Head, IS Operations, Infrastructure and Support P-4

About Us

The Administration Division manages the OPCW’s day-to-day human resources, finances, and logistical support, and coordinates knowledge management.

The Division also represents the Technical Secretariat during sessions of the Advisory Body on Administrative and Financial Matters (ABAF), and serves as the point of contact for the OPCW’s External Auditor. 

General Information

• Contract Type
  Fixed-term Professional
• Grade
  P4
• Total Estimated monthly remuneration depending on post adjustment and family status: USD
  10,045
• Closing Date
  23/05/2024

Responsibilities

Job Summary

Our Information Services Branch is looking for a seasoned professional to lead the team responsible for the maintenance of the ICT infrastructure and services of the organisation and the delivery of all IT support services. As the Head of IS Operations, Infrastructure, and Support, you will lead the team of IS Operations and the End-User Support units. The role involves managing an organisation’s ICT infrastructure, providing IT support services, and assisting with the business continuity plan by implementing disaster recovery capacity in all ICT systems.

Main Responsibilities

Under the Supervision of the Head, Information Services branch, the incumbent is responsible for:

Management of the IS Operations and the End-user Support units

Plan and oversee the management of activities undertaken by the two units.

Supervise, evaluate, guide and develop staff under her/his direct control, and oversee activities of staff under her/his indirect supervision. Evaluate and propose training for the units staff.

Coordinate and oversee all IT user support functions, including the IT service desk, IT support to conferences and all related technical services.

ICT Capacity Building and Maintenance

Manage available resources and forecast need for acquisition of new hardware and system software, IS/IT services and all related maintenance contracts;

Oversee the preparation of detailed technical specifications for RFPs and technical evaluations.

Evaluate the continued effectiveness, suitability, and performance of networks, systems, technologies.

Oversee the management of all IT and telecommunication inventory.

Technical and Services Architecture

Provide leadership in the conceptualization, management and coordination of the design, implementation and maintenance of ICT systems, network and systems integration projects, with a particular focus on security aspects for the highly secured Network (SCN).

Provide leadership and determine user requirements and liaise with users on all aspects and during all phases of IT projects in the areas of responsibility of the two units; provide technical guidance to others involved in the automation activities not directly related to networking and systems.

Provide technical and policy guidance to the Head of the Branch and colleagues on emerging technology and conceptual strategy with their potential application to the Organisation.

Management of the Disaster Recovery Plan of ICT systems

Responsible for building and embedding resilience in all systems of responsibility; coordinate DR exercises, maintenance activities, and internal / external audits in order to continually refine the BC plan of the Division and build organisational resilience;

Cooperate with the Office of Confidentiality and Security, the Office of Internal Oversight and other org units of the Secretariat -as needed- in order to establish and manage risk management (RM), disaster recovery (DR), knowledge management (KM) components, in support of any organisational BC Plans led by OCS.

Carries out planning, design, system analysis, evaluation, selection, and implementation of relevant automation tools; ensure inclusion of DR components in the ongoing projects.

Vendor Management

Undertake market research of relevant solutions and suppliers suited to the OPCW’s technical needs in infrastructure and support services.
Be accountable for monitoring and addressing all relevant suppliers’ technical compliance with contractual terms.
Provide overall relationship management with relevant suppliers delivering services to OPCW. 

Qualifications and Experience

Education

Essential:  Advanced university degree in information technology, mathematics, engineering, or related discipline, a first level university degree in a similar discipline (as above) combination with qualifying experience  (minimum 9 years) may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree;

Essential Required Certification:  Prince2 and ITIL certifications.

Desirable: Relevant training/certification on Microsoft/ Azure/ Networking technology, Information Security and DevOps is strongly desirable.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential: 

• 7 or more years of combined experience related to information and communication technologies, ICT security, business continuity management, risk management, knowledge transfer, and disaster recovery.
• Professional experience in supervisory roles;
• Demonstrated ability to bring the developments of ICT to effectively solve business issues while also managing costs and risks;
• Managing infrastructure and support technical teams in a professional services environment
• Experience both at the national and international level is required.

Desirable: 

• Experience becoming; and maintaining; compliant with relevant ISO standards such as ISO 27001 is desirable.

Skills and Competencies

In order to succeed in this role, you have to have the following skills: 

Professionalism: Ability to provide seasoned advice on information systems and diverse technologies supporting OPCW’s information needs and functions.

Planning and organizing: Proven ability to plan and organise work, requiring an in-depth understanding of its strategic direction and ability to integrate the work of the section into the OPCW work program.

Communication: Excellent presentation skills combined with the negotiation skills focused on bringing others to agreement on difficult issues.

Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Client Orientation: Ability to identify clients’ needs and propose appropriate solutions as well as establish and maintain effective work relationships with outside collaborators and other contacts, including member states and the public.

Technological awareness: Excellent conceptual knowledge of Information Architecture, Information Management and System infrastructure, broad knowledge of system design, implementation and management of highly complex Information systems.

Managing performance: Proven managerial and analytical capabilities in planning and directing a team of technical staff responsible for information management and communication infrastructure.

Leadership: Strong managerial/leadership skills.

Languages

Fluency in English is essential and a good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Additional Information

This fixed-term appointment is for the duration of two years with a six-month probationary period, and is subject to the OPCW Staff Regulations and Interim Staff Rules.

The OPCW is a non-career organisation with limited staff tenure. The total length of service for Professional staff shall not exceed 7 years.

The mandatory age of separation at the OPCW is 65 years.

The Director-General retains the discretion to not make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description. Several vacancies may be filled.

Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date and through OPCW CandidateSpace will be considered. Only applicants under serious consideration for a post will be contacted.

Fixed-term staff members participate in the OPCW Provident Fund. A monthly staff contribution is met with a doubled amount by the OPCW under the provisions for social security. As the OPCW is exploring membership of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), staff participation in the Provident Fund may be replaced by participation in the UNJSPF effective 1 January 2025.

Applications from qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged.

OPCW General Terms and Conditions

Important notice for applicants who are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system

Although headquartered in the Netherlands, the OPCW is not a regular Dutch employer but a public international organisation with its own special status. Please be advised that if you are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system, you will be excluded from this system as a staff member of the OPCW. You will consequently be insured under the organisation’s system. The above also applies to your dependents unless they are employed by a regular Dutch employer, they are self-employed in the Netherlands, or are receiving Dutch social security payments.

Please refer to the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment for more information about the possible consequences for you and your dependents, such as exclusion from ‘AWBZ’ and ‘Zorgverzekeringswet’ coverage: ‘Werken bij een internationale organisatie’.