IT Network Consultant

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 are committed to the mission of eradicating hunger and ensuring security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all. WFP is recognized for its efforts and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, highlighting its significant role in addressing global hunger and promoting peace through food assistance. The organization values diversity and inclusion, striving to create a workplace that reflects the communities it serves, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply for positions within the organization.

Job Overview:
The IT Network Consultant position at WFP is a critical role that involves supporting the organization’s global network, voice, and video collaboration services. The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Team Leader for Network Operations and the general supervision of the Head of Unit. This role requires senior expertise in enterprise networking, unified communications, secure voice, and cloud-connected collaboration platforms. The consultant will be instrumental in transitioning from legacy PBX infrastructure to modern Unified Communications services and will act as a technical lead and subject matter expert for enterprise video conferencing services. The position is designed for individuals who are passionate about leveraging technology to enhance communication and collaboration within a humanitarian context, ensuring that WFP can effectively deliver its services to those in need.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the IT Network Consultant include designing, implementing, and maintaining resilient WFP enterprise network connectivity. The consultant will optimize network performance across headquarters, field, and cloud-connected environments, providing senior network guidance to prevent and mitigate security threats. Responsibilities also include maintaining guidance, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and roadmaps for LAN, WAN, wireless, satellite, SD-WAN, and collaboration technologies. The consultant will provide expertise on routing, VPN, QoS, SD-WAN, cloud connectivity, and provider integration. Additionally, the consultant will review and implement QoS to improve critical business, voice, and collaboration services, integrate telemetry and traffic analytics for capacity planning, and analyze service data and technology trends to enhance resiliency and bandwidth planning. The consultant will support the transition from legacy PBX and voice infrastructure to modern Unified Communications services and act as a technical lead for enterprise video conferencing services, including Microsoft Teams Rooms and webcast platforms. Other responsibilities include producing documentation for implementation and troubleshooting, supporting remote offices through field missions, and being available for on-call support outside regular working hours.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates for the IT Network Consultant position must possess a degree in Information Technology, Information Systems, Computer Science, Telecommunications, Engineering, or related fields. Relevant certifications such as Cisco CCNP Enterprise, Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate, Fortinet NSE/FortiGate Administrator, and ITIL 4 Foundation are desirable. The ideal candidate should have strong interpersonal skills and a solid understanding of network planning, implementation, and troubleshooting for various environments including LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, and cloud-connected systems. Knowledge of routing, switching, segmentation, QoS, and capacity planning is essential, along with experience in secure remote connectivity, firewalls, and zero-trust principles. Familiarity with network monitoring, telemetry, observability, and performance analytics is also required, as well as expertise in Unified Communications technologies and vendor management.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for the IT Network Consultant position includes a degree in a relevant field such as Information Technology, Information Systems, Computer Science, Telecommunications, or Engineering. Candidates with additional certifications in networking and IT service management will have an advantage in the selection process. Continuous professional development through training and certifications is encouraged to keep pace with evolving technologies in the field.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 6 years of relevant work experience in enterprise networking, unified communications, voice, video conferencing, and collaboration services. Candidates should demonstrate a proven track record of successfully managing and implementing network solutions in complex environments, showcasing their ability to adapt to new technologies and methodologies in the field of IT networking.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English is mandatory for this position, along with an intermediate knowledge of another official UN language such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, or Portuguese, which are considered desirable. Proficiency in multiple languages will enhance communication within the diverse teams at WFP and facilitate collaboration with international partners.

Additional Notes:
The IT Network Consultant position is a consultant level 2 role with a contract duration of 11 months. The position is based in Rome, Italy, and may require occasional travel to remote offices for field missions. The role is full-time, and candidates should be prepared to be physically present at headquarters when required for on-site support. WFP offers an attractive compensation package and is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive work environment. The organization does not charge any fees during the recruitment process and encourages all qualified candidates to apply.