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.
Organizational Context and Purpose for the job
Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. Since 2017, we support quality education outcomes for refugee, internally displaced and other crisis-affected girls and boys, so no one is left behind. ECW works through the multilateral system to both increase the speed of responses in crises and connect immediate relief and longer-term interventions through multi-year programming. ECW works in close partnership with governments, public and private donors, UN agencies, civil society
Job organizational context
The ICT Manager (Level 4) reports to the ECW Secretariat Chief of Finance and Operations in close coordination with Secretariat’s relevant sections’ chiefs and staff members both in New York and Geneva offices.
Purpose for the job
Based on the established policies, guidelines and service level agreements (SLAs), the purpose of the incumbent role is to exercise a large scope of ICT functional accountability and internally manage complex ICT systems and operations and externally enhance collaboration and capacity building; improve the delivery of results and knowledge management; build business relationships and foster innovation.
Key functions, accountabilities and related duties or tasks
Summary of the key functions, accountabilities and related duties or tasks include:
Manage ECW Secretariat’s Information Management function and provide technical and operational support,
Enhance governance, collaboration, build internal and external relationships and capacity;
Improve results delivery;
Foster innovation.
Manage the ICT function and provide technical and operational support:
Manage Information systems, inter alia, Grants Database, and Finance Database and provide ECW Secretariat’s Staff to enable the implementation of ECW’s priorities, solutions and services;
Prepare information management related plans, budget, set priorities and performance indicators as well as year end assessment, reviews and reporting;
Safeguard the physical and logical security and safety of information management environment and infrastructure;
Provide quality assurance of projects and activities in accordance with information management functional accountabilities
Monitor risks and threats to information management environment or infrastructure and take appropriate action;
Manage compliance and escalate exceptions (proactive) and deviations (reactive);
Support the ECW Strategic Plan and ensure the inclusion of information management inputs and perspective;
Act as ECW focal point for inter-agency activities;
Liaise with UNICEF as the host for ECW and abreast of new initiatives and opportunities to innovate and modernize office operations and to contribute to the collective ICT evolution.
Enhance governance, collaboration, build relationships and capacity:
Participate in office management –CMT, operations and programme meetings to exercise the functional accountabilities of the information management function;
Represent ECW information management in relevant fora;
Support counterparts and implementing partners to build capacity and nurture independence;
Engage with programme sections, counterparts and implementing partners to identify, analyze, research and promote innovative and viable solutions;
Assist in oversight, assessment and audit of vendors, counterparts and implementing partners;
Assist in the promotion of creativity and innovative thinking to re-engineer work processes and make the best use of technology within and outside ECW;
Conduct oversight of providers and third-parties of information management -related services and products to programme;
Study and understand the grant-making requirements, i.e., PPP, RBM, HACT, etc. to improve the delivery of results;
Stay abreast of information management trends, developments and best practices through professional development.
Improve the delivery of results:
Build and strengthen relationships with counterparts, i.e., government, sister United Nations agencies, international nonprofit organizations (INGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs);
Promote the use of collaboration tools for knowledge management, capacity building and preserving institutional memory;
Lead the implementation of eTools and facilitate training workshops or clinics;
Work closely to facilitate HACT implementation with partnership managers, programme and operations staff;
Collaborate with the Risk Focal Point the risks and opportunities inclusion in the risk register and support stakeholders to address them;
Liaise with ECW Geneva office to share knowledge, experience; discuss opportunities and risks for the improved delivery of results;
Facilitate project management methodologies trainings and support the application by staff, counterparts and implementing partners;
Participate in person or remotely in ECW events and discussions to contribute results based management/programming.
Foster innovation:
Promote creativity and innovative thinking to re-engineer work processes and make the best use of technology within and outside ECW;
Evaluate innovation initiatives potential opportunities and possible risks to improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness and share with senior management;
Ensure exit strategies are incorporated in all innovation initiatives prior to approval;
Support counterparts and grantees to implement approved innovation initiatives;
Facilitate TED-like events inviting local and international scholars, CEOs and technology gurus;
Connect academia to innovation opportunities, i.e., vocational schools, colleges and universities;
Work closely with Communication to promote to local philanthropists the benefits and rewards of innovation for their active participation, support and funding;
Engage the private sector to maximize the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) resources for no-cost innovation initiatives, e.g., bulk telecommunications services at low cost or free during periods of under-utilized resources.
Impact of Results:
The ICT function supports ECW’s strategic plan by enabling programme and operational effectiveness and efficiency through innovation, partnerships and providing ICT solutions and services in a timely, secure and safe manner.
With regards to the performance of the incumbent, any failures not properly addressed or corrected will have high operational and damaging impact to ECW. The absence or lack of a sound management of the ICT functions will affect ECW’s ability to support grantees and possibly have legal or financial repercussions affecting ECW’s brand and reputation.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
An advanced university degree is required in computer science, software engineering, information technology management, business administration, or another relevant technical field.
A first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with ten years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in information technology management and business operations in a large international organization and/or corporation is required. Experience in a UN organization is an asset.
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Certification and/or proven experience in one of these several ICT technical competencies: ICT Project Management, Business Analysis, Information Security, ICT Audit and Risk Management, Telecommunications, Networks Information Security and Software Engineering and Programming.
