Background:

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo (OMiK) is currently the largest field presence of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Established in 1999, OMiK has been a long-standing presence in Kosovo, adapting its work over more than two decades to meet evolving political and societal challenges. With nearly 500 staff across programmatic, political, and support functions, OMiK works to promote human rights, democratic governance, rule of law, and security sector development, while also fostering inter-community dialogue and strengthening inclusive institutions.

As with many complex international missions, the effectiveness of OMiK depends not only on its external engagement but also on the strength of its internal culture. Staff operate in a dynamic political and security context, balancing external demands with the internal challenges of collaboration across cultures, disciplines, and hierarchical levels.

In recent years, several institutional reviews underscored the importance of strengthening OMiK’s internal culture and organizational health, including a 2024 OSCE-wide Psychosocial Workplace Assessment and a 2024 Office of Internal Oversight OMiK staff survey. Building on these institutional reflections, an OMiK Senior Management Retreat held in March 2025 identified strengthening internal culture as a high-impact priority. The retreat confirmed a shared commitment to shaping an organizational culture that is collaborative, communicative, and values-driven. Leadership and staff recognised that building on existing strengths in these areas will be key to sustaining morale, clarity, and effectiveness as OMiK enters a new strategic phase.

In May 2025, a new Head of Mission started his tenure in OMiK, reaffirming these priorities and, in August 2025, launched the vision “OMiK: A Great and Safe Place to Work — Empowering People, Driving Purpose.” This vision sets out clear and principled commitments to ensuring that all staff feel safe, valued, and empowered to contribute their best. It underscores that nurturing a strong and inclusive organizational culture is fundamental to achieving OMiK’s strategic objectives and fulfilling its mandate with integrity and impact.

Against this backdrop, OMiK is commissioning a comprehensive cultural assessment to deepen understanding of how staff experience and interpret workplace dynamics, values, and practices. The aim is to identify strengths and areas for improvement, particularly regarding inclusivity, collaboration, communication, and trust. This assessment forms part of a broader organizational effort to ensure that OMiK’s internal culture supports its mandate and reinforces its role as a trusted, impact-driven institution.

Objective of Assignment:

The consultant will:

• Capture how staff perceive and experience the working environment.
• Evaluate the alignment between stated organizational values and lived behaviours.
• Identify cultural enablers and barriers to inclusion, collaboration, and performance.
• Assess how leadership and management practices influence organizational culture, including role-modelling and shared accountability.
• Support OMiK in strengthening a values-based, adaptive culture that fosters trust, collaboration, and high performance in a context of volatility and complexity.
• Provide strategic recommendations for leadership to enhance organizational culture and support staff engagement.
  

Scope and Approach:

• The consultancy will focus specifically on culture (values, behaviours, perceptions, communication, collaboration), while recognising links to structure and strategy;
• The process is not an investigation nor a compliance review; it is a forward-looking exercise to strengthen OMiK as a whole;
• Confidentiality and psychological safety must be prioritised. All data must be anonymised, stored securely, and reported without attribution;
• The process should be inclusive, capturing perspectives across all departments, staff categories (international, local, male, female, non-majority, field-based, HQ-based), and hierarchical levels;
• Findings should be presented in a constructive and balanced way, highlighting strengths as well as areas for growth;
• The consultant will be expected to link cultural insights to OMIK’s ability to deliver on its strategic mandate.
  

Duration of Assignment:

The Consultant will be hired for 20 working days.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Designing the assessment methodology, tools, and approach in consultation with designated stakeholders;
• Facilitating data collection using mixed methods, including document reviews, interviews and focus groups, including through a field visit in Kosovo;
• Applying intersectional and gender-informed analysis to interpret findings;
• Synthesising data into key cultural themes and patterns;
• Presenting findings to leadership and facilitating feedback sessions with staff;
• Producing a final report with actionable recommendations and a draft action plan.

Deliverables:

5 working days to prepare:
Inception Report: Desk review, methodology, workplan, confidentiality safeguards, and stakeholder engagement strategy.

8 working days, including 5 days in Kosovo, to prepare:
Feedback Sessions: A series of dialogue / feedback sessions with staff (including in Regional Centres) and with leadership to validate findings and co-create solutions.

Data Collection Summary: Overview of methods used and emerging themes; and
7 working days to prepare (including a first draft, a feedback loop, and a final report):

Culture Assessment Report:

• Key themes, strengths, and challenges (including those flagged at the March 2025 retreat).
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis (where available).
• Anonymised quotations to reflect staff perspectives.
• Recommendations for Action:
• Practical, prioritised steps to strengthen culture.
• Suggested areas: leadership practices; communication systems; role clarity; workplace behaviours and norms; feedback mechanisms; values of respect, equity and participation; staff motivation and engagement; sense of belonging; and cross-departmental collaboration.
  

Necessary Qualifications:

• Extensive experience in designing, facilitating, or conducting organizational and cultural assessments, preferably in international or mission-based settings and/or conflict/post-conflict environments;
• Strong track record in designing and applying both qualitative and participatory research methods;
• Advanced degree or professional certification in organizational development, sociology, psychology, or related field; specialized training in gender or diversity analysis in the context of peace building is an asset.
• At least 7 years of professional experience providing strategic advice to senior leadership in peacebuilding, development, or humanitarian organizations.
• Proven expertise in intersectional gender analysis, inclusive methodologies, and facilitation of dialogue in diverse organizations is an asset.
• Familiarity with organizational dynamics and socio-political context in the Western Balkans, particularly Kosovo, is considered a strong asset.
  

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position, and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.

In order to apply for this position, you must complete the OSCE's online application form, found under OSCE Careers- Jobs . Applicants are encouraged to use the online recruitment and only fully completed OSCE applications will be accepted. However, if you have technical difficulties with the system, you may use the offline application form found at Offline application form | OSCE Employment and forward the completed form quoting the vacancy number by e-mail to: consultancy.omik@osce.org. In line with your qualifications please indicate a preference for one or more fields of expertise listed above (while using the online application the field of expertise preference can be indicated in the cover letter part). Kindly note that applications received after the deadline, submitted in different formats than the OSCE Application Form or other languages than the English language would not be considered. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic, and social backgrounds to apply.