Consultancy: Senior Technical Architect, ICTD Digital Core (12 months, remote)

Consultant IT & Telecom

Contract

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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, a connected world

The overarching strategic goal of UNICEF’s Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD) is to transform and build partnerships with our stakeholders to successfully implement UNICEF programmes globally through the use of innovative technology-enabled solutions.

To achieve better results for children, in a more efficient and effective way, UNICEF has developed a custom Partnership management and monitoring system named eTools. This system is used globally by the 190 Country Offices in which UNICEF operates. The continuous growth, enhancements and maintenance of the system as well as support to the end-users of the eTools Ecosystem must be managed to meet the needs of stakeholders.

eTools project team is continually tasked with requirements, which include the digitization of the Government Workplan and integration with various internal enterprise systems. For all existing modules, the requirement is to build new enhancements and ensure system growth, security and performance.

Technology:

eTools utilizes Python as a programming language and Django as a framework for its admin interface. Polymer is used for front end development. More on the eTools codebase can be found here: https://github.com/unicef/etools.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is presently in search of a Senior Technical Architect. This Senior Technical Architect will operate within the purview of the ICT Specialist within the Solution Center and Support Section of the ICTD division. Their primary responsibility will be to actively lead and contribute to the team's efforts in creating solutions for new policies, data management and organization. This role will center on tasks such as enterprise system integration, spearheading the development of both back-end and front-end applications, improving current architecture and building architectural and design aspects of new modules.

Scope of Work:

• Requirements:

Liaise with business users and ICTD on requirements and create specifications and user stories in DevOps.

Create detailed design documentation, indicating the technical and business solution. Documentation must be available through a link from the Digital Tools and Platforms intranet site.

• Design and Development:

Plan and orchestrate software development for both web and mobile frameworks.

Lead the technical solution activities and direct developers in the team.

Hands-on participate in the development of solutions.

Adhere to the technical and security standards and policies provided by UNICEF.

Inform and create additional technical standards where applicable.

• Testing:

Liaise with business users to perform testing, produce test packs and provide test reports for each release (i.e. test coverage, test pass rate, mitigation actions).

Liaise with ICTD to perform the required technical tests, including security testing, volume and stress testing where required.

Ensure automated test scripts are continually kept up to date and maintain the overall test dashboard to monitor coverage and to identify common test patterns and problem areas.

• DevOps:

Partner with the SCS technical teams to design, document and enforce a fit-for-purpose DevOps process.

Partner with internal UNICEF SCS technical team to build and deploy features.

• Go-live:

Communication of software changes and enhancements through the required channels (Yammer, Teams and newsletter).

Stabilise the features after go live and obtain final sign-off from ICTD and Business Product Owners to close the request.

System maintenance, handling of issues, incidents, and user requests for assistance:

• User requests for assistance and system incidents must be logged in the designated system.
• Resolve issues as per the agreed service levels.
• Ensure strict SDLC governance during the deployment of fixes.
• Ensure all tickets are continually updated to provide progress transparency.
• Work closely with the Business Owners to ensure that solutions and related infrastructure meet the business needs
• Implement required monitoring and automated error handling and alert functionality.
• Perform periodic infrastructure reviews to ensure an evergreen technology stack (all components and software must be kept up to date).
• Ensure that Security Policies are complied with in the environment.

• Work closely with Solutions Centre and Platforms & Service Delivery team leads to ensure that technology and implementation decisions are aligned with existing or planned corporate enterprise architecture solutions and established production operations.

  Auditability of the solution and the processes:

• A dashboard of user story and incident progress must be made available and must be presented during a weekly management meeting.

• Reports must be produced on a quarterly basis to show throughput of requests for new features and modules, as well as for enhancements.
• Assist with assessments of the health of the overall environment and the health of the processes put in place for requirements, development, DevOps, Communication, Post go live Stabilisation.

Leadership:

• Negotiation and agreement on technology features and priorities with different ICT and End user groups.
• Guide the successful completion of technical project components and act as the technical focal point.
• Ensure continuous improvement - Facilitate planning, team learning in the form of reviews and retrospectives and adaption of the process to ensure quality of solutions.

