Hidayet
Çilkoparan, PhD

Serve as Senior Advisor on international affairs and strategic engagement, with particular emphasis on the Global South and Türkiye’s relations with emerging regions and international partners. Provide advice on political, economic and institutional developments; support engagement with governments, diplomatic missions, international and regional organizations, think tanks, academia and business networks; and contribute to international partnerships, advisory initiatives, policy analysis, conferences and thought leadership.

Advanced OSC's multilateral positioning, accreditation and strategic partnership agenda, strengthening engagement with international organizations, governments, academic institutions and other external partners. Developed cooperation frameworks and MoUs with international organizations, think tanks, universities and regional academic networks, including engagement with UDUALC. Undertook working-level engagement with African Union counterparts to explore cooperation in areas including education and wider development priorities. Strengthened institutional partnerships with private-sector stakeholders, building on cooperation developed with Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines. Supported the positioning of OSC as a Global South-focused intergovernmental organization promoting education, transdisciplinary research, technological innovation, digitalisation and finance for development.

Served as principal strategic and coordination support to the Secretary-General, coordinating the Executive Office and translating executive priorities and decisions into organization-wide action. Oversaw and coordinated portfolios covering Membership Affairs & Partnerships, General Assembly & Logistics Management and Legal Affairs, while working across substantive programmes in education, transdisciplinary research, technological innovation, digitalisation and finance for development.

Strengthened executive governance, corporate reporting and follow-up mechanisms; prepared and coordinated high-level briefings, policy papers, concept notes, talking points, strategic correspondence and recommendations for senior decision-making. Supported engagement with Member States, governments, international organizations and external partners, and coordinated preparations for high-level meetings, missions and institutional initiatives.

Helped connect OSC’s Global South development agenda with executive decision-making, partnership development and external engagement, while providing leadership and coordination across multidisciplinary teams and complex institutional priorities.

Led the planning, coordination and delivery of OSC’s principal intergovernmental meetings and high-level events, including sessions of the General Assembly, the Summit of Heads of State and Government, meetings of Ministers of Finance and the Conference of Associate Members. Helped activate and operationalize key governing bodies of the Organisation during an important phase of its institutional development.

Strengthened intergovernmental governance by updating the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly and developing procedural frameworks for other governing bodies. Coordinated closely with Member States, diplomatic missions, host-country authorities, senior officials and internal departments on substantive, procedural, protocol and logistical requirements.

Directed multidisciplinary teams responsible for conference management, protocol, interpretation, documentation, logistics and related administrative arrangements, ensuring effective delivery of complex international meetings and official events. Supported institutional decision-making through preparation, coordination and follow-up of governing-body proceedings and outcomes.

Directed the Centre’s research and policy-analysis programme on German domestic politics, foreign policy and Germany’s role in European and international affairs. Developed work priorities, supervised staff and postgraduate researchers, and coordinated analytical reports, articles, policy assessments and other research outputs.

Convened and contributed to international conferences, webinars, expert discussions and policy events involving academics, diplomats, practitioners and subject-matter experts. Participated as a speaker and expert contributor in several international conferences in Germany, contributing to panel discussions, presenting policy perspectives and engaging directly with participants through expert Q&A.

Expanded the Centre’s external engagement by developing relationships with research institutes and policy communities in Germany and other countries, receiving and briefing international delegations, and supporting institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange. Mentored postgraduate researchers on research design and analysis and contributed to strengthening the Foreign Policy Institute’s wider research, outreach and international profile.

Conducted research and policy analysis on international relations, foreign policy, European affairs and changes in the international order, contributing analytical articles, reports and other publications to the Foreign Policy Institute’s research programme.

Contributed to the editorial development and quality of the Institute’s publications, reviewing and editing research and policy-oriented content and helping translate complex international affairs issues into clear, accessible analysis for specialist and wider audiences.

Participated as a speaker and expert contributor in international conferences, seminars and policy discussions, including events in Germany, contributing to panel discussions and engaging with participants through expert Q&A. Supported the organization of conferences, webinars and expert meetings and helped strengthen the Institute’s engagement with academics, diplomats, think tanks, research institutions and international partners.

Combined academic research with practical diplomatic experience to contribute policy-relevant perspectives on European and international affairs and to support the Institute’s wider research, outreach and international engagement.

Led the Ministry department responsible for Türkiye’s bilateral political and diplomatic relations with Germany, the Netherlands and Austria, managing a team of diplomats and coordinating policy across headquarters, embassies, consulates and relevant government institutions.

