COMPLETE OUTLINE
PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS
RESPONSIBILITIES
A) Lead all relevant types of inspections under Articles IV, V, VI, IX and X of the CWC as well as other non-routine missions (NRMs).
- Demonstrate the core values of the OPCW in the execution of your duties.
- Direct inspection planning and preparation.
- Coordinate and manage large teams of inspectors, especially in the case of Article IX Challenge Inspections and Article X Investigations of Alleged Use or other NRM operations.
- Coordinate and organize technical and planning pre-inspection meetings with officers from relevant branches/Divisions.
- Agree inspection team composition (with respect to required specialty and number) with Operations and Technology Support Branch (OTSB) , Control and Monitoring Branch (CMB) and Heads of Inspection Team Personnel (ITP).
- Assign tasks/roles to inspection team members for preparation and execution of the inspection.
- Select the inspection equipment required for the inspection in consultation with OTSB and CDB/IVB officers from the Verification Division.
- Prepare the inspection plan and ensure all inspection preparation has been properly and fully completed on time. Manage inspection timelines to ensure the completion of the inspection within the relevant time frame.
- Preserve the confidentiality regime of the Organisation during mission preparation.
- Conduct, direct and oversee all on-site verification activities.
- Officiate as the ranking on-site representative of the OPCW Technical Secretariat.
- Ensuring the safe arrival of both inspection team and equipment to the designated point of entry (POE) of an inspected State Party (ISP).
- Supervise the POE procedures, including immigration formalities, inspection equipment checking, and mandate hand-over. Agree timelines and terms of reference with the designated representative of the government of an ISP.
- Ensuring that Health and Safety regulations and guidelines are adhered to in the transport from the POE to the inspection site.
- Review the proposed inspection plan based on the pre-inspection briefing provided by an ISP and modify as required.
- Manage the inspection team, ensuring harmony and collaboration, and ensure that the aims of the inspection mandate are fulfilled.
- Negotiate with the ISP using diplomatic and technical negotiation skills to resolve issues that may arise during the mission. If required, negotiate a draft Facility Agreement with the ISP.
- Provide situation reports on the inspections progress and ad hoc communication with the Inspectorate on operational matters and with the Verification Division on verification issues.
- Act as the inspection teams point of contact for media, if required, as advised by the OPCW Technical Secretariat and adhering to policies and procedures.
- Ensure the effective utilisation of all inspection equipment during the inspection.
- Analyse and interpret the various types of information gathered on site and its relevance to the aims of the mission.
- Report the findings of the inspection on site, acting as editor in chief for the preparation of the Preliminary Findings Report (PF) or in the case of ongoing monitoring missions an Interim Report.
- Provide the PF and debrief the representatives of an ISP on the conclusion of an inspection.
- Ensure the safe arrival of the inspection team back at headquarters.
- Ensure the safety of team members based on guidelines issued by OPCW Office of Confidentiality and Security (OCS) and UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS)
- Direct all post-inspection activities.
- Debrief senior management and representatives of the Verification Division, Health and Safety Branch.
- Discuss and clarify issues related to an inspection with representatives of Verification Division.
- Complete the Final Inspection Report.
- Participate in review of ISP comments on the Final Inspection Report and in preparation of the closure letter to an ISP.
B) Manage and supervise assigned P-3 Inspectors
- Mentor, coach, and support the development of technical and soft skills of P-3 inspectors, including the technical aspects of missions, projects and training to ensure that they develop their skills and competences and gain the required knowledge to become experienced competent inspectors.
- Accountable for the duty of care of assigned staff and keep track of progress and development.
- Identify leadership skills and develop them to enable P-3 to be promoted to P-4.
- Follow up on individual contribution to Knowledge Management and quality related projects.
- Identify knowledge and experience gaps among assigned inspectors and prepare a plan to fulfil those needs.
- Maintain regular conversations with the assigned inspectors and maintain records of them in PMDS.
- Prepare their yearly PMDS evaluation.
C) Lead, coordinate and coach inspectors in (HQ) intra-divisional activities and projects aligned with Divisional focus areas:
- Foster teamwork, synergies, and collaborative work within both ITP units and across INS and other Divisions.
