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Job Title: Chief Information Systems and Telecommunication Technology Officer

Following the 16 November 2006 High-Level consultations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) augmented the existing African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and prepared to deploy an unprecedented joint AU/UN peacekeeping operation in Darfur.

Intensive diplomacy by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and several actors in the international community resulted in Sudan’s acceptance of this force in June 2007.

The African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur was formally established by the Security Council on 31 July 2007 through the adoption of resolution 1769, referred to by its acronym UNAMID, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. UNAMID formally took over from AMIS on 31 December 2007.

Job Summary:

The Chief Information Systems and Telecommunication Technology Officer will offer leadership support in the provision of geospatial, information and telecommunications technologies to missions in East and Central Africa Region. The CISTTO reports directly to the Director of Mission Support in UNAMID. There is a functional reporting relationship to the Division for Geospatial, Information and Telecommunications Technologies (DGITT) at UN Headquarters

Key Duties and Responsibilities: Within delegated authority, the Chief Information Systems & Telecommunications Technology Officer will be responsible for the following:

• Conceptualises and develops ICT strategy in concert with the strategic objectives of the Mission and Organization; serves as the overall Regional Coordinator for ICT with regards to the integrated regional ICT management approach for the missions
• Plans, organizes, implements, manages and oversees the activities of all ICT support operations for the mission
• Offers technical and policy advice to senior management and regional coordinators on ICT systems and services in a changing business environment;
• Set up priorities and strategic requirements in consultation with senior management;
• Act as the main liaison with the commanders of formed military contingents on tactical and non-tactical ICT support for the mission
• Plans and prepares the inputs for the work program of the service; provides leadership, guidance, and mentoring for the senior staff, and fosters teamwork and improved communications among all staff of the service
• Collaborates, liaises and establishes partnerships with peer ICT officials of other missions to develop standards, procedures, and practices to ensure an integrated, regional approach for a more cooperative and effective enabling ICT environment
• Steer the preparation of the mission’s ICT budget; coordinates the generation of reports to the relevant United Nations HQ finance and budget review bodies as required
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Service maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data.
• Ensures that all outputs produced by the Sections under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates
• Serves as the main liaison, and represents the service, with its clients; negotiates and coordinates with relevant national authorities with respect to ICT policy and related matters
• Manages the acquisition of goods and services; coordinates needs assessments and the establishing of benchmarks, and the preparation of SOWs and RFPs in coordination with the Procurement office to establish and manage contracts
• Ensures proper inventory control and asset management of ICT systems and services in coordination with the mission’s Property and Inventory Control Unit
• Serves on various committees and review bodies within the mission as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:  

• The job holder should possess an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Telecommunications, Information Systems and Technology or related areas.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of fifteen (15) years progressively responsible experience in ICT, including the strategic planning and design of highly-complex ICT networks and systems is required, and at least five (5) years of experience in UN Field Missions at a managerial level is desirable.
• Demonstrated track record of managing and delivering highly complex projects, and experience in integrating large-scale IST and Telecommunications Systems is required.

Languages: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Personal Competencies:        

Professionalism: Knowledge of Information Systems and Telecommunications Technologies for large and complex organisational environments; ability to organise and manage diverse and cross-functional groups, across geographically dispersed locations, for large-scale regional and inter-mission projects in conflict and post conflict areas; knowledge of administrative, budgetary, financial, procurement and human resources policies and procedures; ability to provide specialized advice on a broad range of ICT issues to the Senior Management of the Mission; ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others; 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.

Participation in the following UN Secretariat or similar training programs is desirable:

• ICTD Management Certification Program
• Supervisory skills for New ICT managers
• SMART Programme

Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

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.

How to apply for the job:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates desiring to serve the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) as the Chief Integrated Support Services, Entebbe Support Base (ESB) should express their interest by visiting the UN recruitment website https://inspira.un.org

Deadline: 9th February, 2014