Advised senior Ministry leadership on bilateral relations, political developments and emerging policy issues, preparing policy assessments, briefing materials, talking points and recommendations for high-level decision-making. Coordinated ministerial and other senior-level visits and political consultations, and travelled as a member of official delegations accompanying senior government officials on high-level international visits, supporting substantive discussions, diplomatic engagement and follow-up on agreed actions.

Maintained close engagement with foreign embassies, government counterparts and other stakeholders, addressing complex bilateral issues through diplomatic dialogue, negotiation and inter-agency coordination. Monitored political, economic and foreign-policy developments affecting Türkiye’s relations with the three countries and translated analysis into practical diplomatic initiatives and policy responses.

Provided leadership and guidance to the Department’s diplomatic team, ensuring coherent policy coordination and effective management of multiple high-priority bilateral files.

Served in progressively senior diplomatic roles at the Embassy of Türkiye in Berlin, culminating as Deputy Chief of Mission, advising and supporting the Ambassador in managing one of Türkiye’s largest and most complex bilateral relationships.

Engaged extensively with German federal government institutions, parliamentarians, diplomatic counterparts, business leaders, media, think tanks and civil-society stakeholders, representing Türkiye’s positions and advancing bilateral dialogue across political, economic and foreign-policy issues. Monitored and analysed German domestic and foreign-policy developments and provided assessments, briefings and recommendations to senior decision-makers in Ankara.

Coordinated high-level official visits and bilateral engagements, including substantive preparations, stakeholder outreach, briefing materials and follow-up. Represented the Embassy at diplomatic, governmental, business and policy events and developed an extensive professional network across Germany’s political and institutional landscape.

Played a key role in establishing arrangements that enabled Turkish citizens residing in Germany to vote in Turkish elections in Germany for the first time from 2014, coordinating extensively with German authorities, Türkiye’s diplomatic and consular network and other stakeholders. As Deputy Chief of Mission, also helped oversee an Embassy workforce of approximately 100 personnel and coordinated with Türkiye’s 13 Consulates General in Germany, supporting coherent implementation of diplomatic and consular priorities nationwide.

Provided senior HR consultancy support to the new Director of Human Resources at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, helping facilitate his change-management agenda and organizational restructuring initiatives.

Advised on the people, organizational and workforce dimensions of change, supporting the translation of management priorities into practical HR approaches and contributing to restructuring, organizational adjustments and strengthened HR partnering.

The consultancy portfolio also included strategic HR partnership and advisory support to a crisis management field operation, working with management and relevant stakeholders on complex workforce and organizational matters in an international operational environment.

Served as Deputy Director of Human Resources (P5) while retaining senior responsibility for personnel and ethics functions, supporting the Director in the strategic leadership and management of a major international HR operation serving approximately 3,000 personnel across the Secretariat, Institutions and field operations.

Exercised oversight across a broad HR portfolio encompassing workforce management, recruitment, performance, staff administration, policy development, ethics and conduct, payroll and common staff costs, social-security arrangements and HR systems. Supported management of an HR function of approximately 45–50 personnel and served as Alternate Fund Manager in the Director’s absence.

Established the OSCE’s Shared Payroll Services function, including undertaking a study visit to FAO in Rome to benchmark practices and draw on relevant UN-system experience. Developed its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and implementation arrangements and subsequently oversaw its operation, with payroll processing of up to approximately €90 million annually. Also exercised oversight of Common Staff Costs exceeding €3 million, contributing to budget management, internal controls and audit follow-up.

Represented and supported the OSCE in international HR coordination, including engagement with the UN Common System/ICSC on salaries, allowances, classification and related conditions of service, and participation in UN-system HR coordination processes.

Promoted to P5 with expanded responsibility for personnel management and organization-wide HR policy, while serving as the OSCE’s first Ethics Coordinator. Advised the Secretary-General, senior management, Institutions, field operations and personnel on HR policy, ethics, conduct and complex people-management matters.

Helped develop and strengthen the OSCE’s ethics and integrity framework, including revision of the Code of Conduct, incorporation of non-retaliation principles, development of financial-disclosure and whistleblower-related measures, ethics guidance and briefings, and organization-wide ethics awareness and training.

Led and contributed to major HR modernization initiatives, including digitalization of personnel records and customization of Oracle HR for electronic leave and education-grant processes. Strengthened performance management through clearer objectives, KPIs and supervisor–staff follow-up mechanisms.

Contributed to improvements in staff welfare and social-security arrangements and supported internal justice, disciplinary and accountability processes. Worked closely with internal and external auditors and helped coordinate implementation of audit recommendations.

