Migration/Freedom of Movement Adviser (S) - Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (Warsaw)

About this position

The summary below is published by Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

Key responsibilities

According to the vacancy notice, the role centres on the following duties:

• Develop, implement and evaluate targeted activities and projects on migration and freedom of movement
• Conduct assessments and design capacity-building initiatives (training courses, workshops, reports, guidance materials)
• Monitor and analyse public policy, legislation and practices in OSCE participating States on migration and freedom of movement
• Prepare substantive input for OSCE Human Dimension meetings and other ODIHR meetings
• Prepare policy recommendations and analytical reports on migration and freedom of movement issues
• Network and maintain contacts with partner organizations and experts
• Serve as ODIHR contact point for requests on OSCE commitments on migration and freedom of movement
• Represent ODIHR at international conferences and coordination meetings

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

• Education: Second-level university degree in political science, sociology, international relations, law, human rights law, public policy or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree.
• Experience: Minimum of five years (seven years with a first-level university degree) of professional-level experience in a government, international organization or NGO, including at least three years on migration/freedom of movement issues. Knowledge of the migration and freedom of movement situation in OSCE participating States and work experience in a national authority responsible for entry/exit regulati…
• Languages: English (Excelle…), Russian (Asset)
• Key skills: Programme development and project management, Analytical, written drafting and research skills, Strategic thinking and ability to design impactful activities autonomously, Strong presentation skills, Ability to interact effectively with high-level officials on migration-related topics, Training skills and ability to design and implement training courses and workshops using interactive methods
• Eligibility: Open for secondment only. Participating States must bear all costs in relation to assignment at OSCE/ODIHR.

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: Migration and freedom of Movement Unit, Democratization Department, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights….

Position details

Reference

5117

Last Verified

22 October 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Migration/Freedom of Movement Adviser (S) at OSCE based in Warsaw. The vacancy reference is 5117.

Background:

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to assignment at OSCE/ODIHR must be borne by their authorities.

Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered. Seconded staff members in the OSCE Secretariat and Institutions are not entitled to a Board and Lodging Allowance payable by the Organization.

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, combating human trafficking, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the principal institution of the OSCE responsible for the human dimension. ODIHR is active throughout the OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and the rule of law. ODIHR's assistance projects and other activities are implemented in participating States in accordance with ODIHR's mandate.

ODIHR’s Migration and freedom of Movement Unit is organized as part of the Democratization Department of the Office. ODIHR’s mandate on migration and freedom of movement is rooted in the commitments of OSCE participating States (pSs) to facilitate the integration of migrants, uphold human rights in migration and border management, safeguard the freedom of movement, combat discrimination against migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, and promote the dignified treatment of individuals crossing borders, in accordance with international human rights, refugee, and humanitarian law. Under this framework and through targeted and locally contextualized interventions, ODIHR raises awareness and enhances the capacity of national, regional, and local stakeholders, including civil society and human rights defenders in ensuring that migration and border management is in line with international human rights standards and that migrants’ rights are protected.

Tasks and responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Head, Democratization Department, the incumbent develops and implements activities aimed at assisting OSCE participating States in meeting OSCE commitments on migration and freedom of movement using the unique position of the OSCE as a forum for dialogue. To achieve this goal, the incumbent performs the following duties:

1. Developing, implementing and evaluating targeted activities and projects covering a wide range of topics to support OSCE participating States in meeting their commitments on migration and freedom of movement. In this context, conducting assessments, designing and implementing strategic capacity-building initiatives (training courses, workshops, other events, reports and guidance materials) in support to reform efforts of OSCE participating States focused on strengthening migration management and integration frameworks across the OSCE region, promoting social cohesion and protecting migrants’ rights, including by fostering effective integration policies and practices, promoting human rights at international borders, addressing refugee and statelessness issues, internal displacement and mobility of conflict-affected populations, assessing the human rights implications of new technologies used in migration management and addressing other emerging issues in the field of migration and freedom of movement. The activities and projects will also foster co-noperation between States, civil society and international organizations and promote a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders working on these matters;

