Senior Information Systems Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The position is located in the Operations Support Division, Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) of the United Nations. OICT is dedicated to leading the digital transformation of the Organization, aiming to create a better, safer, and more sustainable future through innovative technology solutions. The organization emphasizes achieving gender balance and geographical diversity among its staff, encouraging female candidates to apply. OICT also supports work-life balance and flexible work arrangements, reflecting its commitment to a supportive work environment.

Job Overview:
The Senior Information Systems Officer is responsible for conceptualizing, developing strategies for, and overseeing the design and implementation of major information and communications technology infrastructure initiatives. This role is crucial for supporting digital transformation, resilience, and scalable service delivery within the organization. The incumbent will manage multiple concurrent tasks related to technology infrastructure projects, which often involve innovative applications and complex system integrations. The position requires providing authoritative technical and policy advice to senior managers on various aspects of systems provisioning, data center and cloud hosting, network operations, and collaboration technologies. The officer will lead a team of information systems officers, oversee work assignments, and participate in recruitment and training programs. Additionally, the role involves managing procurement plans for IT infrastructure, supervising services for administrative and financial systems, and ensuring that projects meet established time and cost parameters while maintaining technical quality standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Information Systems Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Conceptualizing and developing strategies for major ICT infrastructure initiatives.
• Overseeing the design and implementation of these initiatives to support digital transformation.
• Managing multiple technology infrastructure projects, ensuring integration and coordination among disparate systems.
• Providing technical and policy advice to senior management on systems provisioning and related issues.
• Leading and directing a team of information systems officers, including planning and allocating work assignments.
• Managing procurement plans for IT infrastructure, including conducting needs assessments and preparing bid documents.
• Supervising and negotiating services required for the management of interdependent information systems.
• Developing and monitoring performance measures for ICT services.
• Setting up and overseeing IT Service Desk support services. 1
• Preparing and monitoring budgets and spending plans for ICT services. 1
• Developing innovative solutions to complex problems impacting the organization. 1
• Ensuring the development of standards and procedures for effective IT infrastructure operations.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in computer science, information systems, mathematics, statistics, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. The role requires a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in planning, designing, and operationalizing large data centers, including maintenance of various network types. Proven experience in Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity for large ICT operations is also required. ITIL and project management certifications are desirable, indicating a strong foundation in industry best practices and methodologies.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in computer science, information systems, mathematics, statistics, or a 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 in the specific fields.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in the planning, design, provisioning, application hosting, and operationalization of multiple large data centers. This includes experience in maintaining Local, Metropolitan, and Wide Area Networks. Proven experience in Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity for large ICT infrastructure operations is essential, demonstrating the candidate's capability to manage critical systems effectively.

Languages:
English is required for this position, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. French is also a working language, but proficiency in English is mandatory for this job opening. Candidates should refer to the UN Language Framework for details on the minimum required level for each skill in these languages.

Additional Notes:
The job does not specify a contract duration or seniority level, but it is implied that the position is full-time given the responsibilities outlined. The organization is open to recruiting internationally, reflecting its global mission and diverse workforce. Compensation and benefits details are not provided in the job description.