About Us

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, which entered into force on 29 April 1997. The OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavor to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons.

The ultimate aim of the OPCW is 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. Under the OPCW’s oversight 96% of the chemical weapons stockpiles declared by possessor States have been verifably destroyed.

The OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.

Our mission for a world free of chemical weapons makes people’s lives better. Apply to be a part of our team to make the world a better place for all.

General Information

• Contract Type
  Fixed-term General Service
• Grade
  GS5
• Estimated monthly remuneration: Euro
  4,184
• Closing Date
  12/06/2024

Responsibilities

Job Summary

The Human Resources Branch provides and sustains a quality human resource and workforce management framework to ensure the Secretariat can fulfil its strategic and operational objectives efficiently and effectively.

Identifying the skills and people an organisation needs to deliver on its mission and strategic goals, then hiring the best candidates to meet the identified needs, is essential to the organisation’s very survival, let alone its ability to grow.

This post is responsible for actively coordinating all administrative aspects of recruitment processes, ensuring that the best qualified candidates are recruited with the consultation of hiring managers, by providing the best and most timely services.

Main Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Head, Talent Acquisition (TA) the following responsibilities will be undertaken by the post holder:

• Ensure that the best qualified candidates are recruited by consulting with hiring managers to clarify requirements and ensuring that hiring needs are reflected in drafting/issuing vacancy notices. Develops positive relationships with post owners to facilitate the development of a proactive recruitment service.
• Support the selection of staff (approximately 20 recruitment processes annually) by providing hiring managers and selection panels with information and advice on related policies, procedures and standards;
• Conducts pre-screening of applications to establish long-lists of candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the vacancy notices, for the review of the Selection Recommendation Panel;
• Preparing and co-ordinating selection panels, administering pre-testing or other additional screening methodology; participating in selection panels for all staff categories as a voting member or as secretary to the panel, and preparing draft selection reports; conducting references and educational credentials checks, as appropriate;
• Ensure that all relevant OPCW procedures are followed, and that files and records are established and kept in line with the OPCW regulatory framework, including by updating and maintaining the Talentsoft and UBW records of candidates throughout the recruitment cycle from entering VNs, screening and paneling candidates to selection decision; Co-ordinates the completion of necessary paperwork;
• Liaise with applicants and candidates throughout the recruitment and selection process and provide them with timely relevant information as appropriate, taking into consideration the importance of candidate experience;
• Facilitate the initial steps of the coming on-board process of appointed candidates, coordinates closely with the Staff Administration team of HRB and takes into account the needs of the hiring division.
• Assists the TA Associate with the preparation and distribution of weekly reports to ensure that the OPCW Senior Management is advised about the statuses of all ongoing and upcoming Talent Acquisition processes;
• Undertakes projects as required under the direction of the Head, TA to address the development of a wide-ranging selection of assessment tools to improve the robustness of the OPCW recruitment & Selection process to include the continued development of personality/behavior assessment tools, pre-recorded video methods as well as written test proctoring tools;
• Actively participates in the development and on-going delivery of any learning & development initiatives associated with the recruitment and selection work stream.
• Contributes to the review and updating of relevant Administrative Directives, Information Circulars and the like pertaining to recruitment & selection activity.
• Backstops the work of the Talent TA (GS6) and covers for their tasks in their absence.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

Essential:

High school diploma or equivalent diploma of higher secondary education;

Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

• At least four years of experience in the area of Talent Acquisition/Recruitment;
• Demonstrated experience in an administrative role;
• Demonstrated experience in a customer-servicing role.

Desirable:

Previous work experience within an international organisation would be an asset.

Skills and Competencies

• Problem solving skills;
• Effective time-management abilities;
• Flexibility and ability to work steadily with several ongoing tasks;
• Very detail orientated;
• Tact, accuracy and discretion;
• Work independently following established rules and procedures;
• Solid verbal and written communication skills;
• Proven customer-service orientation, with a supportive communication style;
• Focus on collaborative team work within a supportive environment;
• Good interpersonal skills, and the proven ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment;
• Computer literacy, including good working knowledge of Windows based word-processing, spreadsheets and databases as well as a working knowledge of an ERP or related HR systems.

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

Staff members in the General Services category are normally recruited and paid on a local basis.

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 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.

Fixed-term staff members participate in the OPCW Provident Fund. A monthly staff contribution is met with a doubled amount by the OPCW under the provisions for social security. As the OPCW is exploring membership of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), staff participation in the Provident Fund may be replaced by participation in the UNJSPF effective 1 January 2025.

Applications from qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged.

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’.