ICT Specialist (Open to External Applicants)

Job DescriptionOffice/Unit/Project Description The UNDP Country Office administers and manages common premises and shared services on behalf of the co-located UN agencies, funds, and programs. The Common Premises Unit is established to ensure the efficient, secure, and cost-effective management of all common premises, assets, and services. The unit's objective is to provide high-quality support services to all Participating Agencies, enabling them to focus on their core mandatesThe ICT Specialist will provide leadership and coordination in delivering high-quality ICT services. The role requires strategic planning, infrastructure management, team supervision, and compliance with corporate ICT policies. The ICT Specialist promotes a client-oriented approach and leads ICT support operations for CP and associated offices.Scope of Work Strategic planning and project management.Lead the common premises ICT team and coordinate the implementation of ICT activities and services, ensuring they align with UNDP’s operational needs and standards.Coordinate the integration of ICT assets and systems received from UNAMI, ensuring minimal disruption and full alignment with UNDP protocols.Oversee the decommissioning and repurposing of ICT infrastructure, ensuring proper asset documentation, labeling, and disposal according to UNDP and UN regulations.Develop local ICT budgets, procurement forecasts, and asset management reports for internal tracking and donor reporting.Operational management and supportManage local IT support operations, including helpdesk services, network availability, and end-user support for hardware and software issues.Supervise national ICT staff and contractors, delegate responsibilities, and ensure team development and performance monitoring.Liaise with national service providers, vendors, and partners for procurement, maintenance, and service delivery of ICT-related contracts.Support ICT components of digital transformation and e-governance initiatives driven by UNDP programmes.Network and Security Management:Work collaboratively with the UNDP ICT Team on all aspects of the common premises network and security management. This includes planning, implementing, and maintaining secure network infrastructure, monitoring network performance, and ensuring compliance with UNDP security policies and standards. Participate in joint efforts to strengthen cybersecurity measures, monitor firewalls, and respond to security incidents.Security and risk managementEnsure robust ICT security measures are implemented, monitored, and reported in compliance with UNDP policies.Ensure business continuity planning (BCP) and disaster recovery measures are in place and tested.IT Project Coordination and AdministrationSupport IT project work as necessary, including developing proposals and solutions for standard desktop setups and new products.Serve as a focal point for coordination of related activities, such as monitoring or expediting computer applications or systems development projects.Prepare standard terms of reference, process and follow up on administrative actions, and resolve issues related to project implementation (e.g., training, procurement).Provide guidance to new/junior staff and ensure training is received for proper implementation of projects/assignments.Occasionally supervise a team of staff for specific projects.Reporting, Documentation, and Strategic PlanningDraft correspondence and communications, including work plan revisions and periodic reports.Keep abreast of developments in the field; perform benchmarking and propose new acquisitions.Ensure proper documentation of technical tasks, service records, and infrastructure diagrams.Financial and billing management:Calculates and complies cost estimates and projected budget requirements and assists in preparation of budget and audit reports.Assesses and evaluates costs of all services received, and provides reports as required, on cost trends and variations in the billing of all services being utilized.Follows up on outstanding payments and recovery of charges.Maintains electronic records of all expenditures for commercial communications of the compounds and provides this information on a regular basis.Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Project.Identify and promote different systems and applications for optimal content management, knowledge management and sharing, and information provision. Organize training for the project personnel on ICT issues. Synthesize lessons learned and best practices directly linked to ICT management. Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.The incumbent shall perform other duties within their functional profile, as deemed necessary, for the efficient functioning of the of the CP and the Organization.Institutional ArrangementThe ICT Specialist will report directly to the Project Manager – CP with matrix reporting to the Operations Specialist - CP. The incumbent will lead a national ICT team of the CP Unit and work in close coordination with regional offices, global ICT support teams, and partner agencies.CompetenciesCoreAchieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impactThink Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problemsLearn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiencesAdapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demandsAct with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater resultsEngage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaborationEnable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivityPeople Management: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated siteCross-Functional & Technical competencies Thematic Area Name DefinitionBusiness Direction & Strategy System ThinkingAbility to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the systemBusiness Management Portfolio ManagementAbility to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio managementBusiness Management Working with Evidence and DataAbility 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 LiteracyAbility 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. Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.Information Management & Technology IT Customer SupportAbility 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 desirable. ITIL certification or similar is desirable.Information Management & Technology User Experience and Business AnalystCapacity to translate efficiently users needs in IT requirements around human-centred design principles. Knowledge of Oracle Cloud, ServiceNow, SalesForce.com, and Microsoft product an asset.Information Management & Technology Network, Communication and Infrastructure ManagementAbility to develop/integrate/operate/manage IT network, communications, Cloud or on-premise infrastructure, and new technologies like IoT. Cisco CCIE CCNP or similar is desirable.Min. Education RequirementsMinimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSAAdvanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Information Systems, Information Management, Computer Science, Software Development or related field is required, orA first-level university degree (bachelor's degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.Min. years of relevant work experience Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in development and implementation of ICT strategies, management and supervision of ICT services and teams, hardware and software platforms, telecommunications facilities, knowledge of Windows-based packages/applications, experience in web design and development of web-based office applications.Required SkillsKnowledge of Windows, UNIX, and Non-UNIX server platformsKnowledge of Virtualization platform: VMwareIn-depth knowledge of LAN/WAN design, routing, VLANs, VPNs, and Wi-Fi networks.Experience with Cisco/Meraki or equivalent enterprise-class network and firewall systems.Strong understanding of IP addressing, network segmentation, QoS, and redundancy setups.Proficiency in using network monitoring and management platforms (e.g., Zabbix, Meraki Dashboard).Ability to plan and implement infrastructure upgrades, failover mechanisms, and capacity management.Solid understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and risk management practices.Experience in firewall configuration, intrusion prevention, endpoint protection, and access control policies.Knowledge of disaster recovery, data backup, and business continuity planning.Familiarity with UN/ISO 27001 security standards and ICT compliance policiesExperience managing service desks or IT support operations with defined SLAs.Proficiency in IT asset management, licensing control, and software lifecycle oversight.Oversight experience with telephony (VoIP / CUCM / Teams) and radio communication systems (VHF/UHF).Familiarity with VTC operations (Teams Rooms, Webex, Zoom, etc.) and meeting room AV systems.Familiarity with emergency notification systems, CCTV, and access control integration.Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies sectionAbility to develop/integrate/operate/manage IT network, communications, Cloud or on-premise infrastructure, and new technologies like IoT. Cisco CCIE CCNP or similar.Ability to deliver the IT products and services to customers at the right level of Quality and Costs, taking into account user experience. ISO 20000 knowledge. ITIL certification or similar.Ability to advise on IT continuity and disaster recovery. Knowledge of ISO 22301.Previous relevant experience supporting UN/International organizations or NGOs field communications systems.Required Language(s)Fluency in English and Arabic languages is required.Knowledge of Kurdish language is desired.Professional CertificatesCertifications in CCNP, MSCA, MSCE or MCP are an asset.Equal opportunityAs an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authorityUNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.Right to select multiple candidatesUNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.Scam alertUNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.