INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and ReportingThe mandate of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region. The role of ESCAP as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership with policy-oriented research and analysis and with normative, technical and capacity-building assistance to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of countries in Asia and the Pacific. This position is located in the Division of Administration, Information Technology Section, Digital Transformation Unit (DA/ITS/DTU). The incumbent reports to the Information Systems Officer. ResponsibilitiesUnder the direct supervision of the Information Systems Officer, and overall supervision of the Programme Management Officer, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions: • Acts as focal point for user requests related to web applications and digital solutions. • Provides basic technical support and troubleshooting for assigned frontend and backend components. • Installs, configures and maintains development environments, frameworks, and supporting tools according to specifications. • Provides basic support in the planning, specification, design, development, implementation and maintenance of customized web applications; works closely with senior developers and product owners to gather and clarify requirements; builds, tests, and refines features using agentic AI-assisted development tools; supports ongoing maintenance of deployed systems. • Supports senior staff in the creation and maintenance of application software using modern full stack technologies (e.g., React, Node.js, REST APIs, SQL/NoSQL databases); assists in the preparation of technical and user documentation, as well as in the production of training materials. • Provides support on software development matters, including security, data integrity and performance optimization; assists in assessing needs for new features or systems (including enhancements to existing solutions); leverages AI-assisted prototyping to accelerate delivery and maintain application quality. • Maintains regular contact with users and technical staff in user offices and provides support as required. • Conducts research on emerging frameworks, cloud-native development, and AI-assisted coding practices; assists in testing and evaluating new products and technologies. • Assists with the collection, analysis and visualization of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. • Updates and maintains information content such as web pages, dashboards, and digital assets. • Performs other related duties as required. Competencies• Professionalism: Knowledge of relevant programming language(s) and basic programming skills. Good technical skills, ability to participate in development and maintenance of applications, provide user support. Ability to respond to changing requirements and assignments, ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Able to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. • Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. • Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology. EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent is required. A first-level university degree may be accepted in lieu of two years of required experience. A first-level university degree in Computer Science or a similar field is desirable. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of five years (or three years if graduated with a first-level university degree) of experience in application development, information systems or software engineering is required. A minimum of 2 years of hands-on experience in full stack web development, including exposure to both frontend and backend technologies and in building, testing, and maintaining web applications using modern frameworks (e.g., React, Node.js, or equivalent) is required. A minimum of 1 year of experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) is required. A minimum of 1 year of experience with cloud-based environments (e.g., Azure, AWS, or equivalent) is desirable. Experience working with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, OpenAI API) is desirable. Prior experience collaborating with cross-functional teams, contributing to application development, and maintaining technical documentation is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. There are no additional desirable languages specified. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).