IT Solution Architect

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Established in 1961, WFP operates in over 80 countries, employing thousands of staff members who work tirelessly to ensure effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people globally. WFP is recognized for its commitment to diversity and inclusion, encouraging qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply. The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its efforts in combating hunger and promoting peace.

Job Overview:
The IT Solution Architect position at WFP is a consultancy role that focuses on leading the technical aspects of designing and implementing IT solutions. The architect will provide direction and guidance to off-site development teams, ensuring that the solutions developed are compliant with WFP standards and meet high-quality standards in usability and domain suitability. The role involves collaborating with the Product Manager to present IT solution proposals, ensuring technical quality, and maintaining IT solution environments. The architect will also be responsible for creating an inspiring team environment and may act as a Scrum Master, facilitating Scrum ceremonies and optimizing delivery flow. This position is crucial for the successful execution of IT projects that support WFP's mission of providing humanitarian assistance.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the IT Solution Architect include designing software architecture and data models for IT solutions, ensuring compliance with WFP standards, providing guidance to development teams, preparing high-level effort estimations, reviewing and approving backlog tickets, creating technical tickets for quality assurance, maintaining IT solution environments, ensuring security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security monitoring tools are in place, collaborating on continuous improvement and deployment infrastructure, fostering an open communication culture within the team, and acting as a Scrum Master when necessary. The architect will also resolve impediments for the development team and facilitate Scrum ceremonies such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint demos, and retrospectives. Additional duties related to software development may be assigned as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a university degree or a minimum of 8 years of equivalent working experience in software development or related fields. They should have at least five years of experience in software development with a proven track record of planning, leading, and executing related projects. In-depth knowledge of web technologies such as Python, Django, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is essential, along with proficiency in developing high-quality IT solutions. Familiarity with Git, branch management techniques, Scrum methodology, and Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) practices is also required.

Educational Background:
A university degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field is required. Alternatively, candidates with extensive experience in software development and related fields may be considered. Continuous professional development and certifications in relevant technologies or methodologies will be advantageous.

Experience:
The ideal candidate should have a minimum of five years of experience in software development, with a strong background in leading and executing IT projects. Experience in a humanitarian or international organization is a plus, as it demonstrates an understanding of the unique challenges faced in such environments.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English is mandatory. Additionally, an intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or Portuguese, which is one of WFP’s working languages, is desirable. This multilingual capability is important for effective communication within the diverse WFP team and with various stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
This position is offered as a consultancy contract (CST) Level I for a duration of 11 months. The role is remote, allowing for flexibility in work location. WFP emphasizes a highly inclusive and diverse working environment, investing in the personal and professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs. The organization offers an attractive compensation package, details of which can be found in the Terms and Conditions section of the vacancy announcement. WFP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.