Company Description

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, whose mission is to build better policies for better lives. We promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.  Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work to establish evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a broad range of social, economic and environmental challenges, from the improvement of economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion. We provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The Ethics Office promotes and maintains the highest ethical standards within the organisation. It is dedicated to fostering an environment of integrity, openness, and effectiveness by ensuring that all staff members understand and adhere to the ethical guidelines set out in the OECD’s Staff Regulations, Rules, and Instructions. This includes disseminating the Code of Conduct and enhancing its comprehension and compliance among staff, thereby supporting a culture of ethical behaviour across all levels of the organisation.

The Head of Ethics is central to the organisation’s commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards. Reporting directly to the Secretary-General, the Head of Ethics provides leadership and strategic direction, ensuring the effective delivery of ethics services and guidance across the organisation. This role involves advising the Secretary-General, Human Resources, and staff on ethical issues, while also overseeing the development and implementation of the organisation’s ethics framework. The Head of Ethics plays a crucial part in fostering a culture of integrity, accountability, and transparency through educational programmes and awareness initiatives. By supporting whistleblower protection policies and delivering comprehensive annual reports on ethics activities, the Head of Ethics reinforces the organisation’s dedication to ethical conduct and continuous improvement.

Job Description

Leadership

• Provide leadership and strategic direction to ensure the efficient, effective, premium quality delivery of the Ethics Office’s service offering.
• Advise the Secretary-General, Head of Human Resources Management, and managers and staff on the ethical standards of the Organisation, providing guidance on ethics related issues, conflicts of interest, external activities of staff, gifts and benefits received by staff and any relevant matters brought to the attention of the Head of Ethics in a confidential manner.
• In support of the Secretary-General, lead the development and execution of the Organisation’s ethics framework including policy, rules and guidance, and engage in amendments and revisions as necessary, taking into account the nature and activities of the Organisation and current ethics best practices to ensure that the framework remains sound and effective.
• Collaborate with the Secretary-General, the Head of Human Resource Management and the Director of the Legal Affairs to develop sound, pertinent ethics advice.
• Maintain awareness of developments in the field of ethics, remaining at the frontier on all matters in this area, noting new approaches, recent developments and evolving best practices, proposing changes to the Organisation’s ethics framework.
• Develop and implement means of fostering and enhancing a culture of ethical conduct in the Organisation, acting as a key driver for integrity, accountability and transparency.
• Lead the development and implementation of programmes to educate and raise awareness of staff members on ethical issues and expected behaviour, such as effective learning programmes, briefings or workshops, and contributing to the induction of new staff members.

Representation and Liaison

• Represent the Ethics Office and the Organisation at internal and external meetings, establishing close contacts and active collaboration with a wide range of colleagues, stakeholders and partners to achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency.
• Establish and maintain a network of relationships with other international organisations, national authorities, academia and research institutes.
• Actively contribute to the development, promotion and implementation of enhanced engagement with key partners and other non-member economies and “horizontal” (multidisciplinary) work. 

Management and Co-ordination

• Develop and execute a robust ethics communications strategy, highlighting and promoting the values of ethical behaviour, increasing awareness of the Organisation’s ethics framework and any related information to support the promotion of the highest ethical standards in the Organisation.
• Support the Organisation’s Policy on Protection against Retaliation for Reporting Misconduct by assessing claims of retaliation for reporting misconduct, determining the validity of the claim, and if needed, determining the retaliation risk to the reporting person, any appropriate anti-retaliation measures and initiating an investigation.
• Author and deliver to the Secretary-General a comprehensive annual report outlining in detail all ethics related activity in the Organisation for the year in review.
• Ensure effective co-ordination, collaboration and co-operation across the Organisation to support and contribute to flagship corporate initiatives and horizontal projects.
• Build and lead a cohesive, multicultural and multidisciplinary team, promoting excellence, inclusion and diversity ensuring a caring environment where managers promote, respect and support staff in developing their full potential.

Qualifications

Academic and Professional Background

• An advanced university degree in law, social sciences, criminal justice, philosophy, public policy, or a related field.
• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in ethics and compliance, with substantial experience in ethics policy development, implementation, and interpretation at a senior management level, ideally within an international organisation or a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Demonstrated ability to provide strategic leadership and direction, with a proven track record of developing and executing comprehensive ethics frameworks and initiatives that align with organisational goals.
• Proven experience in designing, implementing, and managing effective training and awareness programmes related to ethics and compliance.
• Experience in developing and implementing robust communication strategies, including the use of digital tools and platforms to enhance the visibility and impact of ethics initiatives.
• Extensive experience in engaging with senior-level stakeholders, including government officials, international bodies, and high-level executives, with a strong ability to influence decision-making processes.
• Well-established network of contacts with key players and stakeholders in international communities, including other international organisations, national authorities, academia, and research institutes.
• High political sensitivity and acumen, with the ability to navigate complex political environments and address sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to persuasively convey complex ethical concepts and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.

Communication and Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of, or a willingness to learn, the other.

Core Competencies

• Staff in Executive Leadership are expected to demonstrate behaviours aligned to six core competencies which will be assessed as part of this hiring processes at level 3: Vision and Strategy; Enable People; Ethics and Integrity; Collaboration and Horizontality; Achieve Results; Innovate and Embrace Change.
• To learn more about the definitions for each competency, please refer to the OECD Core Competency Framework.   

Additional Information

Closing Date

This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should reach us no later than 23h59 on 12 September 2024 (Paris time).

Contract Duration

Five-year fixed term appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

What the OECD offers

• Monthly base salary starting from 12,110 EUR plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.
• Learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.
• Browse our People Management Guidebook to learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and on policies supporting staff in their daily life.
• Please note that the appointment may be made at a lower grade based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates who are nationals of OECD Member Countries, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities. Our selection processes are merit-based; we strive to enhance diversity both from national and gender perspectives while running fair, transparent and competitive selection processes.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.