Area: Global Management of Operations (GMO) 

Location: Preferably based in Rome (at minimum, based in an EU Member State), with availability to travel at least 6 weeks a year 

Reports: Head of Global Operations 

For JRS technology is a strategic enabler not an end in itself. Digital systems are intended to strengthen accompaniment, protection, service delivery, and advocacy with and for forcibly displaced people. Digital systems support better coordination across a global organisation, enable evidence-based decision-making, and allow staff to spend less time on administration and more time accompanying people on the move. At the same time, technology must be deployed thoughtfully and ethically, given real risks related to data protection, cybersecurity, dependency on private platforms, and digital exclusion. 

JRS’s Global Strategic Framework (2024–2029) places learning and technology at the centre of organisational renewal. It calls for a stronger digital identity, improved data collection and analysis, adoption of global systems, and more effective horizontal communication. The Framework also recognises the need for clear governance and responsible use. JRS’s technology priorities focus on: 

• Digital inclusion: ensuring affected communities can meaningfully participate in the design, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of JRS projects through digital tools and feedback mechanisms. 

• Local empowerment: strengthening country offices by using technology to reduce administrative burdens and enable greater focus on accompaniment. 

• Data-driven decision-making: supporting leadership to make timely, evidence-based decisions. 

• Resilient and sustainable systems: building solutions that are secure, interoperable, and adaptable across diverse contexts. 

Current digital landscape  

JRS operates with a limited but coherent global digital foundation. JRS has one Global IT platform, which is Microsoft SharePoint, on which half of JRS offices save, exchange and collaborate on data. The platform is enhanced by a Knowledge Management System (KMS) and an Information Management System (IMS). The KMS is JRS Start, a SharePoint hub that facilitates the creation, capture, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of JRS’ institutional knowledge. The IMS is a system that integrates programming, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Human Resources (HR)and finance (specifically managed by the system Microsoft Dynamics NAV) as modules of one integrated platform. In addition, JRS makes use of a customised Moodle Platform for the global Online Orientation Course and specific technology for external communication (website) and internal communication. While this landscape provides a solid starting point, it requires further efforts to follow through with adaptation and strengthening.  

Role of the Chief Information Officer 

Against this backdrop, and in close coordination with the Head of Global Operations, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) will support JRS Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in shaping and adopting a digital transformation strategy and ensuring its effective execution across the organisation. This is the core purpose of the role: to translate priorities emerging from country office planning and operational needs into a coherent global strategy, and to ensure that technology, data, and digital processes meaningfully strengthen JRS’s mission in service of forcibly displaced people. 

A central focus of the CIO’s mandate is to drive the adoption and effective use of JRS’s core digital platforms, while actively retiring obsolete, fragmented, and locally managed systems that limit interoperability, security, and organisational learning. The CIO promotes user-centred, secure, and integrated solutions that reduce administrative burden, strengthen accountability, and enable better decision-making. 

The CIO establishes and enforces cross-cutting IT governance, including cybersecurity, data protection, business continuity, and vendor management, and provides strategic oversight of key systems and platforms such as Microsoft 365 and Azure, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and finance tools, information and knowledge management systems, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and fundraising platforms, and the Learning Management System. Acting as a trusted adviser to senior leadership and a key interface with country offices, the CIO coordinates IT operations and vendors, supports prioritisation and budgeting for digital and security investments, and ensures delivery through a practical, hands-on approach. 

This is a high-impact role suited to a leader who combines strategic thinking with strong operational execution, someone ready to roll up their sleeves, build trust across the organisation, and deliver early wins. As JRS evolves, the CIO will play a pivotal role in shaping the future digital investment agenda, ensuring that growth in IT capacity is tied to measurable results and the successful uptake of current and future platforms. 

Key responsibilities 

1. Digital and IT strategy 

• In line with the JRS SLT mandate, design and operationalise JRS’s organisation-wide digital and IT strategy, ensuring alignment with the Global Strategic Framework and organisational restructuring. 

• Drive the design and implementation of sequenced roadmaps for systems, data, infrastructure, and security, working with country offices to support adoption and ensure delivery across diverse operational contexts, in line with global requirements.  

• Provide strategic advice to global leadership on digital risks, opportunities, and trade-offs, particularly in contexts of constrained resources. 

2. Cross-cutting IT governance and information security  

• Establish and maintain a coherent IT governance framework, including clear decision-making and prioritisation processes, covering: 

• Cybersecurity and information security 

• Business continuity and disaster recovery 

• Data protection and privacy 

• IT procurement, vendor selection, and contract management 

• Risk management and compliance 

• Lead prioritisation and sequencing of IT and security improvements, recognising resource constraints (budget, capacity, time), and define realistic, phased approaches that balance operational needs with risk exposure. 

• Propose practical alternatives and mitigation measures where full solutions cannot be implemented immediately, ensuring that risks are reduced and managed appropriately in the interim. 

• Oversee information security policies, standards, and incident response, in coordination with JRS security functions and relevant stakeholders. 

• Ensure consistent application of IT and security policies across regions and offices, adapted to different operating contexts, infrastructure limitations, and levels of digital maturity. 

