The two-year conflict between Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has been a major cause of humanitarian crisis in the three northern Ethiopia regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar. The toll from the war has been enormous. More than 2,612,353[1] IDPs in Northern Ethiopia need humanitarian assistance. Large-scale damage happened to infrastructure and services, estimated by the Government at US$ 20 billion and profound adverse effects on development, hamstringing Ethiopia’s ambitious economic and governance reform programmes.

On 02 November 2022, in Pretoria, an Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities was signed between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GoE) and the TPLF. Led by the AU, the Peace Agreement has ended active combat in Northern Ethiopia and raised hope for a gradual restoration of services and humanitarian operations in the region. This wide-ranging agreement committed, among other things, to an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities, the restoration of federal authority in Tigray, the creation of an interim administration pending fresh regional elections, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of TPLF combatants, resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of essential services, reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returning refugees, transitional justice, social cohesion and reconciliation, and recovery and reconstruction.

It is in this connection that UNDP’s offer is focused on filling the gap likely exist between the urgency of addressing a wide range of urgent needs to quickly consolidate peace and to stabilize conditions and the time it will take for the larger, longer-term, and more comprehensive RRR Plan being prepared by the World Bank to meaningfully kick-in.

Therefore, the rationale for a UNDP-led Peace Support Facility (PSF) project in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions is based on (i) the need an early peace dividend required to sustain the momentum of the Peace Agreement; and (ii) the need to pave the way and build the foundations for the larger RRR initiative led by the MoF and WB. The overall objective of UNDP-led PSF project is to build trust between communities and authorities at all levels and laying the foundations for recovery, peacebuilding, and development programmes. The Programme will ensure that national and local actors and recognized governance systems are at the forefront of the peace support initiative.

ICT plays a crucial role in the PSP Office (PSPO) as reliance on digital technology continues to increase in all office operations, projects, and Programme deliveries. The team drives UNDP’s digital transformation efforts in the PSPO to better enable, leverage and deploy technology solutions that help the PSPO implement new ways of doing business to work smarter and more efficiently, and ultimately to improve the way it provides value to UNDP partners, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the ICT Assistant provides ICT and administrative support services to the PSPO and provides daily technical support to users of information management tools and technology infrastructure. The ICT Assistant promotes a client-oriented approach.

The ICT Assistant works in close collaboration with the CO ICT team, Programme, Operations and projects teams in the CO and UNDP HQ staff to resolve ICT- related issues.

Support implementation of ICT management systems and strategies.

• Ensure compliance with corporate information management and technology standards, guidelines, and procedures for the PSPO technology environment.
• Provide inputs to PSPO administrative business processes mapping and support implementation of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Provide ICT support for key events and provide video/audio conferencing support for hybrid meetings.
• Provide ICT help desk support to colleagues in other agencies collocating with UNDP.
• Provide input to preparation of results-oriented workplans.
• Support the use of Quantum and other cloud-based services functionality for improved business results and improved client services.

Ensure effective functioning of the PSPO hardware and software packages. 

• Perform specific technical functions, including changing of hardware electronic components (disks, memories, network wiring, power sources, etc.) and making routine repairs.
• Assistance in the installation of commercial and in-house developed software and related upgrades.
• Assistance in upgrading patch and anti-virus programmes on a timely basis.
• Support to users in backing up and restoring their files by assisting migration of data to the UNDP cloud, as well as in virus detection, removal, and prevention.
• Make sure hardware and software systems updated regularly

Assist in providing automation and digitalization support for both PSPO Operations and Programmes.

• Assist in the acquisition and installation of software and related updates.
• Assist the implementation of digitalization initiatives in the PSPO and work closely with Programme and operation team
• Provide technical training to the PSO team on different digital initiatives

Support network administration and other facilities.

• Monitor UNDP network infrastructure, network traffic, usage, and performance on a frequent and regular basis.
• Assist in cloud-based backup and restoration procedures for teams and user data.
• Provide support to users in malicious software detection, removal, and prevention.
• Respond to user needs and questions regarding network access, video conferencing and other facilities
• Assist in troubleshooting and monitoring of network problems.
• Maintain an up-to-date inventory of software and hardware and stock of supplies and spare parts in cooperation with the Procurement Unit.
• Maintain the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials.
• Liaise with Internet Service Providers for Internet and related issues
• Troubleshooting and repairing malfunctioning ICT & electric equipment, appliances, and apparatus.
• Ensure the common premises ICT infrastructure and other facilities are managed and working properly.

Ensure knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the PSPO

• Participate and assist in the organization of training for the PSPO staff on ICT issues
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. Work closely with other UN agencies sharing the common premises.
• Perform other duties within the functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Operations Manager, the ICT Assistant provides ICT and administrative support services to the PSPO and provides daily technical support to users of information management tools and technology infrastructure.

Business Management – Results-based Management:   Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management – Customer Satisfaction/Client Management:     Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs, provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy, look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests, Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management – Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making.

Business Management – Digital Awareness and Literacy: Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.

Information Management & Technology –  IT Customer Support: Ability to support customers on IT related issues and generate and contribute to continuous improvement processes to deliver a great user experience. Knowledge of ISO 9001 is desirable. ITIL certification or similar is desirable.

Information Management & Technology  Network, Communication, and Infrastructure Management:   Ability to develop/integrate/operate/manage IT network, communications, Cloud or on-premises infrastructure, and new technologies like IoT. Cisco CCIE CCNP or similar is desirable.

Information Management & Technology – User Experience and Business Analyst: Capacity to translate efficiently user needs into IT requirements around human-centered design.