Background

2012 brought significant political change to Somalia. The end of the transition was successfully completed with the adoption of a provisional constitution, the selection of a more streamlined new federal parliament, the election of a new Speaker of Parliament and President, the appointment of a new Prime Minister and a leaner 10-member cabinet, which includes two women ministers. The new authorities are widely seen as genuinely committed to helping Somalia emerge from two decades of strife and the international community has pledged its support to help make this a reality. 

After 20 years as a failed state, Somalia is now confronted with the critical tasks of nation- and state-building. UNDP Somalia is currently RBAS’ fourth largest in terms of delivery with significant potential for even more rapid growth. The immediate challenges are to align the Country Office’s programme and operational capacities with the Government of Somalia’s priorities and particularly the President’s Six Pillar Policy. The overall objective of UNDP in Somalia will be to build the capacity of the State to manage and account for its resources in order to set the foundation for pro-poor policies, inclusive growth and to establish an environment conducive for the rule of law and security for all. The three strategic focus areas for UNDP in Somalia will include: (1) Governance and Rule of Law; (2) Poverty Reduction and Environment Protection; and (3) Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Given the expected increase in the programme, UNDP RBAS will need to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of UNDP’s programme portfolio in Somalia.

Given the exceptional complexity, breadth, reach and volume of the UNDP programme and Operations in Somalia and in order to ensure UNDP’s credibility and leadership role in the UNCT, UNDP needs to ensure that it has the right profile of international and national staff.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the DCD (O), s/he is responsible for the development and implementation of the information management tools and technology and telecommunications infrastructure in UNDP Somalia in coordination with the other UN Somalia AFPs , and partner and s/he shall provide advice on the use of new technologies and infrastructure to enhance UNDP Somalia productivity and efficiency. The ICT Specialist manages, provides information management tools and technology infrastructure in medium and large Country Offices. The ICT Specialist is responsible for review of and advice on the use of new technologies that will enhance the CO productivity. The ICT Specialist promotes a client-oriented approach

The ICT Specialist heads the ICT Team and supervises staff in the team. The ICT Specialist works in close collaboration with the Front Office, Management Support and Business Development, Programme and Operations teams in the CO and UNDP HQs staff for resolving complex ICT-related issues, liaises with Regional Information Officer (RIO), the Regional Bureau Information Manager (RBIM), OIST staff.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Implementation of ICT strategies and introduction/implementation of new technologies, system design development and maintenance;
• Ensure secure, reliable and effective telecommunications facilities also in emergency settings and provide advisory support to safeguard and protect UNDP Somalia system for business continuity 
• Manages UNDP Somalia hardware and software packages and efficient networks administration;
• ICT infrastructure budgeting, procurement and asset control;
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

Ensures implementation of ICT strategies and introduction and implementation of new technologies and system design and development and maintenance in UNDP Somalia, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance with corporate information management and technology standards,
• Guidelines and procedures for the technology environment.
• Implementation of ICT infrastructure projects in accordance with the Prince II methodology.
• Analysis of the requirement and elaboration of internal policies and procedures on the use of ICT.
• Coordinates with outsourced company developers about the requirements to the system changes/ development, discussing technical issues and getting the solution as per agreed contracts. 
• Conduct of market research and analysis, and introduction of new technology for system updating and improvement.
• Provision advice on and assistance in procurement of new ICT equipment for at HQ, SROs and projects, provision of technical specifications and information on best options in both local and international markets.
• Development and update of the ICT Infrastructure annual plan and road map.
• Effective liaison with ICT units in other UN agencies, in particular with UNDP, for ICT related matters.
• Ensuring secure, reliable and effective computing, networking and technology facilities at HQ and SRO’s.
• Ensuring a reliable computing and networking environment that facilitates access to Internet, intranet, Atlas, file and print, data interchange, computing and corporate applications.
• Liaising with hardware and software vendors and with UNDP in ensuring technology facilities are current and provide services that meet business and user requirements.
• Liaising with SRO’s through UNDP Somalia regional ICT support structure in ensuring that office’s local technology facilities are aligned with corporate standards, kept up to date, reliable and with adequate capacity.
• Ensure and implement technology facilities at HQ and CO’s have backup, redundancy and disaster recovery provision.
• Keeping abreast of technology industry trends and developments, and implementing upgrades or enhancements to meet business’ needs.
• Providing advice and expertise on ICT operational, tactical and strategic planning and co-ordination.
• Planning and managing the unit’s budget, including ensuring timely payment of invoices.
• Managing technical specialist staff, vendors and contractors to achieve desired results, and conducting regular performance reviews and year-end RCA evaluations for staff.
• Elicits, analyzes and validates business requirements.
• Develops software and hardware specifications of UNV knowledge and process management systems.
• Develops and translate business requirements into application functionality, specifications, and test plans.
• Monitors infrastructural components of UNV information systems and suggest options to improved designs.
• Liaises with staff in business units, external IT specialists, and provides specialized advice to users.
• Develops business systems documentation.
• Maintains effective communications with end users.
• Applies rapid development and iterative prototyping to complex software problems.
• Develops and maintains corporate web sites and business applications using the programming tools PHP, SharePoint and SQL.
• Develops web pages as needed to enhance Knowledge Management Portal and corporate web sites.
• Develops new features and functionalities to the business applications supporting volunteer management cycle processes.
• Performs impact analysis and change control and manages implementation of the changes in liaison with internal and external stakeholders.
• Develops and maintains interface modules between different business applications management information database.

