IT Operations Officer | SC8 | Manila, Philippines

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food aid arm of the United Nations and the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition worldwide.

The Philippines Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2018-2023 was approved by the WFP Executive Board become effective in July 2018. It aims to contribute to four Strategic Objectives that are aligned to four Strategic Results of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for Development). A total of 5 Activities are planned to be implemented to achieve the contributions to the four Strategic Outcomes (SO). Under the Integrated Road Map (IRM) WFP has committed to a new way of working, linking not only all activities to the defined Strategic Objectives, but also linking the resources used for implementing the activities to the results achieved. The four Strategic Outcomes (SO) are:
• SO1: Crisis-affected people in the Philippines are able to meet their food and nutrition needs during and immediately after an emergency.
• SO2: Women, boys and girls in provinces prioritized by the government have adequate and healthy diets to reduce malnutrition in line with government targets, by 2022.
• SO3: Vulnerable communities in Mindanao have improved food security and nutrition, in support of government targets, by 2022.
• SO4: National and Local Government Authorities have enhanced capabilities to reduce vulnerabilities to shocks, by 2022.

Specifically on SO4, Activity 5, the aim is to strengthen and augment government and partners’ emergency preparedness and response capacities to include supply chains and emergency telecommunications. This activity category focuses on Institutional Capacity  strengthening.

In relation to that, over the past decade the Philippine government continuously enhanced its disaster coordination structure as well as corresponding policies and planning processes. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Council (NDRRMC) set up a cluster approach inspired by the international humanitarian assistance cluster approach (IASC).

To address its mandate, the Government Emergency Communications System (GECS) Project was conceptualized to respond and provide rapid deployable communications system to government agencies in times of disaster. This will allow for accelerated delivery of government services to affected communities and augment connectivity requirements to the inflicted citizenry. The Government recognizes WFP as the global lead agency for global emergency telecommunications cluster (ETC) and its present support to DICT and OCD’s (Office of Civil Defense) institutional capacity strengthening activities on disaster risk reduction management.

The Job Holder will coordinate with DICT all activities related to GECS project planning and implementation as well as all other activities related to building the agency’s capacity as the national ETC lead to effectively respond to emergencies.

The job holder will report to a more senior Information Technology (IT) Officer and or designate with overall supervision of the Deputy Country Director.

The job holder is expected to actively contribute to the compilation, analysis, maintenance and reporting of IT data to maximize the effectiveness of IT services. They resolve daily issues and provide timely support to the design, development and usage of systems.

To work with the Government of the Philippines to provide assistance building national telecommunications and IT resilience for disasters prepare and response. In partnership with the Department of DICT (DICT) of the Government of the Philippines, the incumbent will lead technical projects related to building Government Emergency Communication System (GECS). Coordinate disaster preparedness and emergency response activities in partnership with the Government of the Philippines.

1. Together with the Government counterpart, carry out assessments to identify existing security telecommunication infrastructure needs and technical requirements.
2. Assist DICT in preparing technical terms of reference and configuration of the Government Emergency Communication System and its components.
3. Assist DICT in preparation and implementation of the national emergency telecommunication plan. Help DICT in developing standards for ICT systems, equipment and procedures for GECS.
4. Identify Local and Wide Area Network infrastructure needs for voice and data for the GECS system.
5. Actively participate in preparation and lead implementation of technical projects related to building DICT capacity as national Emergency Telecommunication Cluster lead (ETC).
6. Act as the single focal point with Government authorities to facilitate and enable the use and importation of GECS systems built by WFP for DICT.
7. Implement and maintain electronic collaboration for information exchange and collaboration with DICT, national ETC members and Global ETC team.
8. Be deployed in emergency operations and act as humanitarian ETC cluster coordinator to ensure needs of humanitarian responders are considered in planning ETC operations. Liaise with DICT and national ETC cluster members for all disaster preparedness and joint response action planning aspects. Establish provision of emergency voice and data connectivity services to humanitarian responders, Government agencies and local communities.
9. Act as the liaison focal person between the National ETC and Global ETC teams. Coordinate preparation and facilitation of technical and management training courses, workshops and simulation exercises for DICT and national ETC members. 
10. Perform other duties as required.

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
•  Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
•  Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
•  Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

• Has participated in joint technical projects, workshops, simulation exercises, trainings with any Government agency. Regularly attended meetings with Government agencies.
• Has participated in development of IT policies and processes.
• Has gained additional exposure building relationships with the business counterparts on key IT initiatives.
• Has experience project managing country level IT initiatives.
• Has coached, trained and mentored junior staff on building their technical capacity
• Has experience participating in office procurement/budgeting process.
• In-depth knowledge and experience across service support and service delivery best practice methodologies such as ITIL is desirable.
• Experience in developing, organizing and delivering IT-related training courses.
• Has assisted in the design and implementation of ITIL service management systems for handling customer requests.
• Has performed user support activities resulting in timely, high-quality delivery of services to user community, including the emergency operations user community.
• Has assisted with the specification, development, research and evaluation of client standards.

1. In depth knowledge in the following technologies:
         o Microwave Links (Cambium, Ubiquiti)
         o MotoTurbo digital radio systems (IP Site connect, Multi Site connect)
         o Codan HF radio communication systems
         o Cisco, Ruckus network technologies
         o VSAT communication technology
         o Biometric Registration - WFP SCOPE system and devices
2. At least five years of practical experience in:
         a. Developing WFP country-specific emergency communication system
         b. Programming and installation of security telecommunication systems
         c. Installation and deployment of multi-cluster data communication networks
         d. Working with Global ETC cluster team and WFP FITTEST
3. At least five years of ICT emergency operation deployment experience, out of which at least one corporate emergency deployment.

Education: Advanced university degree in Computer Science or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience or trainings/courses.
Language: Fluency in both oral and written English and Filipino communication
 

Deadline for applications is on 21 July 2020; 11:59 PM. Qualified candidates are required to complete an online candidate profile in  UN WFP Careers Website (https://www.wfp.org/careers). Only applications received from this website are considered valid and will be processed. 

Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.