Background

The situation in Somalia remains fragile with continued political instability, climatic variability, and lack of basic social services. OCHA’s role is to coordinate effective and principled inter-agency humanitarian response and ensure that relief assistance reaches the people who need it in a timely manner. In line with OCHA’s global mission, OCHA Somalia continues to:

• Advocate for access to basic services, especially water, sanitation, education and health for vulnerable communities, including the collection, analysis and dissemination of information to humanitarian partners, and negotiation of access;
• Support the government efforts and humanitarian organizations in relocation of internally displaced and return;
• Coordinate the implementation of humanitarian response in Somalia with UN agencies and programmes, national and international NGOs and local authorities/communities as appropriate, with focus on strengthening the cluster approach;
• Enhance a protective environment that respects the human rights of all, including IDPs, returnees and minority clans.

The ICT Officer will work in close collaboration with the ICT Manager, Information Management, Front Office, Coordination, Public Information and Funding teams in the CO.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

• Support and provision of ICT End-User Support;
• Provision of support for Video Conference Services;
• Management of Nairobi and Mogadishu Office hardware and software applications (to include other Somalia based sub offices where applicable);
• Support to network administration;
• Provision of support for CO developed Web Based Applications and Tools;
• Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

Ensures coordination and provision of ICT End-User Support, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Support ICT staff in provision of End User support;
• Directly providing End User Support so as to ensure timely ICT support to the Nairobi/Mogadishu Office colleagues;
• Logging of support calls in the CO developed ICT Helpdesk tool so as to create an organized way of tracking and responding to support calls;
• Provision of support to the use of functionality for improved business results and improved client services.

Ensures provision of support for Video Conference Services focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• To ensure that Video Conference equipment is setup and tested in good time prior to the beginning of the scheduled meeting;
• To liaise in good time with the remote parties to ensure that IP address details are exchanged and testing done to ensure compatibility of the VCT equipment prior to the live meeting.

Support Nairobi/ Mogadishu Office hardware and software applications, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• CO hardware and software platforms meet the OCHA corporate standards and the CO Key business processes;
• Provision of advice on maintenance of equipment and acquisition of hardware supplies;
• Support the implementation of corporate OCHA systems.

Ensures efficient network administration, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• 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 and 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 OCHA requirements.

Provides support for CO developed Web Based Applications and Tools, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Assisting users to fully utilize the online tools already developed and that are being developed to automate the CO Business process;
• To provide support to users on management web based tools.

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

• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on the overall efficiency of the OCHA Somalia Nairobi Support Office and Sub Offices in Somalia including improved business results and client services. Forward-looking ICT solutions have an impact on the organization of office management, knowledge sharing, and information management.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:          

Building Strategic Partnerships

• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
• Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates the same in his/her work;
• Analyzes the requirements and synthesizes proposals;
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

• Demonstrates ability to diagnose problems and identifies and communicates processes to support change initiatives.

Design and Implementation of Management Systems

• Maintains information/databases on system design features;
• Develops simple system components.

Client Orientation

• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

• Gathers, analyzes and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems.

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in Information Systems, Information Management or related discipline. 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;
• A first level university degree with a combination of 2 years relevant working experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:       

• Relevant working experience (wiht Master) including management of hardware and software platforms, telecommunications facilities, knowledge of Windows-based packages/applications would be desirable.

Language Requirements:            

• Fluency in oral and written English is essential;
• Knowledge of Somali is a requirement.