Senior Officer, Infrastructure Support (Network and Telecom Operations)

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.
IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.
IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.
Background to the position
In virtually all countries, people increasingly rely on and expect a diverse range of digital services (e.g., through their mobile devices) to interact with local government, companies, and community organizations and services. This disruption is already happening to humanitarian assistance. Yet, the Digital Divide remains a persistent and significant challenge at both national and local levels.
The need for a successful and large-scale digital transformation is urgent. And Digitally Transforming the IFRC and its 191 members is a complex process which requires collaborative action and support across the membership. Therefore, the IFRC recently developed a Digital Transformation Strategy which was approved by the IFRC Governing Board in May 2021.
The Digital Transformation Department (DTD) has full leadership responsibility for the implementation of the digital transformation strategy and the positive impact it will have on the 191 National Society members of the IFRC. The DTD provides strategic leadership and guides the IFRC Secretariat as well as the members network to adapt and innovate humanitarian services, drawing on digital services, data-enabled decision-making, and other opportunities for digital transformation in support of the IFRC’s Strategy 2030. In addition, the DTD is responsible for the development and implementation of business transformation, information technology and digitalization services throughout the IFRC Secretariat, thereby supporting the same transformation in 191 NSs, setting the vision, and drawing stakeholders together on this digital journey

Job Purpose

The position holder will deliver high-quality IT infrastructure support services on telecommunication and network components, environments, and services, guarantee data information security, availability and integrity through strong operational competencies and within the ITIL framework. He/she will provide technical expertise and advice to policies and guidelines relating to the implementation and operational support of global networks, network security solutions, firewall and permitter protection systems, routers, switches for LAN and WAN connections including on-premise and cloud environment. Contribute to the development of operational procedures aligned with the support activities requirement, maintain them up to date and provide structured support recommendations to the various IFRC stakeholders and end-users across regions.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Network and Telecom Infrastructure – Operations support
• Provide 3rd level operational support for the global organizational networking and telecommunication infrastructure and services while ensuring compliance to ITIL and other applicable Frameworks. Work cross-functionally to manage operational incidents and service requests.
• Contribute to the design and deployment of network and telecom solutions by advising on the impact of planned changes, assisting operations in the roll-out and post-implementation.
• Design, install and maintain corporate LAN, WAN/SD-WAN, VPN, Wireless, VoIP, PSTN networks and security systems including but not limited to routers, switches, firewalls, wireless controllers and access points, radius servers, proxies, IPS/IDS/HIPS systems, SIEM, EPM/EDR, NAC solutions, and other networks/security services and appliances across all IFRC locations, offices and data centers.
• Establish and maintain network asset management processes, including maintaining network components inventory and related documentation, layouts, and technical specifications.
• Ensure service availability and quality by continuous monitoring and adaptation of network performance metrics and overall health.
• Develop and regularly evaluate KPIs and SLAs/OLAs for the services in scope and maintenance and monitoring of compliance against IFRC standards.
• Perform or control the execution by consultants of regular security audits and vulnerability assessment of cloud and on-premises network infrastructure, adequately develop and implement risk mitigation plans for the findings.
• Make sure there is an effective monitoring and alerting system in place to track system uptime and performance.
• Participate or control the execution by consultants in the preparation and execution of penetration testing activities, taking part in risk assessment, identifying and evaluating risk/threat factors, and implementing/reviewing/updating existing control and compliance mechanisms. • Build up and sustain strong vendor and business relationships with external and internal stakeholders based on a foundation of transparency, trust and open communication.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation related to systems in scope, transfer knowledge to colleagues, ensure sufficient documentation is available for tasks assigned to 1st or 2nd-level support staff.
• Lead modernization initiatives and implement cost-efficient solutions.
• Ensure effective functioning of the globally distributed network operated by the IFRC.
Network and Telecom Infrastructure - Project Support
• Advise on best scenarios to accomplish projects' objectives by building professional busines cases for decision making on any alternatives for management evaluation.
• Identify project and systems operational support requirements and processes during the project scoping, design, analysis and implementation phases, with a clear focus on non-functional requirements such as security, availability, and reliability of network and security systems and services.
• Proactively manage network and Telecom capacity by defining and monitoring performance thresholds per the Tiering-levels prior to the solution acceptance for operations handover.
• Maintain compliance with the Enterprise Architecture and PMO unit methodologies and policies throughout the project's lifecycle.
• Proactively identify training needs and innovations to ensure maximum adoption and success of projects and related processes. Deliver internal training on matters within network and security domains, including but not limited to tools, methodologies, policies.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

• Act as a subject matter expert in end-to-end tender, contract management and market assessment processes to ensure Network and Telecom infrastructure and security components and service providers are selected based on a comprehensive analysis of functional and non-functional requirements of business requirements.

