ICT Specialist- Retainer position At UNOPS

General background:

The UNOPS Republic of Serbia Multi Country Office (RSMCO) is implementing 15 projects in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ukraine.

In Serbia, where UNOPS has been active since 2000, and North Macedonia and Montenegro where UNOPS works since 2017, the organisation provides support in demanding socio-economic reforms and facilitating accession to the European Union. The projects focus on sustainable socio-economic development, good governance, social cohesion, environment and emergency response. The projects are implemented with the funding from the European Union (EU), Kingdom of Norway, Governments of Switzerland, Sweden and North Macedonia.

In Ukraine, UNOPS support to the partners in their reform agenda since 2016 spans from the rule of law to social protection, demining, emergency response, and security. The projects are funded by the EU, UNHCR, the Governments of Japan and Canada.

All projects have gender equality as a transversal theme, and have been contextualised within the broader Sustainable Development Goals frameworks and objectives.

With currently increased focus in the thematic area of the rule of law, UNOPS RSMCO takes part in the development and implementation of projects that support national governments and institutions to upgrade their Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) supported processes and infrastructure, as well as ICT management capacity through the provision of ICT assessments, procurement of ICT equipment, and a range of other ICT solutions. This, in turn, will contribute to enhanced efficiency and effectiveness of law-enforcement systems and their services, while improving their accountability, transparency, and respect of human rights.

While considering the framework provided in the rule of law projects, their relevant project documentation, national policies and standards, good international practices, provided by the key stakeholders, the ICT Specialist is responsible for ensuring that the delivered products, related to ICT, meet the quality and sustainability requirements of UNOPS, beneficiaries and partners.

The position is home-based and will support projects carried out by RSMCO.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, and in close cooperation with project and procurement teams, the ICT Specialist is responsible to undertake following duties:

• Provide advice to the Project Manager and other relevant personnel on ICT related matters, hardware and software included, reflecting in particular on the relevance of ICT interventions as envisaged by the Project document, their costing and implementation timelines.
• Contribute to development of Project plans and reports in parts related to ICT domain, as well as in management of the ICT related risks and issues.
• In close coordination with project managers, participate in meetings with national stakeholders to seek clarifications and agree on the final products to be procured.
• Conduct or contribute to conduct of ICT related assessments, including needs assessments
• Develop and/or review technical specifications for IT products, both hardware and software, and services that are subject of procurement, confirm compliance with the needs of Projects’ end-beneficiaries and provide recommendations for optimum functionalities wherever required.
• Provide advice in sourcing of vendors, market research and costing compliance with approved budgets.
• Provide advice on qualification criteria for tendering packages.
• Participate in the clarification process by answering questions regarding technical specification to bidders during solicitation and evaluation processes.
• Participate in the Evaluation Team in the capacity of subject matter specialist, ensuring compliance of received bids with the requirements detailed in the tender documentation.
• Monitor the delivery of products and services and confirm compliance with the requested/contracted specifications and/or conditions
• Contribute to the design and/or delivery of ICT training

Required selection criteria:

Education

• A Master’s degree preferably in computer science, information management, business administration, economy or related field is required.
• A Bachelor’s degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of the master’s degree.

Experience

• Five years (with Master’s degree) or seven years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible job related experience in the field of information technology, preferably in an international environment, is required.
• Experience in the review and development of ICT related technical specifications and preparation of tender documentation is required.
• Experience with ICT interventions related to the rule of law sector would be an advantage.
• Previous experience with UN(OPS) Procurement processes would be an advantage.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required

Core Competencies

• Strategic Perspective – Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization. (for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)
• Integrity & Inclusion – Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
• Leading Self and Others – Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
• Partnering – Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
• Results Orientation – Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
• Agility – Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behaviour. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
• Solution Focused – Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
• Effective Communication – Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA) Retainer*

Contract level: I-ICA 2 (ICS10)
Contract duration: Up to 100 work days within one year

*If the selected candidate is based in a duty station where there is a national scale, s/he may be offered the local equivalent position.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization – UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

For more information on UNOPS, please visit the UNOPS website at www.unops.org