Ensure secure, reliable and effective telecommunications facilities also in emergency settings and provide advisory support to safeguard and protect UNDP Somalia system for business continuity focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Ensure a reliable telecom environment that facilitates access to telephony including IP, Internet, video and corporate applications.
• Implement the Office of the Future that is green, lean and conducive to innovation and collaboration. It includes minimizing the local ICT infrastructure footprint while optimizing connectivity and mobility, and leveraging cloud computing, corporate solutions and standards.
• Liaises with UNDP OIST on technological issues including upgrades, system backup functions, adopting and configuring new software and hardware standards.
• Liaise with service providers and vendors, UNDP, HQ units and development partners in ensuring telecom facilities are current and meet business and user requirements.
• Ensure and implement telecom facilities at HQ have backup, redundancy and disaster recovery provision.
• Keep abreast of telecom industry trends and developments, and to implement upgrades or enhancements to meet UNDP Somalia business’ needs.
• Lead efforts in negotiations on telecom goods and services with UNDP and with external vendors, and defining telecom strategy and requirements, and issue operating guidelines.
• Management of the UNDP Somalia emergency communications (BGAN) , ensuring full functionality and minimum disruption of business.
• Ensure the protection of corporate electronic information stored on the server; preparation of statistical charts, tables and reports as required.
• Ensure that data centers hosting the server are well protected and safeguarded against intrusion.
• Work with solutions providers and ICT experts, in overall, ensuring ICT services continuity and full use of ICT tools and facilities, and that recovery for all stalled ICT tools and equipment is within acceptable time interval.
• Keep proper and complete documentation of all systems, Implement and maintain change control procedures and update systems inventory as needed.
• Ensuring successful server backup, routine testing of disaster recovery planning, backups and restore procedures for local drives. Maintain logs, determine critical versions of data, and execute related archiving procedures.
• Support the creation of new staff in UNDP Somalia Computing network, and allocate the necessary resources using Microsoft Active Directory.
• Ensure secured LAN through configuration of firewalls.
• Test and implement security patches and bug fixes and monitor and ensure proper operation of servers after application of security patches and bug fixes.
• Advise and coordinate with technical staff across the organization on available upgrades, bug fixes and security patches for Microsoft Windows server and related software that may be required.
• Determine, recommend, set and update optimum version and configuration standards relating to server operations and computing environment. Publish and share these standards with technical staff throughout the organization.
• Development and update of the ICT disaster recovery plan that serves as input into the
• UNDP Somalia business continuity plan, ICT infrastructure and training plans. Follow up of implementation and testing.
• Keep abreast of technology advancements and evaluate how these may be used by UNDP Somalia to further enhance operations.
• Develop test platforms of new technologies for eventual implementation.

Manages UNDP Somalia hardware and software packages and efficient networks administration, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Hardware and software platforms meet the UNDP and UNDP Somalia corporate standards and the CO key business processes.
• Provision of advice on maintenance of equipment and acquisition of hardware supplies
• Supervision of the implementation of corporate systems.
• Development of new software for high impact results (e.g. office management system, e-registry, intranet, etc).
• Ensure that the UNDP Somalia desktop and network resources are protected from malicious virus attacks and deploy countermeasures in the event of the attacks.
• Management of software patch updates for all users in UNDP Somalia at HQ and in the field.
• Collaborating with end users to identify needs and opportunities for improved data management and delivery.
• Overseeing the ongoing development and operations of an operational data store and enterprise data warehouse.
• Improving and streamlining processes regarding data flow and data quality to improve data accuracy, viability and value.
• Overseeing the ongoing development and operations of a business intelligence architecture that enables fact-based decision making and ad hoc analysis and insight generation.
• Monitoring of the computing resources to provide a stable and responsive environment.
• Operation of network utility procedures defining network users and security attributes establishing directories, menus and drive-mappings, configuring network printers an providing user access.
• Monitoring of backup and restoration procedures for both server and local drives.
• Timely upgrade of LAN infrastructure and Internet connectivity to meet UNDP Somalia requirements.
• Provision of technical advice on network administration to other agencies as required and monitoring   preparation of bills for cost-recovery for the services provided.
• Overseeing and directing software application implementation includes designing implementation and upgrade schedules, allocating and scheduling staff, overseeing budgets and ensuring work does not disrupt day-to-day business activities.
• Reviewing existing country operating systems and compare these systems to industry standards. Build new applications that meet office needs

