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 Office of the Director-General (ODG) is responsible for ensuring the Secretariat fulfils its mandates in a successful and cost-efficient manner. The ODG provides essential leadership and effective governance of the Secretariat.
The Chief of Cabinet provides timely substantial analysis and advice to the Director-General on often highly complex, sensitive and confidential matters related to OPCW policies, operations and personnel, with a view to mitigating possible risks and maximising organisational effectiveness.
This position is situated in the Office of the Director-General. Under the supervision of the Director-General, the primary role of the Chief of Cabinet is to provide essential leadership and governance to the OPCW, supporting the Director-General in various complex matters, in a discrete and confidential manner.
The Chief of Cabinet will ensure effective and efficient management of the Secretariat and full implementation of its core and programme objectives set out in the Chemical Weapons Convention and relevant decisions of the Policy-making Organs. The Chief of Cabinet also serves as the principial strategic and managerial advisor to the Director-General and acts as a key coordination point between the ODG, internal and external stakeholders.
Responsibilities:
1) Executive Coordination and Management:
- Manage and coordinate the flow of information, activities, and decisions required by the Director-General (DG);
- Screen and analyse actions and correspondence addressed to the DG; Routing and coordinate with the relevant divisions and action officers. Ensure correspondence properly prepared to be signed by the DG;
- Undertake special assignments on behalf of the DG outside and inside the organisation. Draft correspondence if and when necessary;
- Liaise and coordinate actions with the Deputy Director General (DDG), the Special Advisor, Division Directors, Legal Adviser and Branch Heads;
- Supervise the work of the Office of Director-General and actions of the Deputy Chief of Cabinet, Senior Advisor to the DG, the Executive Assistants, and evaluate their performance;
- Facilitate coordination and coherence across the Organisation’s divisions, branches and offices, including special missions and projects;
- Support organisational planning, performance, monitoring and results-based processes.
2) Strategic Advice:
- Serve as a principal advisor to the Director-General on strategic, policy and management issues, ensuring comprehensive analysis and consideration of parallel workstreams;
- Support the Director-General in setting institutional priorities, strategic objectives and organisational direction;
- Prepare and present high-quality analysis, briefings, recommendations and communications on sensitive, complex or politically or operationally significant matters;
- Advise the DG on policy matters related to the activities of the Organisation on certain administrative matters, security, audit and protocol (non-legal issues);
- Monitor progress and provide reports on priority initiatives, identify risks or obstacles and propose corrective action or alternative approaches.
3) Liaise with Administration Division, Office of Confidentiality and Security, Protocol and Office of Internal Oversight:
- Administration: The Chief of Cabinet coordinates with the Administration Division on procurement related issues (contracts for DG's signature), support services related issues (travel, transportation), budget related issues (transfer of funds, follow up of expenditures);
- Security: The Chief of Cabinet meets regularly with the Head of Office and Confidentiality and Security (OCS) regarding matters pertaining to the OCS;
- Audit: The Chief of Cabinet provides the DG with updated information on audit recommendations and advises the DG on the course of action to be taken, if required;
- Protocol: The Chief of Cabinet oversees procedures to be followed for VIP visits and coordinates the Organisation’s engagements with the Host Country on topics related to the Host Country Agreement.
4) As a certifying officer, supervise the maintenance of all expenditure certified for the office.
5) Represent the ODG:
- Participate in meetings of the Management Board and Management Committees;
- Manage and coordinate high-level interactions with Member States, including consultations, briefings and formal engagements as well as lead on work streams related to the Host Country Agreement, driving matters to a successful conclusion;
- Support the Director-General with the work of governing bodies and Policy-making Organs;
- Represent the Organisation or the DG in meetings, including with Member States, UN entities and partner organisations.
6) Perform other duties as required.
Qualifications and Experience
Education
Essential:
- Advanced university degree in a relevant discipline including in the areas of international relations, public administration, and business administration;
- A first level university degree in combination with qualifying experience (minimum 17 years) may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
- Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible relevant working experience, preferably in an international and multicultural context. 5 years should be in senior management or diplomatic posts working closely with Member States and intergovernmental bodies while holding a wide range of management and organisational responsibilities.
Desirable:
- Work experience in the UN Common System would be an asset. Knowledge or experience working with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and Member States would be very desirable.
Skills and Competencies
- Extensive experience leading and managing international and/or diplomatic organisations at an executive level. Ability to exhibit strong leadership, excellent judgement and organisation skills;
- Strong analytical and conceptual skills in analysing operational issues in a complex diplomatic or business environment, formulate options, and propose and implement solutions and follow-up on actions;
- Excellent and proven planning, organisational, coordination, negotiation and problem-solving skills;
- Excellent inter-personal and communication skills with demonstrated ability to apply tact and accuracy and to present information clearly and logically both in writing and verbally;
- Ability to ensure an effective work structure to maximise productivity and achieve goals; work to tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent activities;
- Ability to work in a team and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
- Ability to represent and communicate on behalf of the Director-General;
- Ability to handle confidential and highly sensitive organisational matters with complete discretion, tact and diplomacy.
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’.