ICT Senior Associate – Backend and Software Architecture

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY*

* THIS IS A LOCAL POSITION FOR WHICH ONLY APPLICANTS WHO ARE SERBIAN NATIONALS OR APPLICANTS WHO POSSESS A VALID RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMIT IN SERBIA ARE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION*

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

The New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their Peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP). It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

Background Information – Job Specific

Our UN partner has requested the assistance of UNOPS in providing various ICT services. UNOPS has entered into a service-oriented agreement with the UN ICT partner to deliver support in various ICT domains. The objective of this function is to maintain, further develop, design, deploy, monitor, support, maintain and demonstrate data services between and with all other agencies in the United Nations Security Management System (UNSMS). United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) provides leadership for the UNSMS.

This is a position in UNOPS for supporting projects carried out for or in the United Nations Secretariat. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Under the overall supervision of UNOPS Programme Manager and the general supervision of partner’s Information Systems Officer, the incumbent will serve as Lead Backend Engineer/Software Architect and will perform the following tasks:

Summary of Key Functions  

1. Software Design and Development 
2. Technical Support 
3. Knowledge Management 
4. Test and QA

Expected Results:

• Design and develop UNDSS API services. Perform business analysis, requirements definition, feasibility and risk analysis and propose changes. Identify opportunities for enhancement of the existing UNDSS API services and UNSMS applications;
• Identify opportunities for improving business processes through information systems and/or non-system driver changes; assists in the preparation of proposals to develop new systems and/or operational changes. 
• If required, design, develop and maintain new software modules/systems for UNSMS applications; provide modifications of the existing UNSMS applications, including but not limited to TRIP, SRM, eTA, SSIRS.
• Provide modification and extension of the existing UNDSS API services, creating data retrieval logic, code change and documentation to incorporate any technical changes, bugs or new/modified business needs.

• Monitor UNDSS API services with a special attention to performance and security issues. Identify monitoring tools.
• Act as the Tier 3 technical support

• Research, analyze and evaluate innovative technologies and make recommendations for their deployment.

• Perform quality control and quality assurance of the software developed to ensure that it meets user requirements. Organizes and performs unit testing, integrated and regression testing. Ensures that the testing is documented. Develop training materials, operating and user manuals;
• Acceptance testing with clients and validate results. Properly documents interaction with clients. 
• Proactively reviewing services to recommend changes to the model, the core code, data retrieval logic. Ensure that software security standards observed by the organization are followed.
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Impact of Results 

The ICT Senior Associate - Backend and Software Architecture impacts directly on delivery of services that satisfy the requirements of UNDSS. It will also ensure proper processes and methodologies are followed and implemented according to the latest industry standards. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring activities for all UNOG stakeholders are in line with the overall business targets and UN policies, rules and regulations. 

• Meetings with supervisor and feedback as necessary.

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY*

• Secondary school diploma (or high school equivalent) and seven (7) years of relevant experience are required OR.
• A first-level university degree (undergraduate, Bachelors, or equivalent) preferably in Computer Science, Information Systems, Mathematics, Statistics or in a field related to the post description with three (3) years of relevant experience.
• A relevant professional or technical diploma may substitute for some of the required years of work experience.

Required: 

• Relevant experience is defined as experience in the field of planning, design, development, implementation and maintenance of computer information systems or related area.
• At least three (3) years of experience programming and maintaining web-services. 
• At least three (3) years of practical commercial experience in developing programs in C#.
• Strong knowledge and experience in developing information solutions using service-oriented architecture (SOA) principles.

Desirable: (The following experience is optional. Candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply)

• Knowledge of UNDSS API services 
• Knowledge of one or more of the following platforms is desired: WCF, WPF, ASP.NET, ADO.NET, LINQ, Entity Framework, Azure Cloud. 
• Knowledge of one or more of the following programming languages is desired: C# .NET, Visual Basic .NET, JavaScript, AJAX 
• Thorough knowledge of relational database management software (e.g. SQL Server) and SQL.
• DotNetNuke knowledge.

• For the position advertised, fluency in English (write, read, speak) is required. 

• Contract type: ICA
• Contract level: LICA 7
• Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types. 
• This position is stationed in Belgrade, Serbia which is a family duty station.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete)  in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.