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 Hague is the primary duty station of this post, however the incumbent is expected to support and participate in Office of Special Missions (OSM) field deployments, beginning with activities related to the OPCW Mission in Syria (OMS) and other ongoing or future missions.
The OSM leads sensitive, high-impact deployments in complex environments to support the Organisation’s mandate under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The Operations Support Officer ensures effective mission planning, operational readiness, logistics coordination, and cross-functional support enabling the safe and efficient execution of OSM missions worldwide.
The Operations Support Officer (P-3) provides operational, logistical, and coordination support to OSM deployments, acting as a central link between mission planning, field operations, investigative activities, administrative functions, and technical units across the Secretariat.
The incumbent ensures that OSM missions are operationally prepared, adequately resourced, compliant with OPCW procedures, and aligned with mission requirements. They contribute to planning, risk management, deployment coordination, field support, and post-mission processes, ensuring continuity and operational discipline across OSM activities.
Main Responsibilities:
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Investigations, the incumbent performs the following duties and responsibilities:
1. Operational Planning and Mission Preparation
- Supports planning for OSM deployments, including operational timelines, resource needs, mission configurations, and coordination with internal and external partners;
- Identifies operational requirements, logistical constraints and support needs for missions deployed to high-risk or politically sensitive environments;
- Contributes to mission readiness processes, ensuring personnel, equipment and procedures comply with OPCW standards and OSM internal SOPs;
- Prepares organizational briefs, checklists, deployment documentation and mission support packages.
2. Field Operations and Mission Support
- Provides operational and logistical support to OSM teams before, during and after field deployments;
- Coordinates mission logistics in close collaboration with other OPCW units ensuring safe and efficient field support;
- Oversees movement planning, field support arrangements, transport of equipment, and mission sustainment requirements;
- Acts as operational focal point in the field when required, supporting mission leadership in implementing daily operational tasks;
- Supports incident management processes, ensuring timely reporting of operational challenges, risks and mitigation measures.
3. Coordination and Internal Liaison
- Serves as an operational interface between OSM and other OPCW units;
- Facilitates the integration of investigative, analytical and technical needs into operational planning;
- Ensures that operational considerations are synchronised with investigative timelines, information collection plans and mission objectives;
- Coordinates with UN agencies, host-state authorities and other partner organizations as required for mission support.
4. Logistics, Equipment and Resource Management
- Maintains oversight of mission equipment, including operational kits, protective gear, communications systems and documentation tools;
- Ensures proper equipment lifecycle management, procurement requests, and readiness for rapid deployment;
- Coordinates storage, maintenance, and transport arrangements in line with OPCW confidentiality and safety requirements;
- Supports budget planning and expenditure tracking for operational components of OSM missions.
5. Operational Policy, SOPs and Mission Support Systems
- Contributes to the developments and continuous improvement of OSM operational SOPs, deployment protocols, contingency plans and mission support guidelines;
- Identifies lessons learned and supports after-action reviews, incorporating operational findings into updated procedures;
- Assists in developing tools for mission planning, tracking and coordination (e.g. readiness dashboards, mission trackers, logistics templates).
6. Training and Capacity Development
- Provides operational training and briefings to OSM personnel and mission staff on deployment proceedings, equipment use, field readiness and risk mitigation;
- Supports cross-training between operational, analytical and investigative components;
- Maintains awareness of best practices in field operations, humanitarian deployment support and safety/security standards.
7. Other Duties
- Performs other duties as required by OSM leadership.
Qualifications and Experience
Education
Essential:
- Advanced university degree in logistics, security studies, operations management, emergency management, or related fields;
- A first level university degree with qualifying experience (minimum 7 years) may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Desirable:
- Certifications in field operations, emergency management or humanitarian logistics.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
- At least 5 years’ relevant experience in operations, field support, mission coordination, logistics or emergency/mission planning;
- Experience supporting deployments or operations in high-risk, politically sensitive, humanitarian or conflict-zone environments;
- Demonstrated experience coordinating multi-stakeholder operational activities under tight deadlines;
- Proven experience managing logistical or operational components of complex missions.
Desirable:
- Experience in international organisations, peace operations, humanitarian deployments or field missions;
- Familiarity with chemical weapons, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and chemical, biological, radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) operations or Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) verification environments;
- Experience in mission readiness, field risk management, or operational security coordination.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong organisational and operational-planning skills;
- Ability to coordinate multiple tasks, stakeholders and timelines under pressure;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including cross-cultural coordination;
- High level of situational awareness, anticipation and problem solving ability;
- Ability to work effectively in high-stress or rapidly changing environments;
- Attention to detail and strong discipline in documentation and operational processes;
- Commitment to confidentiality, impartiality and professional integrity.
Mental and physical requirements:
- Physical: Office-based work at the Hague with frequent travel to mission locations, including conflict or post-conflict environments;
- Mental: High resilience, ability to work under pressure, and capacity to manage complex operational demands. Ability to support missions under high political scrutiny and evolving operational conditions.
Languages
Fluency in English is essential. Knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is an asset.
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’.
