Chief of IT Service Management Unit

Overview

Lead ICT projects and services for ESCAP and its regional offices.

You have:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in computer science, information systems, telecommunication, or other related fields is required.
• Minimum of seven years (or nine years for candidates with a first level university degree) of progressively responsible experience in planning, design, development, implementation and maintenance of information technologies.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other UN official languages is an advantage.
• Cloud certification is desirable.
• IT Security certification is desirable.
• Project management certifications such as Prince 2 Practitioner are desirable.
• ITIL certification is desirable.

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 122,628 USD and 158,103 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting

The mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP’s role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership with policy oriented research and analysis, normative support and technical assistance and capacity building, to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region. This position is located in the Information Management, Communications and Technology Section (IMCTS), in the Division of Administration. The incumbent reports to the Chief of IMCTS.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of IT Service Management Unit and the overall guidance of the Chief of IMCTS, incumbent will be responsible for the following functions: 1. Plans and directs ICT projects related to cloud computing, IT service delivery solutions information security and business continuity for ESCAP and its Sub-regional offices/Regional institutes; coordinate with OICT and UN Global Service Centers (UNGSC) for the local implementation of UNS ICT projects. 2. Tracks and monitors project progress against plan, requirements, quality measures, standard processes in accordance with industry standard project management methodologies; liaises with stakeholders on all aspects and during all phases of planning and implementation. 3. Oversees all service desk and operations of ESCAP, its regional offices and clients (such as UN agencies, funds and programs) in accordance with ITIL based service delivery model. 4. Provides expert advice on emerging IT service delivery platform’s analysis and design.; Proactively seek client feedback and responds to client requests for new or enhanced services; identify and implement innovative IT service delivery solutions to provide an enhanced Customer Experience (CX). 5. Oversees adherence to UNS ICT standards, policies and cybersecurity requirements and represent ESCAP in global and regional ICT working groups as required. 6. Serves as a coordinator in the development of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) & KPI’s between the client and ESCAP, for either specific IT services or IT consulting including any charge back mechanisms, regularly produce KPI compliance reports and contribute towards ESCAP’s positioning as a Regional Service Provider. 7. Formulates Request for Proposals (RFPs) for ICT services; provides technical specifications and standards for procurement of ICT services, software, and hardware; Develops cost proposals for contractual services, oversees the technical evaluation of proposals received and manage the contracted services. 8. Participates in planning and preparation of the budget, work program and spending plan. 9. Provides professional leadership and work direction to the Unit; mentors and supervises the work of the staff, contract staff, etc. and coordinate with HR learning unit on upskilling programs for staff to transition from legacy to emerging technologies. 10. Keeps abreast of developments in the field and provides leadership on introducing technological changes to transition to cloud computing and AI powered service delivery platforms. 11. Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of cloud computing and in the design, implementation, and management of cloud infrastructure services. Ability to oversee and manage migration of on-premises datacenter infrastructure and end user services to cloud platforms. Analytical capacity to understand business operational issues and offer technological solutions. Knowledge of organization’s IT strategy as it relates to user area(s).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; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in computer science, information systems, telecommunication, or other related fields is required. A recognized first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Cloud certification is desirable. IT Security certification is desirable. Project management certifications such as Prince 2 Practitioner are desirable. ITIL certification is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years (or nine years for candidates with a first level university degree or equivalent) of progressively responsible experience in planning, design, development, implementation and maintenance of information technologies and information communication technologies is required. Experience in cloud computing including migration of various workloads to cloud, cloud based endpoint management, cloud telephony etc., is required. Experience in leading process optimization of service desk and IT operational processes using AI powered business process automation platforms is desirable. Experience in ITIL based service and operational management is desirable. Experience in project management is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency English is required. Knowledge of other UN official languages is an advantage.

Assessment

Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods.

Special Notice

This is a temporary position and will be available for an initial period of six (6) months. If selected, an internal candidate will be on temporary assignment to the post; an external candidate will initially be offered a temporary appointment. Any extension of appointment is subject to satisfactory performance and continued availability of the post. ESCAP is committed to promoting diversity and gender equality within the Secretariat. Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. 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. Pursuant to section 6.9 of ST/AI/2010/3/Rev. 1, interns, consultants, individual contractors and gratis personnel may not apply for or be appointed to any vacancy in the Professional or higher categories within six months of the end of their current or most recent service.

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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.

Potential interview questions