Network and Telecom Infrastructure – Engineering
• Manage the the global network and telecommunication infrastructures capacity in line with short and long-term demands, and constantly improving operating efficiencies.
• Act as a subject matter expert for Secretariat departments, business units, and national societies by providing network designs, cost estimates, case-studies, Proof of Concepts, and technical solutions and documentation as required.
• Research, analyze and suggest innovative technologies to improve the existing or replace the legacy network and telecommunication technologies.
• Design new and optimize existing network and Telecom Infrastructure standards to ensure secure connectivity across data centers and field offices and in accordance with the applicable Enterprise Architecture policies and departmental or organizational strategies.
• Support the Enterprise Architecture function with advising on architecture strategies, policies, and methodologies related to the global network, telecommunication, and information systems. Lead to the implementation of such deliverables.
• Develop, design, and implement network projects leveraging cloud technologies to ensure optimal use of cloud resources.

Education

Required:

Engineering degree, in computer sciences discipline or equivalent experience.

ITIL certification or equivalent experience and proven track record of ITIL usage in an enterprise environment.

CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Administrator and Professional) certification is required or equivalent experience with a commitment to obtain such certificates in the foreseeable future.

Experience

Required:

Minimum 8 years of professional experience in the administration, setup, maintenance, data center operation.

Minimum 10 years of professional experience in the IT field, with minimum 5 years of networking (WAN/SD-WAN, LAN, Wi-Fi, VoIP) and Firewall infrastructure design and administration. Demonstrate a solid understanding of network layers, topologies, protocols, and hands-on experience in advanced troubleshooting of complex infrastructure issues.

Proven track record in managing large Windows networks, including ADDS/ADFS/ADCS/DNS/DHCP and other related networking and security services.

Minimum 3 years of professional experience in operational maintenance and configuration of hybrid cloud infrastructure. (O365, AzureAD, AzureAD Connect, Web Application Proxy…etc.)

Minimum 8 years of professional experience in the administration, setup, maintenance, and management of Windows Servers, including failover clustering

Experience in service management and reporting tools

Preferred:

Experience with the implementation, configuration, custom dashboard development, and automation of SIEM systems and alerts.

Advanced, hands-on PowerShell skills and experience are an advantage.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required:

Excellent knowledge and proven experience in Windows Server 2012 or 2016, Active Directory, Active Directory Federation Services, and Active Directory Certificate Services management.

Good knowledge of antivirus policies and deployment (McAfee and Microsoft) applied to servers and workstations protection

Good knowledge of industry-standard network monitoring systems and protocols.

Excellent knowledge combined with a profound technical understanding of the various protocols involved in the user/device/claim authentication-authorization, file sharing, email delivery, and cryptography operations in a Microsoft Active Directory Domain infrastructure.

Good knowledge of SSL certificate management is required.

Proven team player, ability to adjust to different cultures and languages.

Adept at analysis, problem-solving, solution and end-user result-oriented.

Affinity for teamwork, collaborative attitude, open-minded and adaptable.

Well organized, able to work under pressure and manage emergencies.

Good analytical skills to interpret problems identifies solutions, and possible side-effects.

Fluently spoken and written English.

Preferred:

Excellent knowledge and proven experience with the configuration and implementation of software deployment solution tools (SCCM or Intune is an advantage).

Good knowledge of antivirus policies and deployment (McAfee and Microsoft) applied to servers and workstations protection.

Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and Teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National Society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust

Comments: This is a national staff position open to Hungarian nationals and others who are legally eligible to work in Hungary. Candidates must be able to provide proof of their eligibility to work in Hungary.