- Ensure that projects and activities are clearly defined and executed on-time.
- Ensure a balanced distribution of activities to assigned inspectors, additionally to the work related to routine and non-routine deployments.
D) Contribute actively to building capacities, and develop, support and foster Knowledge Management in INS that are relevant to current and future operations.
- Support the process to identify training needs for ITP staff, participate in planning and execution of the training of new inspectors and States Parties capacity building programs.
- Collaborate in developing and implementation of INS training plan – including proposal ad preparation of new training material.
- Support development of a system for capturing lessons learned from inspections activities and ensure that these lessons are reflected in INS practises. Support the Division’s knowledge retention and maintenance of relevant expertise.
- Identify and share relevant personal professional experience, especially emphasizing efforts to utilise previous experience of working at the OPCW to the benefit of the Division.
- Prepare detailed, accurate and complete mission assessments to collect lessons learned during inspections, discuss them with individual team members, and document for future reference.
E) Provide Technical Advice and Support to the Inspectorate and Other Units of the Technical Secretariat.
- Direct and conduct lectures and/or practical exercises in support of the Technical Secretariat functions.
- Advise and participate, if necessary, the negotiating teams and working groups in discussions with the state parties on Facility Agreements, and technical and logistic issues related to verification
- Participate and advise bilateral visits to carry out engineering reviews, assist ISPs with the preparation of destruction plans, declarations, etc. (these may be under an inspection mandate).
F) Undertake any Special Duties and Tasks as Directed by the DG.
- Officiate for other appointments of same or similar grade within other units of the Technical Secretariat.
- Assist the DG/DDG/DOI on technical issues during their visits to a State Party(s).
RECRUITING PROFILE:
Education (Qualifications):
Essential: A relevant advanced university degree in a STEM subject, a relevant first level university degree in a STEM subject in combination with qualifying experience (minimum 9 years) may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Certified relevant training together with extensive relevant technical background and a minimum of 13 years’ experience may also be considered.
- Chemical Weapons-Munition Specialist (CW-MS): relevant degree would include chemical engineering, chemistry, engineering or closely related field, experience (CBRN, EOD) is deemed to be more relevant than educational qualifications. Certified training would include e.g. military, police HAZMAT response together with an extensive technical background in the field of toxic chemicals, chemical weapons and/or munitions.
- Chemical Production Technologist (CPT): relevant degree would include chemical engineering or chemistry or closely related field.
- Analytical Chemist (AC): relevant degree would include chemistry.
- Health and Safety (H): relevant degree would include health sciences or closely related field.
Experience:
Essential:
- With an advanced degree at least 7 years relevant experience including at least two years as an Inspector;
- With a university degree in a relevant field with at least 9 years relevant experience including two years as an Inspector;
- With certified relevant training at least 13 years relevant experience including at least two years as an Inspector.
Desirable:
- CW-MS: knowledge and experience with explosive safety, explosive ordnance disposal, explosive ordnance reconnaissance, chemical munitions design and improvised explosive device and HAZMAT response.
- AC: knowledge and experience of analysing chemical warfare agents.
- H&S: knowledge and experience with operating procedures in hazardous chemical and biological environments (in particular, chemical warfare agents).
- Experience in Knowledge Management and designing Distance Learning curricula.
Skills and Abilities (key competencies):
- Ability to plan and organise complex activities to achieve established goals;
- Ability to analyse data and develop conclusions for implementation;
- Demonstrate team leadership skills;
- Align work and priorities with broader team/organisational goals;
- Ability to deal with complex inspection issues and interpret procedures and guidelines to adapt them to cover complex inspections;
- Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with specific reference to the outcome of inspections and the required reporting;
- Be able to deliver training as necessary and to prepare documents of a technical nature;
- Able to work in diverse inspection environments;
- Demonstrate ability to work in a multi-cultural inspection environment;
- Demonstrate conflict management skills and well-developed negotiation experience.
Language Requirements: Fluency in verbal and written English is essential, including ability to lecture at training courses and prepare documents requiring technical accuracy and high quality.
Good working knowledge of one of the other official OPCW languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.
