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.
Under the guidance of the Chief of Cabinet, the Deputy Chief of Cabinet supports the effective management of the Office of the Director-General (ODG) by ensuring the coordinated flow of information, executive actions, high-level engagements, and facilitating timely, informed decision-making on highly complex, sensitive and confidential matters. The role also involves supporting the Director‑General in their official functions and coordinating protocol services in close collaboration with the External Relations Division.
Responsibilities:
1) Support the Chief of Cabinet:
- Provide support to the Chief of Cabinet in managing the Office of the Director General (ODG) and contribute to the management of the activities of the Organisation;
- Review, analyse and prioritise incoming correspondence addressed to the ODG and prepare high level briefings, recommendations, talking points and draft responses on sensitive, complex or politically or operationally significant matters;
- Support the Chief of Cabinet in screening and routing of correspondence and actions to the appropriate divisions or action officers, ensuring that critical matters are prioritised and effectively prepared for decision-making;
- Coordinate and consolidate substantive inputs from divisions and branches and prepare concise, decision-ready briefings for the Chief of Cabinet ensuring clarity of options, risks and implications;
- Oversee pending actions, programme updates, and correspondence requiring the Director-General’s attention, and provide timely status updates to the Chief of Cabinet. Proactively highlight urgent matters and potential risks as necessary;
- Liaise with the Deputy Director-General (DDG), the Special Advisor to the DDG, the Division/Office Directors, the Legal Adviser and the Branch Heads on all matters pertaining to the activities of the Organisation. This includes convening and chairing consultation meetings, taking viewpoints of stakeholders on board, and exercise independent decision making within the framework of guidance provided by the Director-General;
- Cover the functions of the Chief of Cabinet and/or the Special Advisor to the Director-General in their absence.
2) Lead Protocol Services:
- Lead, in close coordination with External Relations Division, the planning, coordination and execution of official visits to the OPCW by Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers and other high-level dignitaries;
- Lead, in coordination with External Relations Division, the planning and delivery of high-level official events, such as conferences, retreats, meetings and other special commemorative ceremonies at the level of Director-General and Deputy Director-General;
- Advise the Director-General and the Deputy Director-General, when acting, on protocol matters;
- Participate in official ceremonies such as the presentation of Letters of Credentials by newly appointed Permanent Representatives; privileges and immunities, Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremonies ensuring appropriate protocol standards are maintained.
3) Representation and Official Visits Support:
- Plan and coordinate the Director-General’s official visits and accompany them throughout these visits;
- Serve as the principal liaison for the Director-General on official visits to Member States, overseeing and refining communications such as correspondence, speeches and briefing matters, liaising with OPCW HQ and overseeing the visit’s logistics;
- Prepare meetings minutes and action points arising from official visits, ensuring timely dissemination and tracking of agreed actions with relevant divisions;
- Accompany and assist the Director-General in their bilateral/multilateral meetings with external and internal stakeholders;
- Participate in meetings of the Management Board and sit in various internal committees as representative of the ODG in an advisory capacity.
4) Support High-Level Engagements:
- Maintain regular contact with and undertake outreach efforts to the membership of the Organisation (193 Member States), respond to queries emanating from the Member States and provide updates on viewpoints of the Technical Secretariat;
- Review and provide substantive advice on correspondence for various high-level Officials and representative bodies for Member States prepared by ERD to be signed by the Director-General;
- Prepare meetings minutes/action points and oversee filing of all bilateral meetings of the Director-General.
5) Perform other duties as required.
Qualifications and Experience
Education
Essential:
- Advanced university degree in a relevant discipline including in the area of business administration, political science, international relations, public administration, law or a related field, from an accredited college or university;
- A first level university degree in combination with qualifying experience (Minimum 12 years) may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
- A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible relevant working experience, preferably in an international and multicultural context.
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 also desirable.
Skills and Competencies
- Solid experience with supporting leadership and managing international and/or diplomatic organisations at an executive level, including significant project management experience;
- Utilise critical thinking skills including analytical and conceptual skills to analyse operational issues in a complex business environment, formulate options, and propose and implement solutions and deliver sound judgements on a range of topics;
- Excellent and proven planning, organisational, coordination, negotiation and problem-solving skills, that reflect ability to perform and concurrently prioritize multiple projects with competing deadlines;
- 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;
- Proven leadership and management skills;
- Ability to ensure an effective work structure to maximise productivity and achieve goals; work to tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent activities, with a keen eye for detail;
- 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, stand in, chair meetings, and communicate on behalf of the Director-General;
- Solid information technology skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office packages.
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’.