Solution Architect

This is a remote position. The position may be located in any country where IFRC has a legal status agreement, provided the selected candidate holds the legal right to work in that country.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

In virtually all countries, people increasingly rely on and expect a diverse range of digital services (e.g., through their mobile devices) to interact with local governments, companies, and community organizations and services. This disruption is already happening to humanitarian assistance. Yet, the Digital Divide remains a persistent and significant challenge at both national and local levels.

The need for a successful and large-scale digital transformation is urgent. Furthermore, digitally Transforming the IFRC and its 191 members is a complex process which requires collaborative action and support across the membership. Therefore, IFRC recently developed a Digital Transformation Strategy which was approved by the IFRC Governing Board in May 2021.

The Digital Transformation Department (DTD) has full leadership responsibility for the implementation of the digital transformation strategy and the positive impact it will have on the 191 National Society members of the IFRC. The DTD provides strategic leadership and guides the IFRC Secretariat as well as the members network to adapt and innovate humanitarian services, drawing on digital services, data-enabled decision-making, and other opportunities for digital transformation in support of the IFRC’s Strategy 2030. In addition, the DTD is responsible for the development and implementation of business transformation, information technology and digitalization services throughout the IFRC Secretariat, thereby supporting the same transformation in 191 NSs, setting the vision, and drawing stakeholders together on this digital journey.

The position holder operates within the DTD’s Digital product development and management Unit. The responsibilities of the Digital product development and management Unit include the digital strategy development, annual planning and development and continuity of the global digital products portfolio for the IFRC. Moreover, the unit ensures that digital opportunities are considered and requirements are adequately represented, and implemented in time and within the approved budget.

(...Continued from the Organizational Context)

The ERP provides IFRC with a core platform that serves as the foundation for agile management, identifification and implemention of opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness in alignment with the Agenda for Renewal. Additionally, the ERP development and deployment in the organisation has adapted the way we work, made our work more united, automated processes, and provides a platform to deliver more value from our data. It creates a stable platform for transparency, trust, accountability to donors and communities we serve alike. The ERP runs on Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365).

The newly founded ERP Product Line has the main role of providing second and third-level support to the IFRC Dynamics 365 (D365) users around the world. It will be using the same ticketing system the ITD support team is using and will have as a purpose to enable the geographically distributed D365 users of the secretariat to function effectively and efficiently. The Team provides D365 support services for the Secretariat with staff based in Geneva, Budapest and at important locations worldwide. Increasingly the ERP Product Line facilitates the development and sharing of best practices in the D365 environment and contributes to the development, strengthening and capacity building.

The Solution Architect is based remotely where IFRC has a legal status agreement, provided the selected candidate holds the legal right to work in that country, and reports to the Product Line Manager.

The primary purpose of Solution Architect is to work closely with business stakeholders, subject matter experts, and technical teams to analyze business processes, gather requirements, and design solutions that meet the organization's needs.

The Solution Architect has a deep understanding of the Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations suite, and their integrated legacy systems.

Job Purpose

The purpose of the job is to oversee the ERP solution on all layers related to an ERP architecture supporting IFRC business units worldwide:

• ERP Functional / process with the stakeholders and ERP support teams
• Microsoft Dynamics (D365) Finance and Operations (F&O) suite and interfaced legacy systems
• ERP Data and reporting architectures with the IFRC Data Product Line
• ERP Security architecture
• ERP hosting and release management
• Future improvements

As a solution architect, the incumbent’s role is to provide technical leadership and guidance in designing and implementing solutions using primarily the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform and with a view to identifying cost-savings. The job holder collaborates with key stakeholders within and outside IFRC, including business analysts, developers, and project managers, to understand business requirements and translate them into scalable and efficient solutions. Finally, the incumbent stays abreast of the latest platform developments and best practices with a view to developing and implementing innovative solutions.

Solution Design:

• Work closely with business stakeholders to understand their requirements and objectives.
• Translate these requirements into a comprehensive solution design using the Dynamics 365 platform. This involves selecting appropriate modules, configuring entities, defining workflows, and designing integrations with other systems.
• Drive the cross functional and technical usage of the ERP solution (demand management, incident management, problem management, change management, release management, service delivery, continuous improvement, localisation, reporting, interfaces, ERP set up, security, data management).
• Advocate for process improvements with an emphasis on accuracy, efficiency and speed of delivery, including process automation and policy design.

Technical Expertise:

• Possess a deep understanding of the Dynamics 365 platform, including its various modules (finance, procurement, etc.), customization options, integration capabilities, and security features.
• Stay up to date with the latest updates and enhancements to the platform and recommend best practices for solution design.
• Provide guidance on system’s configuration and upgrades that may be required for maximum performance.

Solution architecture Development:

• Define and document the solution architecture for Dynamics 365 (functional, technical, platform, data, security, etc.). This includes identifying and specifying the components, services, and interfaces required for the solution.
• Ensure that the solution architecture aligns with the organization's overall technology strategy and follows industry best practices.

