This position is located in the Information Technology and Business Analysis Unit (ITBAU), Production and Support Service, Division of Conference Management (DCM), United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). The incumbent is under the direct supervision of the Chief of the ITBAU and the general supervision of the Chief of the Production and Support Service.
Within limits of delegated authority, the Information Systems Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
- Manages projects involving feasibility studies, systems analysis, design, development and implementation.
- Develops detailed system and other functional specifications and user documentation for components of DCM-management systems, ensuring compliance with UN standards and best practices for accessibility, multilingualism, design, security, etc.
- Provides specialized advice to users, analyzing users’ requirements and translating these into new applications; determines application systems integration and linkage issues.
- Maintains, upgrades or enhances the existing DCM-managed systems; troubleshoots and provides continuing user support, to include resolving difficult problems, advising on the use of new techniques, monitoring transactions to measure performance and continued effectiveness, etc.
- Develops and maintains components that require integration of many interrelated systems and program elements; ensures appropriate data security and access controls considering both local and wide area issues, as well as ensuring compliance with UN standards and best practices for accessibility, multilingualism, design, etc.
- Organizes and performs unit and integrated testing, designing and utilizing test bases; assists users in acceptance testing.
- Develops training materials, operating and user manuals for DCM-managed systems; trains staff in assigned systems.
- Develops disaster recovery plans and ensures appropriate planning and training of those responsible.
- Researches, analyzes and evaluates new technologies and makes recommendations for their deployment.
- Participates in writing reports and papers on systems-related topics, system requirements, information strategy, etc.
- Facilitates communications between user support and s its clients for good client relations. Serves as coordinator in the development of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and/or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), including any charge back mechanisms.
- Handles all aspects of contract administration including establishment of service level agreements with vendors and chargeback policy for users.
- Supervises the team providing user support for DCM-management applications, including drafting proposed budgetary, staffing and training requirements; preparing the work plan for the team; recruiting staff, consultants and interns; and other management-related duties. Primary among these applications is the UN’s instance of Indico (indico.un.org), which is the UN’s official solution for meeting participant management (MPM) within the Conference and Event Management (CEM) element of the UN’s ERP system, Umoja. Other supported applications include the digital signage system in use in the Palais des Nations and UNOG’s digital recordings portal (conf.unog.ch/digital recording).
- Supervises staff, consultants, etc.
PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of information technology/information management, particularly in systems analysis, database design and programming. Knowledge of several high level programming languages and significant exposure to and demonstrated proficiency in all aspects of programming and analysis, including structured/object-oriented design, relational systems, scripting and query languages, document design and management, hardware and software requirements, systems facilities and execution protocols. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, to include proficiency in the development and implementation of systems of moderate size/complexity. Knowledge of interactive systems including user interface design; good knowledge of organization’s information infrastructure and IT strategy as it relates to user area(s) and organization’s policies on accessibility, multilingualism, design, data privacy and security, as related to IT projects; independently maintains assigned systems and develops innovative approaches to resolve a wide range of issues/problems. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
MANAGING PERFORMANCE:
Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in computer science, information systems, mathematics, statistics or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in planning, design, development, implementation and maintenance of computer information systems or related area.
Experience supervising project teams is desirable.
Experience in IT Security is desirable.
Experience in conference related systems and services is desirable.
Experience with event management solutions is desirable.
Experience with Indico, digital signage and audio file access systems is desirable.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 November 2019, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.