Project Assistant (G5)

Background:

The work of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB) focuses on a range of security issues, from countering terrorism, border security and transnational threats such as human trafficking, to developing the country’s regions, strengthening efforts to combat corruption on all levels, as well as supporting the reform of the justice sector, implementation of election reform, gender equality and building open and resilient societies. 
The post is located in the Environmental section within the Economic and Environmental Department. The department implements Unified Budget (UB) and Extra-budgetary (ExB) projects aimed at assisting the Host State in enhancing the capacities of the state institutions on environmental protection, monitoring, disaster risk reduction, awareness raising on environmental and climate change issues and development of the ‘green’ economy in the Kyrgyz Republic. It is an extra-budgetary (ExB) post within the project “Strengthening the understanding and raising awareness on climate change in Kyrgyzstan” that is currently envisaged to last (2) two years. 

Main Purpose:

The Project Assistant (PA) acts as a focal point responsible for administrative and substantive support in implementing project activities, including organizing awareness-raising and capacity-building events, supporting process delivery, developing and maintaining information databases, and providing project administration support. The incumbent shall be responsible for collaborating with several stakeholders and assisting in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project activities, which, at times, will require persistence and flexibility. 
Working under general supervision, the Project Assistant provides technical support and facilitates process delivery in project administration by performing tasks of substantial variety and complexity that require the selection, interpretation and assembly of information and data from several sources in examining problems for which several possible solutions exist but which are normally covered by general practice. S/he serves as a resource to other project staff in project administration matters. 

Work Relationships:

The Project Assistant reports to the National Environmental Officer (NEO), while the Regional Development Officer acts as the second-level supervisor. 
Internal contacts are mainly with other teams within EED, the Fund Administration Unit (FAU), the Public Information Unit, the Office of Head of Mission and others to obtain and clarify information related to project administration and to obtain approval for project documents, correspondence and expenditure, as well as to make administrative arrangements for the implementation of project activities. External contacts are mainly with state partners, such as the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sport, and Youth Policy, the regional and local authorities, and non-state partners, such as the United Nations Development Programme, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Public Fund “Students of Kyrgyzstan for Green Economy”, to answer queries to project activities and to make administrative arrangements for the implementation of project activities. 

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the National Environmental Officer, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

1. Providing information for proposed and ongoing projects and other programme activities for the planning of UB and ExB; compiling general background information from available sources; designing and drafting supporting flow charts, schedules, graphs and tables; maintaining institutional memories or other documentation systems to record programme and project history and ongoing activities;
2. Assisting in the administration of project proposals, budgets and reports from implementing partners; assisting in providing information for project proposals; assembling and editing basic data and verifying documents required for planning and negotiation, as instructed by the supervisor; checking project documents for clarity, consistency and completeness;
3. Assisting in developing and implementing project activities by liaising with counterparts and facilitating their participation, drafting terms of reference for the employment of consultants and implementing partners, and monitoring the implementation of activities and submission of reports by the implementing partners and consultants.
4. Providing functional support to project implementation; following up and keeping records on project expenditures and overall financial status; preparing Purchase Requests (PR), receiving funds from FAU for project activities; in coordination with partners for implementation assessing project implementation and other related issues; assisting in follow up on the implementation progress of ongoing projects, investigating designated project activities, discussing findings with the supervisor to identify implications for the work of the POiB;
5. Assisting in collecting, registering, reporting and maintaining information on project activities by monitoring project events, reviewing reports and maintaining liaison with partners for implementation; following up on all aspects of the project; accompanying the supervisor and other EED staff on regular field visits, participating in discussions, and taking follow up action as/when required;
6. Preparing various written outputs, drafting information for background and briefing papers; drafting and submitting financial reports for project expenditures for UB and ExB projects if needed; providing inputs for all reporting exercises (regular and ad hoc), drafting notes for the supervisor on specific issues and topics as and when requested; participating in project briefings for visiting delegations; providing accurate translations and interpretation.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, please see: https://www.osce.org/programme-office-in-bishkek.

Necessary Qualifications:

• Completed secondary education supplemented by specialized training or formal studies in international development, social sciences, economics, or environmental studies;
• A university degree in international/sustainable development, economics, or environmental studies will be an asset;
• Minimum (4) four years of working experience in environmental security, sustainable development, climate change or green economy; preferably two years of experience within an international organization;
• Established knowledge and understanding of the developments in national and regional context and Programme matters concerning environmental security, climate change, green economy, and sustainable development; 
• Experience in project management, including project design planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting;
• Experience working with state bodies, local and international NGOs, and national or international financial institutions will be an asset;
• Ability to collect and comprehend versatile information in aim to perform appropriate analyses;
• Ability to conduct independent research and collect information from a variety of sources;
• Digital literacy, proficient use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and the Internet. Experience with ERP software is an asset;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Russian/Kyrgyz languages;
• 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.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deductions is 899.67 Euro/month. Social benefits will include Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE’s online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post 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. 

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, please see https://www.osce.org/participating-states.

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 note that for this position the OSCE does not reimburse expenses such as travel in connection with interviews, tests, visas and relocation.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.

The mandatory retirement age at the OSCE is 65 years for contracted positions at the general service, professional and director level. The Organization shall apply an age limit of 63 years at the time of appointment as the incumbent selected is normally expected to carry out the contractual obligation of two years.