Work Assignments Overview

Deliverables/Outputs

Delivery deadline

Estimated Budget

eTools Development and Support services

1. A summary dashboard and report of user stories.
2. Detail design documentation for prioritized stories.
3. Signed off test pack.
4. Packaging and Release of core code for end user testing – system enhancements must be in production.
5. Updated technical standards.
6. Minutes of continuous improvement meeting.
7. Report of scalability and usability (supported by automated monitoring, error handling and alerts)
8. Report of updated procedures for the SDLC, DevOps, testing and deployment practices.
9. Test report to indicate completeness and effectiveness of manual and automated testing.

28 February 2024

25%

eTools Development and Support services

1. A summary dashboard and report of user stories and incidents.
2. Detail design documentation for prioritized stories.
3. Signed off test pack.
4. Packaging and Release of core code for end user testing – system enhancements must be in production.
5. Updated technical standards.
6. Minutes of continuous improvement meeting.
7. Report of scalability and usability (supported by automated monitoring, error handling and alerts)
8. Report of updated procedures for the SDLC, DevOps, testing and deployment practices.
9. Test report to indicate completeness and effectiveness of manual and automated testing.

31 May 2024

25%

eTools Development and Support services

1. A summary dashboard and report of user stories and incidents.
2. Detail design documentation for prioritized stories.
3. Signed off test pack.
4. Packaging and Release of core code for end user testing – system enhancements must be in production.
5. Updated technical standards.
6. Minutes of continuous improvement meeting.
7. Report of scalability and usability (supported by automated monitoring, error handling and alerts)
8. Report of updated procedures for the SDLC, DevOps, testing and deployment practices.
9. Test report to indicate completeness and effectiveness of manual and automated testing.

31 August 2024

25%

eTools Development and Support services

1. A summary dashboard and report of user stories and incidents.
2. Detail design documentation for prioritized stories.
3. Signed off test pack.
4. Packaging and Release of core code for end user testing – system enhancements must be in production.
5. Updated technical standards.
6. Minutes of continuous improvement meeting.
7. Report of scalability and usability (supported by automated monitoring, error handling and alerts),
8. Report of updated procedures for the SDLC, DevOps, testing and deployment practices.
9. Test report to indicate completeness and effectiveness of manual and automated testing.

30 November 2024

25%

1. Please note that in view of the nature of the work, these listed activities will have to be done throughout the period of

engagement for which progress will be reported through Quarterly reports.

2. Depending on program need, country readiness and project progress, deliverables may be interchanged.

3. Payment will be made on a quarterly basis against a quarterly activity report, including the above requirements,

highlighting key activities and achievements under this assignment

Reporting structure: The Senior Technical Architect will report to the ICT Specialist SCS, ICTD.

Duration of contract: 12 months

Travel: The Senior Technical Architect may be required to attend meetings, conferences, workshops and other events, as well as onsite support for the rollout of activities with teams based in the field. Travel costs will be covered by the office as appropriate.

Financial Proposal:

Please indicate your ability, availability and your overall rate – or rate per deliverable (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a rate will not be considered.

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

• 8-10 years’ experience in a Technical Architect role with strong emphasis on Python, Django.
• Experience in working with an Agile development team to with continuous development and deployment.
• Experience scoping, user testing and training for enterprise related projects.
• Experience with quality assurance testing processes.
• Capable of deploying and maintaining software remotely on Kubernetes and Rancher.
• Knowledge of building CI/CD Pipelines using Azure DevOps and Circle CI.
• Ability to align technical goals with UNICEF strategic goals—that always will mean prioritizing UNICEF’s mission over any particular technology.
• Experience developing and deploying web solutions for use in low-bandwidth, challenging work environments.
• Experience optimizing database models, SQL / NoSQL, Postgres.
• Experience developing software as part of a distributed team using Git, especially in an open-source environment.
• Expert knowledge with Docker, docker-compose.
• Expert experience in Javascript Framework with strong competency in Lit Element.
• Excellent knowledge of English (both spoken and written) is essential.

Desirable skills:

• Dynamic self-starter, who needs minimum supervision, who is highly structured in ways of working and who can produce high quality outputs.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbally and written.
• Quick learner, who can quickly understand complex business problems.
• Understand the value of commitments to end-users, product, and project teams.
• Familiarity with waterfall, agile and hybrid practices especially working with external vendors.
• Familiarity with UNICEF partnership management processes including the CSO procedure, HACT and Field Monitoring Guidance.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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:

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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Added 5 months ago - Updated 5 months ago - Source: unicef.org