Closing date: Monday, 5 January 2015

ICT CONSULTANT

Location : New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Application Deadline : 05-Jan-15

Type of Contract : Individual Contract

Post Level : International Consultant

Languages Required : English

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)

12-Jan-2015

Duration of Initial Contract : 10 days

Expected Duration of Assignment : N/A

Background

The responsibility of the Crisis response Unit (CRU) primarily focuses on two specific typologies of crisis listed below. CRU support for these crises is to be provided for limited duration.

• Sudden onset crisis: This would include countries that have been affected by natural disasters or sudden outbreak of armed conflicts;
• Complex protracted crisis: Examples include countries that are impacted by protracted conflicts, often with regional implications.

The corporate responsibilities of the Crisis Response Unit (CRU) include the coordination of fast deployments and the mobilization of capacity, expertise, and emergency funding to ensure rapid, sufficient, and efficient response to crisis. The CRU focuses primarily upon sudden onset crisis, including natural disasters or sudden outbreak of armed conflict, and complex protracted crisis, often with regional implications. Some of the core activities of the CRU include coordination of the provision of emergency support to Country Offices (COs) facing crisis through the immediate coordination, mobilization, and deployment of needed human resources (technical, operational, managerial) and management of UNDP's corporate crisis response systems and tools (e.g. the Experts Roster for Rapid Response; SURGE Advisor roster), among other functions.

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director, Crisis Response Unit and day to day management of the Crisis Deployment Specialist and Programme Specialist - Finance Support, the ICT consultant will review existing ICT services, ICT management systems and ICT infrastructure that are available to the CRU. The ICT consultant will be responsible for this review of and provide advice on the use of new technologies that will enhance the CRU productivity. The ICT Consultant will promote a client-oriented approach. The consultant will also liaise with ICT experts in BPPS (Bureau for Programme and Policy Support) and OIST (Office of Information Systems and Technology).

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

• Review existing Crisis Response ICT services, tools, services and infrastructure;
• Review the Crisis Response intranet site;
• Provide concrete suggestions on enhancing existing ICT services, tools, and infrastructure;
• Recommend new ICT systems to enhance CRU productivity (including work planning, leave, travel, M&E etc.);
• Prepare and submit a report on the review and recommendations to enhance CRU functions from an ICT perspective.

Review existing Crisis Response ICT services, tools, services and infrastructure

• Fast Track Procedures: Review the online platform;
• Deployment information: How is this currently mapped online?
• Databases: How are expert databases accessed?
• Executive Team and Crisis Board meetings: Review the current on-line system.
• Document library.

Review the Crisis Response intranet site

• How to ensure the transition from the BCPR intranet site to a new CRU site;
• How is information managed and updated and recommendations on how it should be done moving forward?
• What relevant crisis response information is currently available on the site?
• What information should be available under the new CRU intranet site?
• What are the linkages with the Bureau of Management, BPPS etc.?
• Where the site is currently hosted?
• How are emergency funding options accessed by country offices and how is this managed by the Crisis Response Unit
• How are early recovery tools and guidelines accessed by country offices and how does CRU manage and update this information

Provide concrete suggestions on enhancing existing ICT services, tools and infrastructure

• How can CRU online tools and systems better serve country offices?
• How can CRU online tools and systems ensure greater coordination and coherence with the work of BPPS and UNDP at large?
• How can the Max Hire database system used for deployments be better linked with online CRU platforms

Recommend new ICT systems to enhance CRU productivity

• What system could be used/developed to streamline and monitor CRU work planning?
• Setting up of an online travel module for CRU staff;
• Setting up of an online leave monitoring system for staff;
• Setting up an M&E system for CRU activities and implementation of SURGE Plans;
• Options and recommendations with respect to the provision of IT services to CRU.

Prepare and submit a report of the review and recommendations to enhance CRU functions

• 8-10 page report on the findings;
• Concrete recommendations on how to develop and/or enhance ICT systems within CRU based on the 4 sections above;
• Provision of a timeline to implement the recommendations;
• Provision of a detailed actions plan to implement the recommendations.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP's mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies: Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience and provides helpful advice to others in the office;
• Ability to develop systems for structuring, codifying and providing access to information and knowledge.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead planning and reporting;
• Strong analytical skills;
• Ability to provide IT support services including IT hardware/infrastructure support, ERP support, other IT applications support, web design and maintenance;
• Excellent knowledge of PC/LAN operating systems, Microsoft Windows, corporate ICT security and viral protection systems, knowledge of web design, knowledge of Microsoft Windows network administration, ERP;
• Ability to provide input to business process re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new systems;
• Excellent supervisory skills

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focus on results for the clients and respond positively to feedback;
• Consistently approach work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrate openness to change and ability to manage complexity.

Summary of Critical Competencies for Immediate Response Situations: Possess a comprehensive set of competencies enabling immediately taking on the challenging role of leading early recovery efforts in the designated area of responsibility - strategic, integrity, results orientation, teamwork, good inter-personal skills, well developed communication skills, sound judgment, analytical skills, flexibility, proactive engagement, innovation, risk management, gender and culturally sensitivity, ability to work under pressure and demonstrates high tolerance for change, complexity and unpredictability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's degree in Information systems, Information Management or Bachelors with four years of experience in Computer Science 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.

Experience:

• 10 plus years of relevant working experience, including development and implementation of ICT strategies, management and supervision of ICT services and teams, hardware and software platforms, telecommunications facilities, knowledge of Windows-based packages/applications, experience in web design and development of web-based office applications.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English.

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UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.