Coordinates budgeting with regards to UNDP Somalia ICT infrastructure requirements, facilitates procurement of ICT goods and services and oversee proper asset control, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Advice on procurement of ICT infrastructure goods and services for HQ and the field (ICT procurement is centralized and the incumbent acts as the procurement focal point).
• Advice and lead efforts in procurement of new equipment for the office and the projects, with provision of technical specifications and information on best options in both local and international markets as well as existing UN LTAs, participating in the technical review of quotations and bids.
• Identifies ICT infrastructure upgrades requirements in UNDP Somalia and prepare/review budgets for consideration by UNDP Somalia management.
• Oversee through the work of the ICT Associates that proper asset control is in place for UNDP Somalia ICT infrastructure elements.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing in UNDP Somalia, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of training for the operations/projects staff on ICT issues.
• Synthesis of lessons learned and best practices directly linked to ICT management.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Support the knowledge management unit for Teamwork’s platform and survey’s data analysis.
• Implement a new version of SharePoint that meets the office’s new challenge and new organizational structure. Ensure that the UNDP’s Somalia website is updated daily and develop new functions to contribute to the website’s sustainability and activities.
• Train new categories of staff to use the various tools.
• Participate in developing business solutions by using efficiently the UNDP Corporate Intranet/application store and Internet platform, based respectively on Microsoft SharePoint and CQ5

The key results have an impact on the overall efficiency UNDP Somalia operations, including improved business results and client services. Forward-looking ICT management has an impact on the organization of office management, knowledge sharing, and information provision.

Competencies

• Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments
• Takes responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strives until successful outputs are achieved
• Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings

• Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches
• Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms
• Develops and/or participates in the development of tools and mechanisms, including identifying new approaches to promote individual and organizational learning and knowledge sharing using formal and informal methodologies

• Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines
• Serves as internal consultant in the area of expertise and shares knowledge with staff
• Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit
• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

• Provides counseling and coaching to colleagues who are dealing with change Assists in the development of policies, communications, and change strategies
• Performs appropriate work analysis and assists in redesign to establish clear standards for implementation

• Makes recommendations regarding design or operation of systems or programmes within organizational units
• Identifies and recommends remedial measures to address problems in systems design or implementation

• Anticipates client needs
• Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider
• Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective
• Keeps the client informed of problems or delays in the provision of services
• Uses discretion and flexibility in interpreting rules in order to meet client needs and achieve organizational goals more effectively
• Solicits feedback on service provision and quality

• Provides inputs to the development of organizational standards for accountability and results-based management
• Develops and applies tools and techniques in assessing the application of programme and/or administer the policies and procedures

• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents
• Building support and political acumen
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation
• Building and promoting effective teams
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication
• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards
• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in Information systems, Information Management
• Cisco Certified Network Engineer (CCNE) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE). If certification is not available at the time of recruitment, it should be obtained within 6 months.
• Certification in Business intelligence desired
• Knowledge of ITIL is considered an asset

• 5 years of working experience in development and implementation information communication strategies, management of hardware and software platforms and telecommunications facilities and knowledge of windows-based packages/applications, web design and development of web-based office applications.
• Relevant experience of information systems design and modelling
• Relevant experience in designing databases and developing web applications
• Proven experience with software development projects, with proven ability to manage medium to large technical projects involving internal and external (outsourced) teams

• Good knowledge and application skills in Microsoft Windows 2000, XP and 2003 Operating Systems and Microsoft Office XP and 2003 suite of products
• Proficiency in desktop hardware and software, network and cabling
• Proficiency in telecommunications hardware and software and IP routing.
• Prince II Certification. If incumbent has no Prince II certification, he/she is required to obtain such certification within 6 months after commencing appointment.
• Familiarity with the COBIT principles for ICT architecture
• Solid knowledge and experience of programming languages including Typo3, PHP and SQL. Experience in .NET & SharePoint technologies would be an asset
• Solid knowledge of Windows and Linux operating systems.
• Good knowledge of ASP.NET
• Advanced knowledge in Microsoft SharePoint
• Good knowledge in Arcgis and GIS
• Good knowledge in C#
• Good knowledge of SGBDR SQL Server 2008;
• Perfect knowledge of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), XHTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript of common web development software, such as DreamWeaver, Visual Studio, Flash, etc. ; Knowledge of other programming languages is considered an asset.

• Perfect knowledge of spoken and written English is required. Proficiency in another UN working language is an asset.