International Consultant on preventing and combating illicit trafficking in SALW, ammunition and explosives (SSA)

Background:

Please note that this is a consultancy assignment of a temporary nature, with an expected duration of up to 120 working days per calendar year. Work location: home-based and field work. Travel within the OSCE region.

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, 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 OSCE decision-making bodies in its activities, and provides operational and administrative support to the field operations, and, as appropriate, to other institutions.

The Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) is an autonomous OSCE decision-making body that deals with military aspects of security. The FSC Support Unit co-ordinates and facilitates the OSCE’s role in the politico-military dimension. The primary task of the Unit is to provide expertise and support to the FSC. The Unit initiates, develops, implements technical assistance projects in the field of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition (SCA), including preventing and combating illicit trafficking in all aspects, as well as performs quality assurance and quality control of the implementing agencies (OSCE Field Operations, UN agencies, and commercial contractors). The amount of Unit’s workload, as well as the need for technical expertise under specific assistance projects, including those delegated for implementation to the Field Operations require relying on additional technical capacity hired through consultancy.
 

Objective of Assignment: 

The proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Conventional Ammunition (CA) continues to pose a systemic and pervasive threat to security and safety, and to the long-term social and economic development of many OSCE participating States (pS). Illicit SALW and CA are indiscriminate, and their effects are devastating, regardless of age, gender, religion or ethnicity. 

A multitude of challenges like changed security environment, greater technological sophistication and continued globalization have complicated the strategic environment. Coping with the illicit trafficking of SALW and CA has become increasingly complex in an environment ripe for direct, indirect and deliberate co-operation between trafficking organizations, transnational criminal groups, violent extremist groups and terrorists. This adds to another layer of challenges on traditional multilateral approach to non-proliferation of illicit SALW and CA in the nexus of arms control and disarmament, and different stages of the conflict cycle and/or societal transition in pS.

The movement of illicit SALW and ammunition across international borders is a transnational problem that cannot be dealt with through national policies and approaches alone. The role of international bodies such as the OSCE is to encourage and enable a more coherent solution by aligning the various national counter-trafficking strategies. 

Duration of Assignment:
120 days

Tasks and Responsibilities:

The consultant’s/expert’s services will be engaged by the relevant Project Manager of the FSC Support Unit  within the following clusters of tasks that will be further specified in the additional Terms of Reference, including maximum number of days per task. The consultant/expert must submit a report each time a given task is completed and delivered.

1. Providing analysis, operational support (including needs/ feasibility assessments) and/or technical advisory on preventing and combatting illicit trafficking in SALW, ammunition and explosives, inter alia, in the following thematic areas: (i) risk management, (ii) detection and seizure, (iii) investigation and tracing, (iV) criminal procedures, (v) information management and exchanges, (vi) coordination and cooperation on national, cross-border, (sub)regional and international levels, and (vii) advocacy and awareness raising.
2. Providing analysis, operational support (including needs/ feasibility assessments)  and/or technical advisory in support of national capacity development of OSCE pS to regulate, manage and co-ordinate specific aspects of preventing and combatting illicit trafficking in SALW, ammunition and explosives, inter alia, in the following capability areas: (i) legal and regulatory framework, (ii) organizational framework, (iii) education / training framework, (iv) infrastructure and equipment, (v) personnel / HR framework, including career paths development, , (vi) financial management, including oversight, (vii) information management, and (viii) security and safety aspects.
3. Providing analysis, operational support (including needs/ feasibility assessments) and/or technical advisory on preventing and combatting illicit trafficking in SALW, ammunition and explosives, inter alia, in the following contexts: (i) arms control and disarmament, (ii) counter terrorism and organized crime, (iii) border security and management, (iv) reforms and cooperation in the security sector, (v) disaster risk reduction, (vi) economic and environmental affairs, and (vii) rule of law and human rights.

Deliverables:

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Necessary Qualifications:

• University degree in security/defense studies, law-enforcement, humanities, political science, law, international relations or similar field;
• Minimum eight (8) years of professional experience at the national and international level, including progressively responsible experience in technical assistance activities ranging from managerial, legal, operational management to technical advisory support;
• Knowledge and understanding of standard policies and practices in politico-military dimension as well as transnational aspects of security in international organizations, as well as practical experience in their implementation;
• Knowledge and skills of the project management frameworks in international organizations, including results-based management within the project cycle;
• Knowledge and skills in the domain of quality management applicable to international technical assistance projects in the field of SALW and SCA with emphasis on combatting illicit trafficking in SALW in all its aspect;
• Knowledge and skills in the domain of evaluation (ex-ante, mid-term, final and ex-post) applicable to international technical assistance projects in the field of SALW and SCA with emphasis on combatting illicit trafficking in SALW in all its aspect;
• Professional fluency in English with excellent written/spoken communication skills; knowledge of other OSCE languages would be an asset; knowledge of local languages in the geographical area of OSCE practical assistance projects in South Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia would be of distinct advantage;
• Availability at short notice, flexibility and ability to work under deadlines;
• Adherence to high standards of professional integrity;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of diverse national and cultural backgrounds, while remaining impartial and objective;
• 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;
• 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.

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

If you are not a national of a participating State, you must apply by submitting an offline application form which can be found under https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/offline-application-form.

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.