IT Associate (Open to Tier 3, all Applicants)

Background

1.    Office/Unit/Project Description:  

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) actively supports Jordan in achieving sustainable development, leading to transformative change and tangible improvements in people's lives. This is achieved through the design and implementation of policies and programs that address the country's development challenges. UNDP emphasizes considerations such as Gender Equality, Private Sector Engagement, Environmental Sustainability, and Innovation, aligning local development solutions with the 2030 Agenda.
Collaborating with the European Union, UNDP aims to enhance the socio-economic well-being of vulnerable refugees and host populations in Jordan, reducing relative inequalities. This collaboration focuses on effective funding planning, coordination, and management, strengthening institutional capacities at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) to manage Humanitarian, Development, and Syria Crisis Response (HD&SCR) efficiently. The \"Project\" seeks to align funding management with national priorities, international commitments, and responses to the Syrian crisis, accelerating Jordan's progress toward human and sustainable development.
The objective will be achieved through (1) Supporting strengthening human, institutional, digital, and technical capacities for HD&SCR funding coordination and management within MoPIC, targeting, namely, Foreign Funding Unit and Humanitarian Relief Coordination Unit. Support will also be extended to MoPIC related departments and sections, including the Aid Coordination Section (ACS) (2) Enhancing alignment of aid with national priorities and international commitments through dialogue, empirical data, and research (3) Strengthening partnerships, communication, and ODA diplomacy.
Additionally, in acknowledgment of the challenges posed by the Syrian crisis, Jordan has been significantly affected, with an unprecedented influx of refugees straining resources and infrastructure. Since 2016, the Government of Jordan has actively responded through the \"Jordan Response Plan for the Syria Crisis\" (JRP), a rolling plan consolidating efforts to respond and mitigate the crisis's impact. The Jordan Response Information System for the Syria Crisis (JORISS) serves as the primary online platform for stakeholders, facilitating the submission, tracking, monitoring, and reporting of JRP-related projects.

The “EMFF” will develop mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of results. The trajectory of the “Project” is envisaged to reconcile new and existing digital tools, along with any third-party interventions that support aid monitoring and funding management at MoPIC; through assessments, upgrading and alignment as needed to construct a wider, unified, and integrated data system leading to improved policy and programme design and delivery, while at the same time enhancing accountability, advancing transparency, and results management.

In the modern landscape of humanitarian and development assistance, Information Technology (IT) plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency.

The “Project” shall support digital transformation including identifying and strengthening capacities and bridging systems' gaps through providing necessary equipment, hardware, software, digital tools and platforms that enhance  efficiency and effectiveness in HD&SCR settings.

2.    Scope of Work:

The IT Associate will work mainly with the Humanitarian Relief Coordination Unit (HRCU). He/she will support day to day IT support services , including the new Jordan Response Information System for the Syria Crisis (JORISS 2.0), with responsibility gradually growing to serve the implementation and deployment of other systems), and will be responsible for the following specific responsibilities:

1.    System Design and Development:
•     Support in the design and development of the front-end and back-end systems for JORISS 2.0.
•     Contribute to the creation of platform and web applications to support humanitarian relief coordination activities.
•     Collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements and ensure the developed systems meet the needs of the Humanitarian Relief Coordination Unit.
2.    Front-end  and Back-end Development:
•     Support developing responsive and user-friendly interfaces for web applications.
•     Ensure cross-browser compatibility and optimize application performance.
•     Build robust and scalable server-side logic.
•     Support designing and implementing database structures to support the applications.
•     Develop APIs and integrate with external systems as needed.
3.    Integration and Deployment:
•     Support managing the deployment of developed systems and applications.
•     Support integrating third-party services and APIs as required.
•     Ensure the security and stability of deployed systems.
4.    Collaboration and Documentation:
•     Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including project managers, designers, and other developers.
•     Document code, processes, and configurations to facilitate maintenance and future development.
5.    Continuous Improvement:
•     Stay updated on emerging technologies and industry best practices.
•     Propose and implement improvements to existing systems.
•      Support hardware/software troubleshooting.
6.    Analytical Reporting and Performance Evaluation:
•     Support in analyzing usage data and user feedback to identify areas for improvement in system design and functionality.
•     Generate regular reports on system performance metrics, including uptime, response times, and user engagement.
•     Provide insights and recommendations for enhancing user experience and maximizing system efficiency based on analytical findings.
•     Participate in knowledge building/sharing

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

3.    Institutional Arrangement :

The IT Associate will work under the guidance of the Governance and Peace Pillar Team Leader and in collaboration with the Project’s Team at UNDP and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.

4. Competencies:

Cross-functional & Technical competencies    Name Definition Digital  Data Governance Knowledge of data science, skills to develop data management tools, organize and maintain databases and operate data visualization technologies. Information Management & Technology  Data Management & Analytics  Knowledge in data management, data sciences, ability to structure data, develop dashboard and visualization. Design data warehouses, data lakes or data platforms concepts. Familiarity with Machine leaning, natural language processing or generation and the use of artificial intelligence to support predictive analytics. CDMP or TOGAF9 or equivalent certification desirable.  Information Management & Technology  User Experience and business analyst  Capacity to translate efficiently users needs in IT requirements around human-centred design principles. Knowledge of Oracle Cloud, ServiceNow, SalesForce.com, and Microsoft product an asset.  Information Management & Technology  Programming Knowledge in programming concept, developing software program and management of application lifecycle. Knowledge of Oracle VCBS, Microsoft tools and equivalent an asset.  Business Mangement Digital Awareness and Literacy Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value. Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends. Business direction &strategy Systems thinking  Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system Information Management & Technology Network, Communication and Infrastructure Management Ability to develop/integrate/operate/manage IT network, communications, Cloud or on-premise infrastructure, and new technologies like IoT. Cisco CCIE CCNP or similar is desirable.

5- Minimum Qualifications of the Successful NPSA Min. Education requirements A completion of a secondary education is required, or A university degree in Information Management system, Business Administration, Computer Management System, Computer Science, or other related field will be given due consideration but is not a requirement. Min. years of relevant work experience  A minimum of seven years (with secondary education) or four years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in web design, database development, data structure, portal creation or any other related fields is required.  Required  skills  Computer Systems Knowledge: A strong foundation in computer systems, including hardware, operating systems, and software applications, is vital.   Desktop Support: Providing technical assistance to end-users (such as employees) is part of the job. This includes resolving software glitches, setting up hardware, and addressing user queries.   Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section Proficiency in front-end technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and modern JavaScript frameworks (e.g., React, Angular, or Vue).   Strong back-end development skills with experience in server-side languages (e.g., Node.js, Python, Java, or Ruby).   Experience with database design and management (SQL or NoSQL databases).   Knowledge of API development and integration.   Proven experience as a Full-Stack Developer working on both front-end and back-end development.   Experience with deployment tools and version control systems (e.g., Git).   Familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).   knowledge of web design software such as Adobe creative suite, sketch map software, such as Adobe XD and/or Balsamic.   Knowledge of best practices in application security. Required Language(s)  Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English is required. 

6- The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

a)    Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
b)    A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
c)    Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.
 

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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