Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Division of Administration (DoA) of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). The incumbent will report to the Chief of Service, ICTS.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of Service, Information Systems may be responsible for the following duties: • Supports the Chief of Service in ensuring continued mandate delivery during the period of this assignment: perform the role of Deputy Chief, and Officer-in-Charge of ICTS in case of absence of the Chief, implementing the strategy, leading the Service, managing resources and directing delivery of mandates. • Contributes to the design, direction and implementation of the temporary ICTS transition from the current senior management of ICTS to the future one, including establishing and implementing change management processes and activities. • Conceptualizes, develops strategy for and oversees the design and implementation of major systems initiatives; manages/oversees multiple, concurrent and often disparate tasks for projects that often involve innovative applications, dissimilar systems, as well as databases and highly complex system integration and linkages. • Provides authoritative technical and policy advice to senior managers on systems development in a changing business environment and the implications of various alternatives, on business applications and other related issues; identifies and plans for future needs; develops and disseminates best practices. • Leads and directs a team of information systems officers; may oversee activities for a discrete work section or equivalent; plans and allocates work assignments; coaches, mentors, and evaluates staff; participates in recruitment and selection of new staff and in the development of training programs. • Manages procurements, including conducting needs assessments and benchmarks, preparing bid documents and arranging contracts; supervises, coordinates and negotiates the services required to enable the management and operation of interdependent administrative, financial, human resources and other information systems. • Develops and monitors performance measures; ensures that projects meet established time and cost parameters and standards of technical quality. • Sets up, controls and oversees Helpdesk support services. • Prepares and monitors the budget, work program, and spending plan. • Develops innovative solutions to resolve intricate problems that impact a critical area of the organization’s work. • Ensures the development of standards, procedures and practices to ensure a stable and effective systems environment.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas under supervision, including ICT strategy, service management and cost recovery, client services, operations, security, business solutions and systems, research and development, and ICT governance and coordination. Knowledge of systems design, and development, management, implementation and maintenance of complex information systems. Digital expertise and ability to integrate digital technologies and platforms into existing work systems. Ability to lead change management initiatives. Ability to anticipate risks and propose mitigating measures. 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). Ability to integrate knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives. Ability to advise senior management on complex systems development and related matters of significant importance to the institution; conceptual and strategic analytical capacity to understand information system and business operational issues so as to thoroughly analyze and evaluate critical systems matters. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Ability to improve processes and approaches; demonstrates adaptability to changing priorities. Knowledge of organization’s information infrastructure and IT strategy as it relates to user area(s); strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement on difficult issues. 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. 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. Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities. Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in computer science, information systems, mathematics, statistics, business administration or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Certification of project management (Prince2 or PMP – Project Management Professional) is desirable. Certification of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in planning, design, development, implementation and maintenance of computer information systems or related area is required. Out of these ten (10) years, a minimum of five (5) years of experience within an international organization is desirable. Experience managing multicultural teams, large-scale projects, and/or change management, including restructuring teams and/or programmes, is desirable. Experience in resource management including formulating budgets and managing expenditures in a cost-recovery environment, as well as human capital management, is desirable. Experience in data analytics, business analytics, data science, digital transformation and project management is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required and knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available from 1 April to 31 December 2025. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. • Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. • This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. • Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. • Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

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. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.