SENIOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN headquarters in Africa and the Director-General of UNON is the representative of the Secretary-General in Kenya. UNON supports programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Resident Coordination System (RCS) globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, security, conference and information services (www.unon.org).

This post is located in the Technical Services Unit in the Information Technology Unit (ITU) of the Division of Conference Services (DCS), UNON at the Nairobi duty station. Under the direct supervision of the Chief, ITU/DCS/UNON the incumbent will be responsible for the following functions:

Responsibilities

1. Conference equipment handling and day-to-day operations:
a) Install and test conference equipment;
b) Set up and test conference room as per agreed standards;
c) Perform audio and video recording and process recordings as per clients' requirements;
d) Guide and mentor short term technical staff;
e) Assist interpreters with operational set-ups and monitor operations throughout the meeting;
f) Engage in teamwork with other UNON technical parties with respect to video and tele-conferencing services, network and server support.

2. Maintenance of conference equipment:
a) Conduct quarterly inspections to test, repair and clean conference equipment;
b) Tackle technical issues relating to conference equipment and share information, technological improvement ideas and suggestions with the team members; escalate outstanding unresolved issues;
c) Ensure adequate spare parts are kept in stock;
d) Liaise with internal staff members and external contractors on timely repair or replacement of faulty equipment.

3. Team Co-ordination:
a) Perform the role of supervisor and coordinate the daily operations of the team;
b) Participate in weekly coordination meetings;
c) Conduct resource planning on a weekly basis;
d) Supervise short-term staff;
e) Engage in daily contact with internal stakeholders;
f) Research tools, resources and best practices that will enable the team to perform;
g) Coordinate with the Division of Security & Safety Services (DSS) to ensure safety and security of equipment and delegates in the conference area;
h) Coordinate with Facilities Management and Transport Service to ensure proper upkeep of conference facilities;
i) Research and give feedback on training needs.

4. Inventory and Procurement:
a) Coordinate with Procurement Section to ensure timely acquisition of equipment and services required;
b) Maintain up-to-date records of assets;
c) Conduct quarterly physical inventory checks to ensure up-to-date records;
d) Prepare quarterly report; investigate and report any discrepancies;
e) Perform regular audits;
f) Conduct quarterly IT equipment testing;
g) Ensure timely equipment repairs;
h) Monitor inventory stock levels;
i) Ensure security of DCS assets and maintain keys;
j) Report damaged and lost property to Property Management Unit and DSS.

5 Data analytics;
a) Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making;
b) Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

6. Perform other related duties as may be assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply knowledge and technical skills to install and test relevant equipment, provide maintenance services and user support; ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making; shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

Completion of High school diploma or equivalent is required. Supplementary courses/diplomas in areas of inventory, computer office suites and audio/video (AV) broadcasting are required. Specialized Audio/Video and Information Technology (IT) certifications such as Certified Technology Specialist (CTS), Dante Level 1-3, ITIL Foundation or ITIL Service Operation is desirable.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Successful passing of the Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT) in English at the United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic and Social Commission for Eastern Asia (ESCWA), United Nations Office at Geneva.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience involving computerized general office work and use of Microsoft Office Suite is required.

Experience in audio/video broadcasting in a medium-sized organization is required.

At least two (2) years of experience in activities related to conference servicing in hybrid mode using Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) platforms in the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations, or in the private sector at the international level, is required.

Telecommunications related experience in operating, maintenance and servicing of conference and AV equipment is required.

1 year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

NOTE: "fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and " Knowledge of" equals a rating of " confident" in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension.This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. External candidates will be considered only when no suitable internal candidate from the duty station is identified. The candidate is responsible for any travel expenses incurred to take-up the appointment.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Internal Applicants – when completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Need Help?" link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.