Senior Information Technology Officer (Global Infrastructure)

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The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments.

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Organizational Setting

The Digital FAO and Agro-Informatics Division (CSI) is responsible for all Information Technology (IT) activities within the Organization.

CSI defines FAO Information Technology (IT) policies, strategy, IT architecture and standards and is responsible for the provision of digital products and services utilized to deliver the mandate of the Organization and support its operations worldwide.

CSI manages and supports a set of corporate digital products and services which collectively comprise the FAO Digital Workplace utilized by personnel across the Organization worldwide to access Organizational digital resources and data, in order to perform their work regardless of location or time zone in a secure manner. This includes management of an infrastructure that comprises both cloud-based platforms and on-premise digital capabilities. These are accessible through a wide area network connecting all FAO offices across the globe.

The position is located in the Digital FAO and Agro-Informatics Division (CSI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Information Technology Officer (Global Infrastructure) reports to the Director, Digital FAO and Agro-Informatics Division (CSI) and within work-planning and resource-allocation coordination provided by the Deputy Director, CSI.

Technical Focus

The Senior Information Technology Officer (Global Infrastructure) will lead the Digital Workplace teams responsible for the products and services that comprise the Organization's infrastructure (both cloud-based and on-premise), managed by CSI and utilized by FAO personnel worldwide.

He/she will manage teams that responsible for Organization's global digital infrastructure, including cloud platforms utilized by the Organization (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), office and productivity tools based on Microsoft technologies, the monitoring and support of the FAO wide area network, the FAO headquarters digital infrastructure, and the management of the FAO data centres. Duties and responsibilities will also include provision of technical support of corporate events and audio-visual setups within the Organization's headquarters in Rome, Italy. In addition, the successful candidate will lead the transformation of the FAO headquarters infrastructure in Rome, Italy through the replacement of legacy equipment and integration of various tools to ensure it meets the dynamic needs of the Organization.

Key Results

Leading strategies and provision of advice as well as IT projects and activities to ensure that the Organization's requirements for Information Systems (IS) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) are effectively met.

Key Functions

• Leads specialized activities carried out by CSI.

• Prepares work plans and monitors progress to ensure delivery of operations and/or project outputs as per organizational needs and agreed priorities.

• Manages the financial and human resources assigned.

• Develops, monitors and reports on key performance indicators of the assigned functions.

• Advises senior management on IT matters, including the implications of various functional and technological alternatives and on IS/ICT strategies, governance and standards including their impact on the Organization's ability to deliver its programmes.

• Leads the planning, coordination and setting of policies for the development and implementation of an Organization-wide IS/ICT strategy and for the development of supporting standards, procedures and practices according to the agreed work plans.

• Leads special projects and supervises staff, including external service providers and consultants.

• Represents the Organization and the Division in formal meetings, negotiations and/or mediation/problem resolution meetings to reach agreement on various IT issues and/or to resolve difficult or contentious problems.

• Promotes initiatives under the Organization's work on the Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy to reduce emissions, increase efficiency and integrate sustainability into the Organization's daily operations.

Specific Functions

· Leads the various teams of Global Infrastructure within the CSI Digital Workplace stream ensuring support is provided at defined levels and agreed-upon work plans are executed as agreed.

· Safeguards availability of various cloud-based platforms as per contractual agreements with vendors and ensures timely and effective communication to relevant stakeholders in the event of outages (both planned and unplanned).

· Oversees the CSI disaster recovery plan, ensuring restoration of services as per established and agreed-upon metrics.

· Leads activities related to the transformation of the Organization's global infrastructure into a proactive and intelligence setup through the replacement of legacy equipment and integration of various monitoring and service management tools.

· Ensures the warranty and utility of the FAO global infrastructure, comprising of the Organization's wide area network and Rome Headquarters local area network.

· Oversees the operation of the FAO data centers and Network Control Center (NOC) located in the Organization's headquarters in Rome, Italy.

· Oversees service levels and key performance indicators under his/her areas of responsibility to ensure that targets are met as defined.

· Oversees digital aspects for corporate events that take place at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. This includes ensuring that all ICT capabilities are in place and available as per defined timelines during the complete event lifecycle and CSI personnel are in place to provide the necessary support.

· Ensures continuing warranty and utility of audio-visual setups in meeting rooms located within the Organization's headquarters in Rome, Italy and managed by CSI.

· Performs other tasks as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

· Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Electric or Electronic Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics or a related field.

· Ten years of relevant experience in leading diverse teams supporting a complex and diverse infrastructure (cloud-based and on-premise) in an international setting.

· Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and limited knowledge ( intermediate proficiency -level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

· Results Focus

· Leading, Engaging and Empowering

· Communication

· Partnering and Advocating

· Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

· Strategic Thinking

Technical/Functional Skills

· Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.

· Extent and relevance of experience in the field of the Corporate Environmental Responsibility is an asset.

· Extent experience in leading, engaging and empowering multidisciplinary teams, supporting an infrastructure Environment.

· Extent of experience and knowledge in managing cloud-based platforms based on AWS, Microsoft, and Oracle Technologies.

· Extent of experience and knowledge in managing collaboration and productivity tools based on Microsoft technologies (M365, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Teams, Sharepoint) and communications platforms (Zoom).

· Extent of experience in designing and implementing a complex network topology connecting on-premise end-points (including data centres) to external capabilities (Internet, cloud-based platforms) and managed through a consolidated Network Control Center (NOC).

· Extent of experience and knowledge in utilizing Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) methodology for the provision of services using processes such as incident management, request fulfillment, change management and configuration management. ITIL knowledge and certification is an asset.

· Demonstrated experience in management of contracts and negotiation with external vendors for the provision of products and services.

· Demonstrated experience in preparing project proposals, management reports and other documents related to the area of work.

· Extent and relevance of experience in the field of corporate environmental responsibility is an asset.

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FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

• Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds
• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: https://commonsystem.org/cp/default.asp
Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:
• Dependency allowances
• Rental subsidy
• Education grant for children
• Home leave travel
• 30 working days of annual leave per year
• Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund
• International health insurance; optional life insurance
• Disability protection

FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes:
• elements of family-friendly policies
• flexible working arrangements
• standards of conduct.
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HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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