Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, Special Projects and Innovation Branch, Countering Terrorist Travel Section, Vienna API/PNR Team, in Vienna. The incumbent reports to a Senior Information Systems Officer.

This position will support the API/PNR project led by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). The project aims at building capacity of Member States to Prevent, Detect and Investigate Terrorist Offences and Related Travel by Using Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) Data. The API/PNR project has six implementing partners: Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT), Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), INTERPOL, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Responsibilities

• Plans and directs major systems projects of significant importance to the institution, or major components of these complex systems which typically impact critical operations and large or multiple user groups.
• Provides expert advice on complex systems analysis and design; identifies the need for new systems (or modifications to existing systems) or respond to requests from users; develops plans for feasibility assessment, requirements specification, design, development and implementation, including project plans, schedules, time and cost estimates, metrics and performance measures.
• Develops cost proposals for contractual services, oversees the technical evaluation of proposals received and manages the contract service.
• Tracks and monitors project progress against plan, requirements, quality measures, standard processes; liaises with users on all aspects and during all phases of development and implementation.
• Provides professional leadership and work direction to assigned project team, and/or mentor and supervises the work of new/junior officers, contract staff, etc.
• Is actively involved in the execution of the most complex aspects of the project (e.g. systems analysis, development, programming, testing, quality assurance etc.); oversees development of document and database structures, ensuring that all design aspects are addressed and control and security mechanisms are established.
• Develops, implements and monitors information standards and guidelines, including testing paradigms.
• Prepares technical and user documentation for entire systems and interdependent applications; prepares training materials and detailed technical presentations.
• Keeps abreast of developments in the field and determines the need for testing and evaluating new products and technologies; provides leadership on introducing technological changes; prepares various technical reports.
• Facilitates communications between OCT and its major clients for good client relations. Serves as coordinator in the development of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between the client and OCT, for either specific IT services or general technology support, including any charge back mechanisms.
• Participates in planning and preparation of the budget, work program and spending plan.
• Provides guidance to, and may supervise, new/junior staff, consultants, etc

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of systems design, and development, management, implementation and maintenance of complex information systems. Ability to develop and oversee large centralized or decentralized institutional systems; conceptual and strategic analytical capacity to understand information system and business operational issues so as to thoroughly analyze and evaluate critical systems matters. Knowledge of a range of computer languages and development paradigms, knowledge of organization’s information infrastructure and IT strategy as it relates to user area(s). 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.

• Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

• 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.

Education

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 experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
The Prince2 practitioner certification and the ITIL 4.0 foundation certification are required.
.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional work experience in planning, designing, developing, implementing, managing and delivering highly complex IT systems projects and disseminating best practices, including at the international level, is required.

• Experience as a project manager with hands-on demonstrated project management/project leadership experience managing teams and working in a multi-project environment, as well as managing human and financial resources is required.

• Experience with all elements of Software Development Lifecycle: Eliciting and documenting business process flows, use cases, requirements, quality management plans and user acceptance testing are required

• Experience in the following technologies: .NET, Asp.net, MVC, IIS, JavaScript, HTML, jQuery, SQL, Elasticsearch, Azure Devops, Keycloak or Windows services is required

• At least 2 years hands-on experience in Elasticsearch and Keycloak is required

• Experience in working with Member States in providing ICT technical assessments and support is required.

• Experience using “Agile” methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban and/or Test-Driven Development is desirable

• Experience on the topic of Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) and Countering Terrorist Travel with technology is desirable.

• Experience working in a large multicultural, international, non-profit organization is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The position advertised is funding through Extra-budgetary funds. The initial appointment is one year. The appointment or assignment and renewal there of are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate.

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.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse
and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated
in the application.

United Nations Considerations

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.

No Fee

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.