Travel and Contracting Assistant

Job Posting Organization:
The OSCE (Organization for security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security and Co-operation in Europe) is a prominent international organization that focuses on promoting peace, stability, and democracy in Europe and beyond. Established in 1975, the OSCE has grown to include 57 participating states across Europe, North America, and Asia. The organization operates in various fields, including conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation. The OSCE Mission to Skopje is the longest-serving field operation of the OSCE, dedicated to fostering social cohesion, fundamental rights, gender equality, rule of law, good governance, integrity, anti-corruption, criminal justice, and police reform. The Fund Administration Unit, which includes Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and General Services, plays a crucial role in supporting the mission's operations, with the Procurement Unit specifically responsible for managing the procurement of goods and services for the mission.

Job Overview:
The Travel and Contracting Assistant position is integral to the OSCE Mission to Skopje, providing essential support in the areas of travel arrangements and contract management. The role involves working closely with the Senior Procurement Assistant and the General Services Officer to ensure that all travel operations adhere to OSCE policies and procedures. The assistant will be responsible for organizing official travel for mission members, which includes approving travel claims, raising purchase orders in ORACLE, and liaising with the OSCE travel agency for flight bookings. The position also requires monitoring local window contracts, ensuring compliance, and managing supplier performance. The assistant will play a key role in improving internal travel management processes and will be involved in procuring goods and services within the Low Value Procurement category. This position demands a high level of organization, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively with diverse teams.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Travel and Contracting Assistant will have a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including:

• Organizing official travel for mission members, ensuring compliance with OSCE travel policies and procedures.
• Approving travel claims and raising travel-related purchase orders in ORACLE.
• Liaising with the OSCE travel agency for flight bookings, checking fares, and managing changes in travel plans.
• Monitoring developments in the travel industry and suggesting improvements for internal travel management.
• Attending meetings with the travel agency and providing feedback on compliance with corporate contracts.
• Ensuring adherence to Local Window Contracts, raising purchase orders, and obtaining necessary countersignatures.
• Collecting feedback on supplier performance and proposing actions to the Senior Procurement Assistant.
• Coordinating with suppliers to resolve issues and oversee improvements.
• Keeping track of Local Window Contract expiry dates and preparing lessons learned for new tenders. 1
• Procuring simple goods and services within the Low Value Procurement category and assisting with higher value tenders. 1
• Arranging Bid Opening Boards for high-value procurements and ensuring proper documentation of contracts and travel requests. 1
• Providing secretarial services within the Procurement Unit as needed.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess the following qualifications:

• Citizenship of or permanent residence in the Republic of North Macedonia.
• Completed secondary education, supplemented by specialized training in travel and/or contract management.
• A minimum of four years of working experience in travel or contract management, preferably in an international setting.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a customer-service orientation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications, with experience in ORACLE considered an asset.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and local languages.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse nationalities, religions, and cultural backgrounds.
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, with the ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a completed secondary education, which may be supplemented by specialized training in areas related to travel and contract management. This foundational education is essential for understanding the complexities of travel arrangements and contract compliance within the OSCE framework.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of four years of relevant working experience in travel or contract management. This experience should ideally be in an international context, providing the candidate with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of procurement and travel arrangements in a diverse and multicultural environment.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement for this position is proficiency in English, both written and oral. Additionally, candidates should be fluent in local languages, which is essential for effective communication within the OSCE Mission to Skopje. Knowledge of other languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This position is a full-time contracted role under a local contract with the OSCE Mission to Skopje. The job level is classified as General Services at grade G4, with a monthly remuneration of approximately EUR 1,494, subject to social security deductions. Social benefits include participation in Cigna medical insurance and the OSCE Provident Fund. The appointment is typically made at step 1 of the OSCE salary scale, with the possibility of a higher step being approved under specific conditions. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds. The mandatory retirement age for contracted positions is 65 years, with an age limit of 63 years at the time of appointment. The OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application process.