For every child, Innovation

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

DFAM New York-based Central Services Center (CSC) was established in January 2024 as part of the Headquarters Efficiencies Initiative (HQEI). The goal of the CSC is to further consolidate and streamline common, location-dependent transactions and processes. The aim is to improve efficiency and compliance by reducing transactional level tasks for teams, thus enabling NYHQ Division/Office staff to strategically focus on delivering high-quality programmatic work and, ultimately, achieve cost savings and efficiency gains. Consolidating transactions within a Central Service Centre (CSC) will help UNICEF to further mitigate the risks of efficiency loss, duplication and excessive costs as the Centre provides specialization and increased efficiency in the use of resources.

How can you make a difference? 

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Associates in the CSC performs specialized activities pertaining to UNICEF’s ICT systems including IT Customer support services, Moves, Adds, Changes, new hardware and software provisioning, hardware and software troubleshooting, incidents, and IT asset management. Specialized activities may include technical support in the testing and implementation of new applications, services, systems, modules, and functionalities.

The ICT Associate provides support to the supervisor and colleagues in the office by executing a variety of technical services through application of theoretical and practical skills and performs tasks in line with the CSC Catalogue of Services, UNICEF rules, policies and procedures and ICT guidelines. The ICT Associate reports to the Sr ICT Associate for close guidance, training, and supervision.

The MAC (Move Add Change) ICT Assistant is expected to provide first-level technical support to all current UNICEF hardware and their operating systems, ensuring compliance with all ICTD processes and policies throughout the hardware assets’ life cycle.  The MAC Unit’s early engagement in UNICEF hardware and operating system development and deployment is a critical success factor in maintaining UNICEF’s hardware standards.

Key responsibilities:

Timely and effective provisioning of new hardware assets: Swiftly respond to incoming requests for hardware-related customer/business services. Register and schedule all requests/queries in close collaboration with NYHQ Computer Focal Points, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and end users.  Provision of task creation and scheduling, hardware asset management, follow-up, resolution, and documentation. Provide users with solutions to identified incidents, requests or services interruptions; provide new users with ad-hoc onboarding via an introduction to UNICEF ICT software suite, processes and policies. Support effective management of all NYHQ-owned ICT assets and office equipment with responsibilities of recording and tagging, storing, and disposal phases of these assets life cycle. Ensure close collaboration with NYHQ-based asset focal points to facilitate proper management of asset records.

Provide MAC support in the successful rollout and user adoption of ICT products, processes and policies: During ICT product /process releases, act as “early adopters’ during development and user acceptance testing, provide critical end-user support during initial HYPERCARE release, and act as product “champions’ to promote user adoption and cultural change. Support roll outs and implementation of new UNICEF hardware & software standards.  Support bi-directional feedback during development and product release between Technical Architects and pilot groups, CFPs early adoption, and the Release Manager.  Provides SMEs with feedback received from users, additional updates or “Lessons Learned” to facilitate ICT product enhancement.

ICT asset management throughout hardware life cycle: Provision of secured storage for all divisions’ hardware post-procurement, and, at the request of a Divisional Computer Focal Point, configure and release corporate hardware.  Ensure end-user data transfer, onboarding of new users to UNICEF ICT standards, systems, processes; including asset decommissioning through the Property Survey Board.

Provision of standard Help Desk functions where applicable or requested: Provision of Help Desk support on request of MAC first line manager, to all current UNICEF software and hardware during periods of high Customer Support Services’ demand.

MAC project-related activities: Participate in other ICT projects to enhance working & technical knowledge in relevant areas. For example, MAC Unit is currently an integral part of the NYHQ Capital Refurbishment Programme closely collaborating with Divisional Computer Focal Points, Networking Unit, DFAM Building Facilities and end-users during Divisional moves.

Keeps abreast of industry standards and trends: Keep both technical and customer service soft skills current, for example through early engagement with SMEs, through online self-study, and short stretch assignments within SME units to enhance understanding in other ICT areas.