Information Communication Technology (ICT) Manager, P-4, Fixed-Term (FT). Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO), Nairobi, Kenya, #90670

Looking for a talented, motivated individual to join our dynamic ICT & Innovation team! We are seeking to hire someone who is passionate about using technology to create efficiency and has a strong track record of relevant practical experience in running ICT functions and teams. If you have the motivation and drive to support the creation of an enabling environment for delivery of results for children in our region, ESARO ICT & Innovation team would like to hear from you !

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, future !

Looking for a talented, motivated individual to join our dynamic ICT & Innovation team! We are seeking to hire someone who is passionate about using technology to create efficiency and has a strong track record of relevant practical experience in running ICT functions and teams. If you have the motivation and drive to support the creation of an enabling environment for delivery of results for children in our region, ESARO ICT & Innovation team would like to hear from you !

How can you make a difference?

The ICT Manager is to provide guidance and managerial support to the team, and planning human, technical and financial resources with a view to achieving efficient and effective results; communicator, engaging customers, and management in dialogue and consensus building; being a substantive expert, leveraging knowledge and experience in the field of technical operations, support aspects of ICT Customer Services operations and technical aspects of T4D initiatives and providing guidance and support in the establishment of Common Back Office (CBO) /Local Share Service Center (LSSC) pertaining to ICT services and providing technical assistance support to countries in the CBO/LSSC.

The successful individual will be responsible for the following key accountabilities:

Leadership and management:

• Manage the ICT Services Team, ensuring each person delivers against already defined objectives, providing technical guidance, and creating an empowering work environment, fostering high performance, motivating staff, promoting a culture of innovation.
• Ensure effective knowledge sharing within the team, recognize and address competency development needs, and ensure that the technical expertise needed for best practice service delivery is continuously maintained.
• Continuously evaluate the ICT systems to ensure the strategic use of ICT resources, improve performance and properly implement audit recommendations.

Planning, Coordination and Communication:

• Develop work plans and budgets for the ICT services, managing expenditures against agreed priorities and ensuring the cost-effective use of funds.
• Carry out market research, costing and recommending potential acquisition of Infrastructure, Security and Communications solutions (hardware and software).
• Oversee the planning and management of ICT projects, ensuring the application of sound project management and control methodologies, while coordinating with internal counterparts, other UN organizations and service providers.

Technical and Strategic Delivery of ICT services:

• Ensure effective delivery of ICT services as per agreed Service Level Agreements.
• Lead the development and delivery of ICT infrastructure and business solutions with a continuous improvement approach to performance, security and cost, while ensuring the integrity, confidentiality and accessibility of data.
• Under the guidance of the Regional Chief of ICT & Innovation, provide support and technical assistance to COs in areas of ICT Accessibility, Green ICT, Operational business process improvement initiatives for UNICEF program effectiveness.
• Develop and implement processes, SLAs and operations procedures to ensure effective management and operations of UNICEF ICT Infrastructure, Security and Communications, including monitoring for compliance and reporting on regular basis.
• Develop and maintain up-to-date procedural and technical documentation
• Support ESARO emergency preparedness and response efforts including participation as needed in early warning, contingency planning, preparedness activities, and response from the initial stage of emergency to stabilization

Service Management and Partnerships:

• Ensure delivery of standard enterprise solutions to users, including hardware configurations and software images, to enable effective work for Nairobi-based entities.
• Ensure that SLAs, contracts and negotiations with internal and external IT suppliers such as UNON, MNOs and partners meet business needs and committed levels of service.
• Actively engage with users at all levels of the organization in the effort to ensure open lines of communication and insightful engagement with all customers.
• Handle escalations, and major incidents affecting ICT services; interact with users and provide information about IT products and services.
• Identify and implement strategies to improve quality of service and productivity.
• Measure regularly customer satisfaction with the ICT service provided.
• Assess and document the current and potential future needs for ICT services and solutions within ESAR.
• Continuously monitor, troubleshoot and enhance the unified communications and collaborations tools i.e.: voice, data and video, to ensure reliability and effectiveness.
• Monitor ICT security levels escalating cyber security incidents as needed; Monitor security related sites for relevant information on new threats / risks which may impact normal ICT operations. Perform periodic reviews / monitoring for non-compliance. Review security logs and report suspicious and/or unauthorized activities.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree or equivalent background, in computer science, information systems, or other relevant disciplines, with specialized training or appropriate experience in the fields broadly applicable to the job.
• Eight years of relevant professional work experience in ICT area.  Background/familiarity with Emergencies.
• Practical experience working in shared service centers, common premises or any setting providing support with other UN agencies
• Theoretical foundations of computer science with practical applications of software, database, network, telecommunications and systems development.
• Practitioner level skills and knowledge in complex project management and ICT service delivery and support management practices. Certificates in PRINCE II and ITIL are preferred.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.