Background:

Please note that this is a short-term position for the period 1 November – 31 December 2022.

OSCE Mission to Montenegro (the Mission) is implementing the “Building transparent and inclusive elections in Montenegro” project, which aims to support Montenegro’s State Election Commission (SEC) in fulfilling the OSCE commitments in the sphere of administering democratic elections set out in the 1990 Copenhagen Document.

The Mission has provided technical assistance to SEC since 2016. In 2017 and 2018, the Mission provided embedded international expertise and commissioned the development of software for the processing of electoral data. Throughout 2019 and 2020 the Mission developed and supported voter education activities and established a dialogue between SEC and NGOs with the aim of improving accessibility of elections.

The 2020 OSCE/ODIHR election observation report stated that “the election was run overall transparently and efficiently, although SEC did not properly fulfil its regulatory role.’’ Additionally, the report stated that ‘’while it issued a number of instructions, the SEC left unaddressed some important procedural aspects, such as the verification of signatures for candidate registration, and the tabulation of results. In some of its decisions, like the rejection of a candidate list, SEC used wide discretionary powers to interpret and implement the law.’’

To ensure better effectiveness and efficiency of SEC service staff and advise SEC Chair and Secretary on how to prepare for the 2023 presidential election, the Mission will hire an international Electoral Technical Assistance Officer who will work at SEC’s premises for a period of two months. It aims aim to support SEC with day-to-day tasks and assess their compliance with international standards, commitments and obligations in administering democratic elections.


Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Programme Manager, Democratization Programme, the successful candidate will be tasked with the following duties:

Organizing and holding regular weekly meetings and consultations with SEC Chair and service staff in co-ordination with the Programme Manager in order to identify needs, and propose recommendations on how to address SEC’s most imminent priorities before the 2023 presidential election; Advising SEC management on best practices in terms of internal administrative acts and procedures, in line with the Montenegrin legislative framework and the Constitution, ODIHR recommendations and informal comments; Identifying elements that facilitate and/or impede smooth implementation of the 2020 ODIHR recommendations and advise SEC Chair on how to overcome them; Conducting training needs assessment and capacity gaps, delivering the Assessment with relevant Action Plan that relates to training of polling station staff across Montenegro, prior to the 2023 presidential election; Sharing knowledge on best international practices in terms of transparency of election management bodies and communication with Municipal Electoral Commissions (MECs); Supporting the SEC in liaising with local and international actors engaged in the electoral process in order to enhance visibility and improve international co-operation; Providing written weekly progress reports, including any additional developments; Performing other duties as assigned.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, please see: Mission to Montenegro | OSCE.


Necessary Qualifications:

Citizenship of an OSCE participating State, excluding Montenegro; First level university degree in law, political sciences, social sciences, international relations, public policy or other relevant field; A minimum of two years of professional experience in providing expertise and electoral assistance; Sound knowledge of the electoral processes; Knowledge of structures of election management bodies; Knowledge of the electoral legislative framework in Montenegro and the region as well as the current political situation in South-East Europe; Experience in observing elections is desirable; Experience in working with people with disabilities is an advantage; Professional fluency in English language, both spoken and written; Knowledge of the local language would be considered a strong advantage; Excellent negotiation, organisation and co-ordination skills; Ability to demonstrate gender awareness and sensitivity, and integrate gender perspective into tasks and activities; Ability to establish and maintain effective work relations with persons of different opinions and cultural backgrounds; Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to maintain impartiality, objectivity and confidentiality; Experience in working with ODIHR and other international organizations is an asset.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deductions, is USD 3,121.66 to which the Board and Lodging Allowance (BLA) is added, currently at the rate of EUR 113 per day.
Social security will include participation in the Cigna International medical insurance scheme.


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

Issued by: OSCE Mission to Montenegro Requisition ID: DEM00002Z Contract Type: International Contracted Grade: P1 Job Level: Professional Job Type: Contracted Number of posts: 1 Location: OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Podgorica Issue Date: Aug 16, 2022 Closing Date: Sep 12, 2022 Employee Status: Short-Term Schedule: Full-time Education Level: Bachelor's Degree (First-level university degree or equivalent) Target Start Date: Nov 1, 2022

This vacancy is archived.

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