Chief, ICT Service and Support Section (P4)

Background:

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, combating human trafficking, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The OSCE Secretariat in Vienna assists the Chairmanship in its activities, and provides operational and administrative support to the field operations, and, as appropriate, to other institutions. 

The Department of Management and Finance (DMF) is responsible for managing the material and financial resources of the Organization. The objective of DMF is to provide efficient and effective management of non-staff resources in support of OSCE programmatic activities. It provides policy guidance on the management of OSCE financial and material resources and develops and maintains OSCE Financial Regulations and Rules and Financial Administrative Instructions. DMF consists of Budget and Finance Services, Mission Support Section, Information and Communication Technology Services, and the Information Security and Co-ordination Unit.  

Information and Communications Technology Services (ICTS) Section is responsible for the delivery of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in support of the core business of the OSCE. This includes the management, operation, implementation, support, and maintenance of ICT projects, systems, and infrastructure and the delivery of ICTS support services to the Secretariat. ICTS provides corporate ICT services, ICT policy guidance, and support to all OSCE Institutions and Field Operations. The Section consists of four units: Infrastructure Operations Unit, Service and Support Unit, Functional Support Unit, and Software Development Unit. It consists of 34 staff members.

The OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality is committed to further increasing the number of female staff in all areas of the OSCE's work. Currently female staff in the above-mentioned field of expertise, especially in management roles, are underrepresented. Female candidates are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Management and Finance, Head of ICTS, as Chief, ICT Service and Support, you will manage the ICT Service and Support Unit (SnS) of seven staff.  SnS is responsible for the delivery of end-user ICT support services to the OSCE Secretariat. This includes the provisioning and support of end-user ICT equipment, 1st line support of ICT infrastructure and applications, Windows client design and security, and technical support for the conferences and meetings of the OSCE’s decision-making bodies. 

The Chief of SnS is the focal point for ICT service inquiries from the other OSCE Institutions and Field Operations, and helps to coordinate the work of two Shared Service Desks that support multiple OSCE locations. As part of the ICTS management team, the Chief provides strategic direction and expert insight on best practices in IT Service Management and digital workplace transformation. 

More specifically, you will perform the following duties:

1. Supervising the Unit staff and managing the Unit work plan, prioritizing and scheduling project and operational activities to maximize resource utilization and meet business needs; training and developing team members to improve their skills and performance; 
2. Preparing and monitoring the Unit's budget and financial resources;
3. Managing contracts and vendors for end-user ICT services and equipment;
4. Managing the capital investment planning, licensing, needs assessment, standardization, purchasing, and budgeting of end-user ICT equipment and software; 
5. Managing the Vienna ICT Service Desk, providing 1st and 2nd level customer service and support to the staff of the Secretariat; 
6. Managing the delivery of specialized ICT support to the conferences and meetings of the OSCE's decision-making bodies;
7. Managing the provisioning and support of end-user ICT equipment to the Secretariat, ensuring that ICT assets are properly managed throughout their lifecycles;
8. Managing the design and deployment of client PC software images and patches, including Windows client image design and security controls;
9. Developing ICT training plans for ICTS staff and end-users;
10. Co-ordinating rollout planning, communications, and end-user training as part of the release management process for new systems and applications;
11. Contributing to the implementation and improvement of ITIL-based IT Service Management (ITSM) processes and practices across the OSCE' developing and monitoring Service and Operational Level Agreements with internal and external partners, and reporting on compliance with these agreements;
12. Overseeing ITIL processes/practices in the Secretariat and Shared Service Desks (including Incident Management, Service Request Management, Change Management, and Problem Management), and reporting on  performance and standards compliance;
13. Liaising with ICT teams in other OSCE Executive Structures to promote and manage a co-ordinated OSCE-wide approach to ITSM standards and ICT support activities; collaborating with Executive Structures to ensure organisation-wide awareness of and compliance with ICT policies and standards;
14. Process Owner for the OSCE ICT Shared Service Desks (SSDs) in Central Europe and Central Asia, and co-chair of the Advisory Board for ICT Shared Services. In close collaboration with SSD managers, overseeing the implementation of all SSD processes;
15. Writing technical and user documentation, including Standard Operating Procedures for  ICT support;
16. Contributing to the development and review of the ICTS strategy; identifying innovative technical solutions to OSCE business needs, and providing strategic direction in the areas of end-user software and equipment;
17. Implementing rigorous PRINCE2 project management standards on SnS projects; acting as PRINCE2 Senior Supplier or Project Manager for projects executed by the Unit;
18. Performing other related duties as assigned.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see https://www.osce.org/secretariat 

Necessary Qualifications:

• Second-level university degree in computer science, information systems, systems engineering, or another technology-related field; a first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree;
• ITIL certification, and experience of implementing IT Service Management processes in a large organization;
• PRINCE2 certification and PRINCE2 project management experience;
• A minimum of eight years progressively responsible professional experience in information technology and telecommunications, preferably in the area of ICT support operations;
• A minimum of four years of experience in line management, directing the activities of subordinates in planning, organizing, scheduling, monitoring, and evaluating;
• Experience in the provision of 1st and 2nd level service desk support services for ICT equipment, applications, and infrastructure;
• Experience of managing large corporate PC fleets running in a Microsoft Windows environment, including design, implementation, patching, and security of Microsoft Windows clients; knowledge of Active Directory, Group Policy, vulnerability/patch management, and endpoint protection;
• Experience of designing and implementing ITIL-based service management processes;
• Knowledge and experience of IT financial management, budgeting, procurement, and vendor management, preferably in an International Organization context;
• Experience in managing a distributed or shared ICT Service Desk is highly desirable;
• Expertise in infrastructure services, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Electronic Document Management systems, mobile device management, and corporate Intranets is desirable;
• Experience of providing ICT support services to major conferences and meetings (including audio/visual technology, video and teleconferencing services, and interpretation services) is desirable;
• Experience with Assyst, Jira, Confluence, and SharePoint is desirable;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; working knowledge of another OSCE language is desirable;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
• Ability to set and manage customer expectations and effectively communicate at all levels of an organization;
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, consulting and coaching skills; 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds, whilst remaining impartial and objective.

Remuneration Package:

Monthly remuneration is around EUR 7,800, with the actual monthly salary depending on post adjustment and family status. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Austria. Social benefits will include possibility of participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System.

Please note that appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://jobs.osce.org/vacancies. 

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment at a lower grade or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration. 

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

Please note that vacancies in the OSCE are open for competition only amongst nationals of participating States, please see https://www.osce.org/participating-states.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization.

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation, therefore the maximum period of service in this post is 7 years.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.