About Us
The OPCW’s mission is to implement the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention to achieve our vision of a world free of chemical weapons in which chemistry is used for peace, progress, and prosperity, and to contribute to international security and stability, general and complete disarmament, and global economic development.
The OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.
General Information
Responsibilities
Job Summary
The Human Resources Branch (HRB) within the Administration Division of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) delivers high-quality human resources management, policy, learning and development, staff wellbeing, and administrative support to senior managers and the workforce at large. By providing expert advice and client-focused services, HRB ensures the Secretariat fulfils its strategic and operational functions effectively, in alignment with its tenure-based mandate and with a healthy and resilient workforce.
Operating under the leadership of the Head, HRB and the overall guidance of the Director, Administration, the Branch upholds a culture of respect, inclusivity, and compliance with the Organisation’s legislative framework and principles of International Administrative Law.
The Associate Organisational Design Officer reports to the Senior Advisor, Human Resources and provides technical support in organisational design and workforce planning to forecast needs, ensure a well-structured and efficient workforce that is aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives. The incumbent assists in analysing job descriptions, ensures accurate post management, contributes to organisational reviews and supports competency mapping and knowledge management initiatives in addition to participates in cross-functional projects.
Main Responsibilities
1. Organizational Design and Workforce Planning
- Support organisational structure reviews by gathering and analysing workforce data and understanding medium to long term needs;
- Assist in the assessment of workforce requirements and functional alignments;
- Work with Divisions, Offices and Branches to maintain accurate post tables in HR systems, up-to-date organisational charts and reporting lines;
- Collaborate with HR teams on job-related aspects of restructuring and reorganisation efforts;
- Review impending retirement and tenure dates and discuss with line managers replacement strategies and liaise with the Budget and Finance Branch (BFB), as required;
- Support line managers in the development of job descriptions and Terms of Reference (ToRs); recommend consistent and appropriate post titles;
- Conduct comparative analyses of job descriptions, ensuring consistency and relativity between similar positions within the team, branch, office and division; advise on proposals in the annual programme and budget exercise.
2. Research and Policy Support
- Provide support in the development of regular communication and guidelines on job description development and organisational design, ie, the structure of teams, harmonisation of titles, distribution of work portfolios and competency alignment;
- Assist in responding to inquiries from managers and the workforce regarding various scenarios as well as needed learning that responds to functional competencies;
- Research best practices in the broad areas of organisational design and development and contribute to policy updates.
3. Knowledge Management
- Work with Talent Acquisition and Staff Administration to ensure that post tables are regularly updated in the recruitment database, ERP and other HR tools to ensure accurate data transmission and reports;
- Undertake a periodic review of job descriptions to ensure they are up-to-date and handle the archiving of discontinued job descriptions and titles to support knowledge management.
4. Other Duties
- Participate on cross-functional teams where knowledge and contributions of organisational design and development would be beneficial;
- Carry out HR projects, seeking inputs from stakeholders;
- Contribute to knowledge management and capacity-building activities;
- Perform other related duties as required.
Qualifications and Experience
Education
Essential:
Advanced university degree (Master’s) in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organisational Development, Industrial Psychology or a related field. A first-level degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
A minimum of two years of experience in human resources management or in a role that required substantive drafting and research.
Desirable:
Experience with ERP systems and HR analytics tools is desirable. Knowledge of archiving and document management would be an asset, as would prior experience in job classification.
Skills and Competencies
Required Knowledge and Skills
- A strong knowledge of research and drafting as well as expert level use of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Visio is essential;
- Strong drafting and presentation skills in English are essential;
- A strong understanding of various IT and design tools, such as PowerPoint, Canva, Bitable, Pictory, and others is essential;
- Understanding of organisational design concepts and workforce planning;
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders across all levels of the organisation.
Abilities
- Awareness of when a matter needs to be escalated;
- Capacity to draft and to undertake and apply analysis and to propose alternative solutions.
Attitudes and Behaviours
- Proactive and solution-oriented mindset, with a strong commitment to continuous improvement and excellence;
- Collaborative and inclusive, fostering a culture of trust, respect, and shared success across diverse teams.
Languages
Fluency in English is essential and a good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.
Additional Information
This fixed-term appointment is for the duration of two years with a six-month probationary period, and is subject to the OPCW Staff Regulations and Interim Staff Rules.
The OPCW is a non-career organisation with limited staff tenure. The total length of service for Professional staff shall not exceed 7 years.
The mandatory age of separation at the OPCW is 65 years.
The Director-General retains the discretion to not make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description. Several vacancies may be filled.
Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date and through OPCW CandidateSpace will be considered. Only applicants under serious consideration for a post will be contacted.
According to article 8 paragraph 44 of the Chemical Weapons Convention the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
OPCW is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. OPCW recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
OPCW General Terms and Conditions
Important notice for applicants who are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system
Although headquartered in the Netherlands, the OPCW is not a regular Dutch employer but a public international organisation with its own special status. Please be advised that if you are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system, you will be excluded from this system as a staff member of the OPCW. You will consequently be insured under the organisation’s system. The above also applies to your dependents unless they are employed by a regular Dutch employer, they are self-employed in the Netherlands, or are receiving Dutch social security payments.
Please refer to the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment for more information about the possible consequences for you and your dependents, such as exclusion from ‘AWBZ’ and ‘Zorgverzekeringswet’ coverage: ‘Werken bij een internationale organisatie’.