2. Monitoring and analysing public policy, legislation and practices in OSCE participating States related to migration and freedom of movement, by undertaking desk research, information exchange and fact-finding missions; preparing comparative and other analyses of OSCE participating States’ compliance with OSCE commitments; developing areas for co-operation with partner organizations and joint implementation with appropriate international organizations and civil society actors; proposing to the Department’s senior management areas where improvement/remedial action is required on migration and freedom of movement policies, legislation and practices;

3. Preparing substantive input for and following-up on OSCE Human Dimension meetings, and other ODIHR meetings on issues related to migration and freedom of movement by carrying out substantive work for OSCE Human Dimension meetings and other ODIHR meetings on issues related to migration and freedom of movement, including drafting of agenda, identifying speakers, moderators, rapporteurs as well as key participants from other OSCE institutions, international and non-governmental organizations; contributing to the final report based on identified key recommendations;

4. Preparing substantive input with recommendations on policy action to analytical reports, taskings, briefings by compiling background information and analysis on migration and freedom of movement issues, including the related current events and political issues, and Department programmatic activities, preparing talking points and other assigned tasks for ODIHR management; and contributing to annual reporting on ODIHR programmatic activities;

5. Networking and maintaining contacts with partner organizations and experts on migration and freedom of movement, integration policies, visa policy and entry/exit regulations, human rights at borders, new technology in border management, asylum, statelessness, internal displacement and other emerging issues in order to exchange information, co-ordinate activities and facilitate implementation of the migration and freedom of movement programme as well as to develop new areas for co-operation;

6. Serving as the ODIHR Democratization Department contact point for requests to the ODIHR on the implementation of OSCE commitments on migration and freedom of movement, by maintaining regular contacts with other OSCE bodies, providing information and briefings to the Delegations of the OSCE participating States and maintaining regular working level contacts with other international organizations;

7. Representing the ODIHR Democratization Department at international conferences, co-ordination meetings of international organizations and other events on the issues related to the migration/freedom of movement portfolio; delivering presentations and interventions on behalf of ODIHR on issues related to the freedom of migration/movement portfolio; briefing the ODIHR management on the results of these conferences and meetings.

Education and Experience:

- Second-level university degree in political science, sociology, international relations, law, human rights law public policy or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree;

- A minimum of five years (seven years with a first-level university degree) of professional-level experience in a government, international organization or NGO, including at least three years on migration/freedom of movement issues;

- Knowledge of the migration and freedom of movement situation in OSCE participating States as well as work experience in a national authority responsible for entry/exit regulations such as a migration service, and/or expert knowledge on migration, integration policies, visa policy, entry/exit regulations, human-rights at borders, new technology in border management, asylum, statelessness, and/or internal displacement in the OSCE region;

- Demonstrated and extensive experience in programme development and project management;

- Excellent analytical, written drafting and research skills;

- Ability to think strategically and design impactful activities autonomously;

- Strong presentation skills and ability to interact effectively with high-level officials on migration-related topics in particularly human rights of migrants and other human dimension issues;

- Solid training skills, ability to design and implement training courses and workshops using interactive methods;

- Knowledge and/or work experience in a field operation of an international organization, including the OSCE is an asset;

- Excellent knowledge of English. Knowledge of other OSCE languages, especially Russian, is an asset;

- Knowledge and work experience in the regions of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia is desirable;

- Demonstrated experience developing and/or maintaining a network of partners, experts and civil society organizations is desirable.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/. If your participating State does not provide the option to apply online for seconded positions, you are kindly requested to submit your offline application form available at https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/offline-application-form to the respective OSCE delegation whose address can be found athttps://www.osce.org/contacts/delegations.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 22 October 2026, today.

No closing date is published in the source feed for this position. EU vacancies typically remain open for four to eight weeks; check the official vacancy notice for the cut-off date and time.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 22 October 2026.

Where to learn more

For headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at OSCE see the OSCE institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Warsaw see our Warsaw location page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.