Led personnel management support for the OSCE’s extensive network of field operations, advising managers and mission leadership on recruitment, appointments, contract administration, performance management, staff relations, mobility and application of the Staff Regulations and Rules.

Managed HR support in a complex international workforce environment encompassing headquarters, institutions and more than 20 field operations. Worked closely with field leadership and travelled regularly to OSCE Institutions and missions, including representing the Secretariat/Secretary-General on recruitment panels for senior and high-level positions.

Strengthened workforce planning and mobility, including more systematic succession planning and advance engagement with managers ahead of personnel reaching maximum periods of service. Contributed to improvements in HR policies, processes and service delivery across geographically dispersed operations.

Managed political and bilateral-relations files concerning countries of the Caucasus, monitoring regional political, security and foreign-policy developments and preparing assessments, briefings and recommendations for Ministry leadership.

Coordinated with Turkish diplomatic missions, foreign embassies and relevant government institutions on bilateral and regional issues. Contributed to preparations for high-level visits, political consultations and official engagements and supported follow-up on agreed actions.

Drew on previous multilateral security experience at the OSCE to contribute analysis of regional developments and Türkiye’s diplomatic engagement in the Caucasus.

Represented Türkiye in OSCE negotiations and working-level bodies, contributing to multilateral diplomacy on political, security, administrative and institutional issues and supporting the Permanent Representative and senior Mission leadership.

Participated in the OSCE’s Informal Financial Committee and Advisory Committee on Management and Finance, working on budgetary and institutional matters including Staff Regulations, Financial Regulations, scales of contribution and the Organization’s Integrated Resource Management Agenda (IRMA).

Represented Türkiye on the Host Country Relations Committee, which oversaw the renovation of the OSCE Secretariat’s new headquarters in Vienna and monitored expenditure against the allocated project budget, contributing to participating-State oversight of implementation and financial accountability.

Coordinated Türkiye’s secondments and deployments to OSCE field operations, liaising with the Ministry, OSCE Secretariat and field missions and following personnel and operational matters concerning Turkish secondees and uniformed personnel.

Prepared political assessments, briefing notes, statements and negotiating positions; participated in multilateral consultations and negotiations; and maintained close working relationships with representatives of OSCE participating States and Secretariat officials.

Served in a broad diplomatic and operational portfolio covering political and economic relations, development cooperation, humanitarian assistance, high-level visits and Embassy administration in Sudan.

Coordinated aspects of Türkiye’s development assistance, including operational support for a Turkish-built hospital subsequently handed over to the Sudanese authorities and serving a community of approximately 40,000 people. Supported humanitarian-assistance activities and worked closely with Sudanese government authorities and other stakeholders on implementation and operational matters.

Engaged with the Director of Sudan Airways and relevant authorities on measures to facilitate travel and support passenger demand for direct Istanbul services. Also supported Turkish private-sector interests, including high-level engagement with the Sudanese Minister of Transport and relevant authorities concerning a major infrastructure project involving a bridge and highways.

Helped organize high-level official visits and the first Turkish Export Products Fair in Khartoum, while contributing to the Embassy’s administrative, premises and security responsibilities.

Worked on Türkiye’s bilateral and multilateral cooperation against drug trafficking, organized crime and other transnational security challenges, coordinating with relevant national authorities and foreign counterparts.

Contributed to the negotiation and preparation of bilateral security cooperation agreements, diplomatic correspondence, briefing materials and documentation for high-level meetings and official visits. Supported inter-agency coordination and Türkiye’s participation in relevant international cooperation processes.

Completed military service in a Strategic Planning / European Security function, working on European and regional security issues during a period of significant developments in the Balkans.

Contributed to analysis, planning and coordination related to European security and the Kosovo crisis, including work connected with Türkiye’s support for international efforts in response to developments in Kosovo.

Drew on diplomatic and international-relations expertise in supporting strategic assessments and coordination on security-policy matters involving Türkiye’s relations with European and Euro-Atlantic partners.

Began diplomatic career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs working on Türkiye’s bilateral relations with countries of Central Europe and the Baltic region, supporting political analysis, diplomatic engagement and coordination of bilateral affairs.

Monitored political, economic and foreign-policy developments across assigned countries and contributed to briefing notes, background papers, diplomatic correspondence and preparations for bilateral meetings and high-level visits.

Coordinated with Turkish diplomatic missions abroad, foreign embassies in Ankara and relevant government institutions, supporting the Ministry’s engagement with a region undergoing significant political, economic and Euro-Atlantic transformation.