Chief of Information Technology & Systems Section, DPS/IT&S

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Information Technology & Systems Section (IT&S) of the Division of Programme Support (DPS). The incumbent reports to the Director, DPS and works in technical cooperation with the Office of Information and Communication Technology (OICT) of the United Nations Secretariat at UN Headquarters in New York, and the Regional Information Technology Centre – Europe (RTC) located at UNOG in Geneva. IT&S is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of services for all Divisions of the International Trade Centre (ITC), such as, inter alia, personal computing services, hosting and server support services. The Section also develops digital solutions in partnership with programme managers, to fulfill their programme and project related activities and provide an effective and dependable electronic communications network. IT&S is also responsible for exploring new technologies and their applicability to the work of the organization, with a particular focus on the use of Artificial Intelligence.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Chief of IT&S will be responsible for delivering information and technology services to support ITC in programme delivery and in managing its operations. Reporting to the Director, Programme Support, she/he will provide the vision, planning, strategic direction and operational leadership for the IT&S Section. Key responsibilities will include: • Leads, supervises and carries out the work programme of IT&S under his/her responsibility and oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Section; ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and in coordination with other United Nations system organizations, as appropriate. • Provides policy and technical guidance to the senior managers, on systems development in a changing business environment and the implementation of various alternatives based on business applications and identified current and future needs. • 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/solutions, dissimilar systems, as well as databases and highly complex system integration and linkages. • Provides substantive input in the preparation of IT project proposals and reports for presentation to the Senior Management Committee (SMC). • Ensures that the outputs produced by the section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the section under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. • Carries out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the section, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance (PAS) and management of procurement. • Recruits staff for section taking due account of geographical diversity and gender balance and other institutional values. • Leads the development and monitoring of performance measures; ensures that projects meet established time and cost parameters and standards of technical quality. • Represents ITC at inter-agency meetings, seminars, etc. on IT-related issues. • Participates in international, regional or national meetings and provides substantive expertise on an issue or holds substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. • Oversees the work of the personnel in the Section as well as manages, guides, develops and trains personnel under his/her supervision; Fosters teamwork and communication among personnel in the Section and across the organization; Evaluates performance and recruits staff taking into account geographical representation and gender balance. • Performs other work-related duties as may be required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of systems design and development, management, implementation and maintenance of complex information systems. Ability to develop and oversee large centralized or decentralized institutional systems. Analytical capacity to conceptualize and develop strategic guidance for ITC leadership concerning information systems, data management, critical systems integration, and business operational issues. Knowledge of a range of computer languages and development paradigms. Knowledge of organizational information infrastructure and IT strategy as it relates to user area(s) within ITC. 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 ITC. Ability to improve processes and approaches, including through the leveraging of Artificial Intelligence. Demonstrates adaptability to changing priorities; strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach agreement on difficult issues. Familiarity with document management, customer relationship management, enterprise content management, and data management systems with user centred design, HTML, XML, data architecture, Microsoft as well as OSS, IT and information security architectures and implementation, and with a broad area of IT systems, including operating systems, network hardware and software, systems management, storage systems, servers, capacity, scalability and cross platform systems management. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. 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. 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. EMPOWERING OTHERS: Delegates responsibility, clarifies expectations, and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work; encourages others to set challenging goals; holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility; genuinely values all staff members’ input and expertise; shows appreciation and rewards achievement and effort; involves others when making decisions that affect them.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business or public administration or related areas such as engineering, computer science, mathematics, statistics. A first-level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the specified fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Programme management certification in Agile (ACP), PRINCE2 or other industry recognized equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of experience in administration (to include budget, finance, human resources management and information technology) or related fields is required. Management experience with IT resources management, business modelling, portfolio management and cost-recovery or related is desirable. Experience with IT strategic and change management concepts and enterprise architecture framework as well as technology platforms is desirable. Experience with Digital Transformation technologies and in particular Artificial Intelligence is desirable. Experience in management of large IT projects and programmes at national and/or international level is desirable Experience in leading and managing an IT team involving a variety of applications and infrastructure is desirable. Experience in providing IT systems in a geographically disparate and information rich environment and in managing budgets from different funding sources is desirable Experience with United Nations System or similar international organizations is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

The conditions of service are governed by the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations. This is a fixed term appointment for an initial period of one (1) year. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons – of all genders – equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind. ITC also offers attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work/life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully. If you are unable to complete our online application form due to a disability, please send an email to [email protected]. Applications from women and nationalities from developing and least developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply. Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. For information on salary and entitlements, please consult the International Civil Service Commission website: http://icsc.un.org

United Nations Considerations

In accordance with the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules, 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 ITC 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. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the Inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable 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 in Inspira will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

ITC does NOT charge any fees or request money from candidates at any stage of the recruitment process, nor does it concern itself with bank account details of applicants. Requests of this nature allegedly made on behalf of ITC are fraudulent and should be disregarded.