ICT Specialist (Quality Assurance) – P3

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job ? it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

 

For every child, a digital future.

The overarching strategic goal of UNICEF’s Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD) is to transform and build partnerships with our stakeholders to successfully implement UNICEF programmes globally through innovative technology-enabled solutions.  

This position will report to the ICT Manager (Quality Assurance), P-4, in the Solutions Centre and Support in ICTD’s Digital Core, Valencia, Spain. 

A key perspective of the Centre’s goals is to provide adequate, user-friendly, and modern business solutions to UNICEF’s different departments and stakeholders as well as providing guidance, governance, and procedures to several enterprise processes such as data management, integration, collection, program monitoring, digital tools and platforms, and business process optimization throughout the organization. These goals are aligned with the organizational strategy, enterprise architecture, and information management requirements of UNICEF’s different stakeholders. 

 

How can you make a difference? 

Under the supervision of the Quality Assurance Manager (P4), IT Programs and Quality Assurance Services, the Quality Assurance Specialist will be responsible in the preparation and execution of QA plans to ensure that products and services align with UNICEF business objectives and performance measures. Ensures that software development lifecycle practices apply Quality Assurance and security policies consistently Working closely with project leads, product managers and business users, the Quality Assurance Specialist enables development of  test scenarios, and  ensures that the appropriate level of testing is conducted to ensure high quality digital portfolio across new projects and products in the ICTD Project Portfolio.

This position supervises two ICT Officers (Quality Assurance), P2. 

 

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:  

• As a people manager, provide leadership, empowerment and develop staff under their supervision, promote a culture of proactive performance management and career support while monitoring and ensuring accountability for assigned work progress. Provide the supervisees with guidance and direction and create measurable work plans aligned with organizational priorities while promoting staff well-being.   
• Enable, implement, monitor and maintain the ICT Quality Assurance framework including Test Process Improvements (TPI) for UNICEF digital portfolio. This includes Quality Assurance guidelines and best practices are followed and applied consistently, provide support towards continuous improvement of Quality Assurance Strategy.
• Review and validate the business and functional requirements for the Application Under Test (AUAT), Perform risk assessment to identify the scope of testing and prioritize scenarios for test automation. 
• Liaise with project teams, developers, system analysts and Subject Matter Experts to ensure that execution of test plans align with the product objectives; 
• Provide advice on appropriate testing strategies;
• Coordinate and participate in the development and documentation of test scripts, as needed. 
• Safe keep the scripts produce, for future reference and tests.
• Prepare well documented and descriptive Master Test Plans for each application, in coordination with application teams; agree on roles, responsibilities and follow-up on the plan. 
• Review the plan and request formal approval from the Quality Assurance Manager and corresponding product lead or project manager based on the documented test results 
• Any other duties assigned by the Quality Assurance Manager

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have?

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics or related field
• A first university degree in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience at progressively increasing levels of responsibility in supporting international level systems development and support.
  • Out of which at least five years in applications quality assurance and/or software testing.
  • Experience with systems preventive and corrective quality assurance actions is desirable.
  • Experience in innovating and and modernizing the way of working with quality assurance and/or software testing in alignment with technology trends
  • Strong hands-on experience in testing & test administration tools using Selenium, Azure DevOps is required.
• Skills :
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to create content using different tools, adapt content and message to diverse audiences.
  • Strong organizational skills, including planning and managing deadlines, and the ability to handle several tasks in parallel in a structured way.
  • Transparency and confidence in raising and escalating as necessary any problems, issues found during testing.
  • Result driven and a passionate team player with ability to collaborate with internal & external stakeholders and decision-makers
• Language Requirements: English

The following desirables:

• Knowledge of additional tool sets including Application Security Testing
• Work experience with SAP based ERP systems, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Drupal and Python/Django framework.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are?

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

Additional benefits for eligible international professional staff members include: 

• Paid holidays and leave, including 2.5 days of annual leave accrual per month and 10 official holidays per year
• Paid parental leave (maternity, paternity and adoption)
• Dependency allowance
• Rental subsidy
• Relocation support and lump sum
• Home leave travel (air tickets or lump sum)
• Education grant for children in school
• United Nations-sponsored medical and dental insurance plan, pension plan, and optional life insurance plan
• Access to professional development and learning programs, online learning, and learning path
• Access to staff well-being and career development support

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

 

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

 

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