for more than a billion people, through political dialogue and through practical work to build and sustain peace and stability.
Under its comprehensive approach to security, the OSCE structures its work into three equally important dimensions: the politico-military, the economic and environmental, and the human dimension. Operationally, this concept is translated into 23 fields of work in which the Organization is engaged across its structures and field operations.
The OSCE operates in a complex and multidimensional environment that requires strong co-ordination across its core processes. To support the Organization’s daily functioning and the implementation of its mandate, core operational functions provide essential enabling services across a wide range of areas, including human resources, legal services, communications, evaluation, investigation, audit, budget and finance, travel and logistics, procurement, ICT support, compliance, policy, and mission support.
These functions ensure the coherent co-ordination of activities across OSCE structures and contribute to the efficient, timely and effective delivery of programmes and operations.
The OSCE Secretariat is seeking qualified candidates for internship opportunities of 2-6 months in both administrative and programmatic areas within Core Operational Functions.
What can the OSCE’s internship programme offer?
- The chance to learn about the day-to-day working environment of the OSCE and about the Organization’s mandate;
- The opportunity to develop your professional skills and gain practical working experience in a multi-national environment;
- The chance to meet many professionals and benefit from their knowledge and mentorship;
- The opportunity to meet and link-up with like-minded young professionals.
Please note that:
- OSCE internships are full-time (40-hour week), but flexible arrangement for part-time internship can be approved in special cases;
- OSCE internships will only be offered to nationals of the OSCE participating States/Partners for Co-operation. Applicants holding dual or multiple nationalities must be nationals of at least one OSCE participating State/Partner for Co-operation;
- Start dates for selected candidates will depend on the needs of the Hiring Offices;
- The cumulative duration of internship at the OSCE is limited to 6 months for any individual. Once this duration of internship has been served, regardless of the OSCE duty station, further applications for internships from the same person shall not be considered;
Tasks and Responsibilities:
To give you an idea of what kinds of assignments you can expect, we have listed some typical duties which interns perform in our different departments:
1. Conducting research, collecting and analysing information from internal and external sources, and contributing to the preparation of reports, policy papers, legal opinions, concept notes, briefing materials, presentations, surveys, financial analyses, and other written outputs.
2. Supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects, programmes, and organizational initiatives, including the preparation of project proposals, budgets, implementation strategies, progress reports, and recommendations.
3. Assisting with the drafting, review, editing, and dissemination of official documents, publications, communication materials, training resources, awareness-raising products, and knowledge-management tools.
4. Supporting the organization and delivery of meetings, workshops, conferences, training activities, outreach events, and other stakeholder engagement initiatives, including logistical and administrative arrangements.
5. Participating in meetings and consultations; preparing minutes, summaries, reports, and records of discussions, decisions, findings, and follow-up actions.
6. Providing operational, administrative, financial, and programme support, including data management, documentation, reporting, reconciliation and verification activities, records management, archiving, and support to audit, compliance, procurement, travel, human resources, and other organizational processes.
7. Assisting with communication and outreach activities, including website updates, media monitoring, social media content, publications, and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
8. Supporting managers and colleagues in the preparation of meetings, missions, visits, and other activities by conducting background research, preparing documentation, coordinating logistics, and liaising with relevant stakeholders.
For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see: http://www.osce.org/secretariat.
To learn more about the OSCE Fields of work, please see: https://www.osce.org/fields-of-work.
We also recommend you to visit https://jobs.osce.org/internships, where you can find a video created by former interns and recently presented webinar.
Should you have any questions or experience problems applying, please contact internships@osce.org
Necessary Qualifications:
- You should not be older than 30 years on the deadline of this vacancy;
- You should have completed two years of full-time post-secondary education or graduated within two years prior to the deadline of this vacancy;
- You should have education in a relevant field, such as law, communication, human resources, medicine, psychology, organizational behaviour, finance, management, information technology, programming or similar fields;
- You should be professionally fluent in English, both oral and written, and have the ability to communicate clearly and concisely (interviews will be conducted);
- You should bring along high motivation, open-mindedness, and flexibility;
- You should be able to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national, cultural and religious backgrounds whilst maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
- You should be aware of the importance of integrating a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
- You should be able to operate a computer, with familiarity of Microsoft Office applications (Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint, word processing and e-mail).
Assets:
- Previous work experience in a relevant field;
- Experience of working in a multilateral/multicultural environment;
- Organizational, multi-tasking and analytical skills; research; drafting skills;
- Working knowledge of at least one other language from the OSCE region is an asset.
Remuneration Package:
Please note that, in line with other international and multilateral organizations, the OSCE does not provide remuneration to interns or reimbursement for their travel expenses for relocation to/from the duty station. However, in lieu of remuneration, the receiving office shall contribute towards the cost of living of international and national interns who are non-residents at the duty station (place of assignment). Should the receiving office not be in the position to contribute towards the cost of living, they may accept interns, who are residents at the duty station.
The internship lasts from 2 to 6 months and does not constitute a commitment to future employment with the OSCE.
Should the selected intern not have already existing health insurance applicable to the duty station, he/she will participate in the group health insurance scheme at his/her own expense, but the OSCE will cover life and disability insurance. Please note that some nationals may require a D-visa in order to work at the OSCE Secretariat, if selected for the internship, the OSCE will assist you with a support letter.
If you meet the above requirements and wish to apply for this internship opportunity, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/. Please mention your availability dates in the cover letter.
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 and Partners for Co-operation, please see https://www.osce.org/participating-states.
The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, or offer an internship with modified terms of reference or a different duration.
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 be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.
Additional Information
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