Solution Implementation:

• Provide technical leadership during the implementation of Dynamics 365 solutions.
• Collaborate with development teams to guide and oversee the customization and configuration activities.
• Review code and design to ensure quality, performance, and adherence to the defined architecture.
• Implement solutions geared towards costs savings, elimination of unused resources, budget optimization, and maximal return on investment.
• Participate in process assessments to measure efficiency and effectiveness and address gaps in functionalities or business process mapping.

Integration and Data Management:

• Design and oversee the integration of Dynamics 365 with other enterprise systems, such as CRM, or third-party applications.
• Define data migration strategies and ensure data integrity and consistency across systems.

Security and Compliance:

• Ensure the security of the Dynamics 365 solution by defining and implementing appropriate access controls, data encryption, and authentication mechanisms.
• Stay updated with security best practices and compliance regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) and ensure that the solution meets the necessary requirements.

Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Collaborate with business stakeholders, project managers, and technical teams to gather requirements, conduct workshops, and present solution designs.
• Communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders in a clear and concise manner.

Technical Guidance and Mentoring:

• Provide guidance and mentoring to development teams, helping them understand and implement the solution architecture.
• Conduct code reviews and provide feedback to ensure adherence to architectural guidelines and best practices.
• Drive the ERP roadmap and ERP related technology.

• Drive the functional and technical ERP release management (Microsoft releases and IFRC enhancements) and related E2E testing.
• Ensure all systems meet business expectations, maintain the respective systems up to date by undertaking proactive systems maintenance, and participate in projects towards new systems implementation.
• Requirement Analysis: Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand their requirements, pain points, and objectives. Conduct workshops and interviews to gather information and analyse existing processes.
• Solution Design: Based on the requirements, design the overall system architecture and configure the D365 applications to align with the business processes and ensure cost-effectiveness. This involves creating data models, defining workflows, configuring forms, and customizing entities.
• Business Process Mapping: Identify and map business processes to D365 functionalities, ensuring a smooth and efficient flow of information and activities within the system.
• Support the ERP Product Line on the product vision, roadmap, objectives, main issues and risks.
• Find the right approach to resolve a cross business problem in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and related systems.
• Provide cross-functional and technical impact analysis for each release, enhancement, new ERP setup or localisation.
• Develop ERP operational procedures and knowledge management aligned with the GSC support activities requirement, maintain them up to date and provide structured support recommendation to the various IFRC stakeholders and end users.
• Work in close collaboration with the full support team (functional, technical, data, security…), including third parties, external Services providers and Microsoft.
• Run workshops, prototype and configure the ERP processes.
• Collaboration and Documentation: Work closely with developers, project managers, and other stakeholders to ensure effective communication and coordination. Document system designs, configurations, and processes for future reference and knowledge sharing.
• Continuous Improvement: Stay up to date with the latest features and updates in the D365 ecosystem. Identify opportunities for system improvements and optimizations to enhance business operations.
• Collaborate with technical resources around the definition and implementation of system integrations.
• Participate in all activities related to providing adequate and stable ERP systems and services to all IFRC stakeholders distributed at a global level.
• Contribute actively to the overall satisfaction level of IFRC end users while developing and promoting effective working relationships within the ERP Team, the wider IFRC and the RCRC Movement including ICRC.
• Integration and Data Migration: Collaborate with technical teams to design and implement integrations between D365 and other systems. Plan and execute data migration strategies to ensure the smooth transition of data from legacy systems to D365.
• User Training and Support: Provide training and guidance to end-users on how to effectively use the D365 applications. Support users in troubleshooting issues and optimizing their usage of the system.

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Work actively towards the achievement of the IFRC Secretariat’s goals.
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
3. Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in computer sciences discipline or related field.
• Certification or proven experience in D365 F&O or AX suite.

Preferred

• Business analyst or project management or SCRUM professional certification.

Required

• At least 7 years of relevant work experience in IT industry.
• At least 5 years of experience implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O and/or AX2012.
• Minimum 3 year of professional experience in roll-out, maintenance, upgrades and developing extensions/customizations for D365 F&O.
• Minimum 5 year of professional experience in business requirements analysis.

Required

• Excellent knowledge of D365 F&O or AX suite.
• Proven record of D365 F&O or AX suite implementation and/or support.
• Proven record of business analysis and project implementation.
• Proven team player, ability to adjust in different cultures and languages.
• Adept at analysis, problem solving, solutions and end-user oriented.
• Affinity for teamwork, collaborative attitude, open-minded and adaptable.
• Well organized, able to work under pressure and manage emergencies.
• Good analytical skills to interpret problems, identify solutions and possible side effects.
• Strong relationship building and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred

• Experience of Microsoft Common Data Service and the Microsoft Power Platform.

Languages

Required

• Fluent spoken and written English.

Preferred

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).
• Knowledge of Hungarian is an asset.

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.

Application Instruction

Please submit your application in English only.