Back National Consultant on Analyzing the System of Professional Development and Capacity Building for Court Administration and Courts Staff

Background:
Please note that the vacancy is open for Kazakhstan nationals and permanent residents of Kazakhstan only.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana (hereinafter referred to as the Office) is entrusted with a mandate to assist the Republic of Kazakhstan in implementing OSCE principles and commitments in three dimensions: politico-military, economic and environmental, and human. The Office has long supported Kazakhstan's efforts in the area of the rule of law, including ongoing judicial reform.

In December 2021, the Office, together with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, launched the ExB Project on Improving the Effectiveness of the Justice System in Kazakhstan (Project). The Project includes several components and will run for 5 years (2022-2026). The Project aims to promote the judicial reform process in Kazakhstan in line with the principles of accountability and transparency, with a particular focus on modernizing the court administration based on a quality system, improving the system of evaluation of judges' professional performance, introducing modern content and methodologies for training judges and introducing an evidence-based decision-making system in the area of judicial reform.

In 2025-2026, the Office plans to support the host country with enhancing human resource management and professional development systems for court staff and the Court Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan. To this end, the Office seeks to engage a National Expert to analyze the existing system of professional development and capacity building of court staff, and to develop recommendations for its improvement.

Objective of Assignment:
The purpose of this consultancy is to analyze the current system of professional development and capacity building of court administrative personnel, including regulatory frameworks, institutional mechanisms, and training practices. The findings will inform recommendations and a roadmap for improving the capacity-building system for court staff in Kazakhstan.

Duration of Assignment:
The assignment is to be completed between November 2025 – February 2026. The consultant will work under a Special Service Agreement (SSA).

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Within the activities of the Office, and under the supervision of the Senior Human Dimension Officer and the National Legal Officer of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the incumbent shall:

1. Organize and conduct a series of focus group discussions and individual interviews with administrative personnel of the courts and the Court Administration of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as the court staff).

2. Review existing legal and internal regulatory documents governing the professional development and capacity building of court staff in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

3. Prepare a brief overview of court staff categories and define main groups by functional areas, job responsibilities, and competencies (for example, courtroom secretaries, judicial consultants, clerical specialists, information security officers and others).

4. Analyze existing mechanisms for planning and implementing training programmes (including needs assessment procedures, forms and frequency of training, and institutional roles and responsibilities).

5. In coordination with the international expert, develop recommendations for a roadmap or concept on improving the professional development system for court staff.

Necessary Qualifications:

• University degree in laws, human rights, political science, international relations, communications, journalism, social science, economics, finance, IT, engineering or related field;

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in concerned field;

• Proven experience in conducting research, focus groups, interviews and policy analysis;

• Strong understanding of Kazakhstan’s judicial system and public service structure.

• Ability to research and analyze complex matters related to system of professional development and capacity building of court staff as well as to present such matters in an audience-appropriate and user-friendly manner;

• Excellent facilitation, presentation and teaching skills, and confident use of online platforms, e.g. Zoom, Webex, or similar;

• Flexibility, ability to work under minimum supervision and deliver against deadlines;

• Excellent knowledge of Russian, knowledge of Kazakh and English would be an asset.

• Experience in collaborating with governmental institutions and international organizations is an advantage.

• 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;

• Computer literate with practical experience using Microsoft applications.

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates. It will be discussed during the interview. Payment will be transferred in local currency (tenge) to the bank account of the consultant.

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 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.

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