Operational Support Officer (S)

Background:

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to an assignment at the Secretariat must be borne by their authorities.

The duties and requirements of this seconded (S) position correspond to a P3-level role in the UN common system. Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered. Seconded staff members in the OSCE Secretariat and Institutions are not entitled to a Board and Lodging Allowance payable by the Organization.

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, combating human trafficking, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The OSCE Secretariat in Vienna assists the Chairpersonship in its activities, and provides operational and administrative support to the field operations, and, as appropriate, to other institutions.

The CPC supports and co-ordinates the OSCE’s activities in the field, providing analysis and policy advice to the Secretary General (SG) and the Chairpersonship, leading work on all aspects of the conflict cycle, and supporting the various formats dealing with protracted conflicts. The CPC also serves as the focal point in the Secretariat for co-ordinating and developing the OSCE’s role in the politico-military dimension.

The post is located in the Operations Support Unit (OSU) within the OSCE Secretariat’s Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC)/Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) and Operations Support Service (FOSS). Within the CPC, the FOSS/OSU covers a broad variety of tasks, such as operational planning for the set-up, restructuring, and closure of field operations; analysis and operational support on early warning, early action, crisis management, and other issues that cut across the conflict cycle; the identification of related lessons and best practices for institutional memory and improved effectiveness; crisis preparedness support and co-ordination; maintaining a 24/7 Situation/Communications Room; managing an OSCE Strategic Asset Reserve and an OSCE-wide geographic information system (GIS) capability; operational liaison with other international organizations.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

The Operational Support Officer works to enhance the OSCE’s operational effectiveness, efficiency and impact through the provision of timely and robust operational planning and support, particularly on crisis preparedness and response as well as in the establishment, restructuring, or closure of an OSCE field operation. These actions may require temporary deployments to crisis areas in support of the Organization’s operational response efforts. Additionally, he/she will support the development of conflict early warning trend analysis and contribute to recommending appropriate policy and operational responses thereto.

Working under the supervision of the Chief, OSU, and in co-ordination with relevant colleagues, the Operational Support Officer is to provide analytical and operational support to Secretariat senior management and the Chairpersonship across conflict cycle activities. This will include, inter alia, field operations lifecycle planning and co-ordination; crisis preparedness operational support, capacity building and co-ordination (crisis simulation exercises, hostile environment awareness training, strategic asset reserve); developing and facilitating lessons learned on operational, programmatic and other issues through end-of-assignment debriefings for senior OSCE and Chairpersonship official; performing OSU’s focal point function for early warning and co-ordinating the OSCE-wide Network of Early Warning Focal Points; supporting the Chairpersonship on matters related to the Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC).

The Operational Support Officer works under the direct supervision of the Chief, Operations Support Unit, and under the overall supervision of the Deputy Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre for FSC and Operations Support Service.

More specifically, he/she will be tasked with the following:

1. Under the guidance of the Chief, OSU, supporting operational planning and implementation activities in co-ordination with relevant departments, sections and units of the Secretariat and with OSCE field operations and institutions, as necessary. This includes crisis preparedness and response operational activities and planning the establishment, restructuring and closure of field operations;
2. Reviewing, updating and developing guidelines, generic operational planning templates, standard operating procedures, and other operational planning documents related to OSCE activities in the field, as required;
3. Supporting design and conduct of crisis simulation exercises for field operations and the OSCE Chairpersonship to enhance crisis response and preparedness;
4. Assisting in the development, conduct and co-ordination of after-action reviews and debriefings for departing senior OSCE officials and other relevant stakeholders, and by assessing international practices, to identify lessons and best practices to enhance effectiveness and impact of OSCE policies and programmes and to preserve institutional memory;
5. Supporting work on the various phases of the conflict cycle (early warning, early action, conflict prevention, crisis management, post-conflict rehabilitation, peacebuilding, and cross-cutting issues) through methodological advice and conflict trend analysis, including OSU’s OSCE-wide focal point function for early warning and co-ordination of the OSCE Network of Early Warning Focal Points;
6. Supporting the design of concepts and other material and tools on conflict cycle issues and developing proposals to operationalize them in specific OSCE contexts; attending meetings, conferences and workshops on conflict cycle issues; co-ordinating analytical and organizational support for OSCE Chair and Secretariat on ASRC matters and other activities, as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see https://www.osce.org/secretariat

Necessary Qualifications:

• First-level university degree in political science, international relations or a related field;
• A minimum of seven years (five years with a relevant second-level degree) of progressively responsible professional experience in international relations, political analysis, knowledge management, operational planning and co-ordination with a government agency, national or international organization or non-governmental organization;
• Field experience in an international environment would be a distinct asset;
• Established thematic expertise in early warning, conflict prevention and resolution, crisis management, post-conflict rehabilitation, and familiarity with relevant international efforts in these areas;
• Demonstrated political acumen, research and analytical skills, experience in operational planning and lessons learned methodologies for conflict analysis;
• Familiarity with technological tools for conflict analysis, early warning and operational planning, e.g., geographic information system, AI-powered predictive modelling, would be a distinct asset;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• Working knowledge of at least one other language from the OSCE region is an asset;
• 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 a team and with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds, different gender and diverse political views, whilst maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Computer literate with practical experience with Microsoft applications, including maintaining databases.

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.

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.

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

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation; therefore, the maximum period of service in this post is 10 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.

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 Secretariat
• Requisition ID: SEC000980
• Contract Type: International Secondment
• Grade: S
• Job Type: Seconded
• Number of posts: 2
• Location: SEC - OSCE Secretariat, Vienna
• Issue Date: Apr 24, 2026
• Closing Date: Jun 26, 2026
• Employee Status: Fixed Term
• Schedule: Full-time
• Education Level: Bachelor's Degree (First-level university degree or equivalent)
• Job Field: Political Affairs
• Target Start Date: As soon as possible