3. Business process analysis and systems integration 

• Lead and coordinate business process analysis across core organisational functions, including: 

• Planning and project cycle management 

• Grants management and donor reporting 

• Finance and ERP processes 

• Human Resources and people management 

• Knowledge and information management 

• Regularly scan the digital landscape to identify emerging tools, services, and threats, and research and propose solutions that can strengthen JRS’s mission, effectiveness, and security. 

• Promote common data standards and interoperability between systems (IMS, ERP, CRM, HR, KMS, etc.). 

4. Core systems, cloud platforms, and infrastructure oversight 

• Provide strategic leadership and governance over JRS’s Microsoft ecosystem and infrastructure (include learning system) including Microsoft 365, Azure, Entra ID (identity and access management), Intune, SharePoint, Teams, Power Platform, and security tooling (e.g. Defender, Purview). Ensure alignment with organisational learning, safeguarding, compliance, and capacity-strengthening priorities. 

• Oversee architecture decisions, licensing strategy, tenant governance, data classification, and security configurations to balance cost, usability, and risk. 

• Provide strategic oversight of JRS’s core digital platforms and infrastructure, including: 

• Information Management Systems (IMS) 

• ERP and finance platforms (e.g. Business Central) 

• Knowledge Management Systems 

• CRM and fundraising systems 

• Provide strategic oversight of JRS’s Learning Management System (LMS), including Moodle or equivalent platforms, ensuring alignment with organisational learning, safeguarding, compliance, and capacity-strengthening priorities. Ensure the LMS supports global onboarding, mandatory training (e.g. safeguarding, code of conduct, security), professional development, and communities of practice across regions. 

• Work in close coordination with operational IT and infrastructure functions to ensure continuity, performance, and scalability. 

5. Communications and fundraising digital enablement and JRS websites  

• Ensure that the digital needs of Communications and Fundraising functions are fully reflected in IT planning and operational support, including: 

• Oversight, coordination and decision making around JRS website environments, in line with global website policy. 

• Governance and support for domains and DNS configuration for communications and fundraising services. 

• Strategic and operational support for CRM and fundraising tools, 

6. Coordination of IT operations and stakeholder engagement 

• Ensure global IT standards, policies, and best practices are applied consistently across JRS adapted to operational context where needed. 

• Lead and coordinate system rollouts, upgrades, and major changes, ensuring clear communications, change management, and user support. 

• Ensure implementation of IT asset management and helpdesk functions, including tools, processes, and performance oversight. 

• Coordinate and strengthen the global IT community of practice, fostering collaboration, shared learning, and consistent approaches across offices. 

• Oversee and manage vendor relationships and external service providers, including performance monitoring, contract oversight, and service quality assurance. 

• Act as a key interface between Global Operations leadership, other global functions, and country offices on digital, IT, and information security priorities, ensuring alignment, responsiveness, and practical delivery. 

• Support planning, prioritisation, and budgeting processes for digital, IT, and security investments, including resource forecasting and cost-effective sequencing of initiatives. 

Required Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in computer science or similar field. 

• Minimum 10 years of progressively senior experience in digital transformation, organisational development, or technology-enabled change. 

• Familiarity with and experience in designing, governing, and optimising enterprise-scale Microsoft environments (Microsoft 365 and Azure), including identity, security, collaboration, information management, and cloud services, in complex multi-country organisations. 

• Demonstrated experience leading Microsoft-based digital consolidation, migration, or standardisation initiatives (e.g. tenant consolidation, cloud migration, legacy system retirement). 

• Demonstrated leadership in developing and implementing organisation-wide digital transformation strategies in complex, multi-country organisations. 

• Strong understanding of organisational development, change management approaches, and how technology intersects with people and processes. 

• Proven ability to translate operational needs into digital solutions and frameworks. 

• Experience in data strategy, digital governance, and systems integration. 

• Strong strategic thinking, analytical capacity, and ability to set long-term digital horizons. 

• Knowledge of humanitarian or INGO contexts, including challenges of under-resourcing and complex operating environments. 

• Microsoft certifications (e.g., Azure, Microsoft 365) are an asset1. 

Desirable Qualifications: 

• Experience leading digital transformation in mission-driven, decentralised, or resource-constrained organisations. 

• Familiarity with information management for humanitarian operations. 

• Experience with cloud-based architectures, AI, analytics, or digital platforms for frontline programming. 

• Experience working in culturally diverse and geographically dispersed teams. 

Key competencies: 

• Strategic and conceptual thinking 

• Leadership and influence in non-hierarchical environments  

• Change management 

• Systems thinking and integration 

• Communication and facilitation skills 

• Cross-cultural sensitivity 

• Ethical judgement and commitment to data protection 

• Strategic command of enterprise digital platforms, particularly Microsoft ecosystems, with the ability to translate technical options into organisational, financial, and risk-based decisions. 

Core values and ethics 

• Commitment to JRS’s mission, vision and values; ability to convey with enthusiasm JRS’s role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and to advocate for their right to protection and a life in dignity 

• High integrity, honesty and confidentiality; ability to deal tactfully and discreetly with people, situations and information 

• Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value 

All applicants are requested to submit the following documents:  

1. A cover letter describing the candidate’s desire and motivation to work for JRS and how her/his qualifications and experience are a good fit for this position  

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English, including three (3) professional references with contact information, phone and email address  

 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.