Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Through its Democratic Governance Programme, UNDP Ukraine assists the government, civil society and people of Ukraine in advancing democratic policies and practices needed to accelerate progress on sustainable human development and human rights promotion. This includes advocating for human rights and gender equality, supporting anti-corruption efforts, ensuring that all Ukrainian citizens can protect their rights, strengthening parliament, and empowering civil society and youth activists.

In 2020, UNDP Ukraine expanded its governance portfolio to include new initiatives and successfully building on previous pilots and smaller but scalable interventions. With the advent of new political leadership in 2019, Ukraine has intensified its drive towards digitalization of state services – well in line with the Presidential commitment to deliver on the “Your State in Your Smartphone” initiative. UNDP Ukraine has been working in administrative service re-modelling, social innovation and digitalization, open data and better digital governance for over 15 years now. In 2020, UNDP Ukraine plans to launch a new programme to support the digital transformation in the country that will last for three years and aims to assist the Government of Ukraine not only in delivering state services online or through a mobile platform but also in having a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) to digitalization policy design.

The Digital, Inclusive, Accessible: Support to Digitalisation of Public Services in Ukraine (DIA Support) Project was presented to the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. Within the DIA Support Project, UNDP will assist its government counterparts, first and foremost the Ministry for Digital Transformations (MDT) to select two complexes of services that representatives of vulnerable groups face in life situations to enable the delivery of digitalized or digitally-enhanced, mobile-based services.

Therefore, UNDP Ukraine seeks to hire a Senior IT Specialist to support the implementation of the Project.

Under the Project Manager’s overall guidance and direct supervision, the Senior IT Specialist is responsible for effective delivery of project implementation support services, ensuring effective operational management of Project, transparent utilization of financial resources. The Senior IT Specialist promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations.

The Senior IT specialist collaborates with the respective CO Programme and Operations teams ensuring successful Country Office (CO) performance and compliance in programme management and finance. She/he oversees supervising the User Interface/User Experience IT Associate (UI / UX IT Associate).

The incumbent will promote UNDP’s mandate as a gender-responsive organization with zero tolerance to any discriminatory and abusive behaviour, including sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse.


Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions

• Lead the Project’s Output 2 “Government institutions have at least two client-centred digital service packages built around life situations designed in a participatory and gender-responsive manner”;
• Liaise with governmental bodies, as necessary for the implementation of Project purposes;
• Manage external contractors and teams of external experts hired by the Project to do elements of the Project work;
• Prepare analytical documents;
• Ensure the mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment considerations in the field of expertise;
• Promote a safe and enabling environment free of any discrimination and abusive behaviour;
• Perform other duties as necessary.

1. Lead the Project’s Output 2 “Government institutions have at least two client-centred digital service packages built around life situations designed in a participatory and gender-responsive manner”:

• Take the lead in all situations where there is a need for IT systems design, analysis of cybersecurity issues or certification of systems according to Ukraine’s standards;
• Under general supervision of the Project Manager and in close cooperation with the core Project beneficiaries, design terms of reference and procurement documentation for the purchase of services/works that are required to digitalize citizen-oriented services for vulnerable groups, develop relevant background documentation, conduct required certification procedures;
• Provides support to the development and implementation of partnerships and resources mobilization strategies to ensure sustainability of DIA Support project results under the leadership of the Project Manager in close coordination with the Democratic Governance Team Leader;
• Ensure timely and high-quality implementation of work plan activities.

2. Liaise with government bodies, as necessary for the implementation of Project Purposes:

• Liaise with government bodies, as necessary for the implementation of Project purposes, for instance in cases where the Project’s solutions link to other state bodies’ databases and rosters. Make sure that all necessary technical memoranda/data exchange protocols are in place to ensure effective work of the Project-designed services;
• Liaise with the stakeholders of the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection (SSSCIP) as and if necessary on issues of cybersecurity;
• Regularly interface with MDT, Diia SOE and donor-supported developers to make sure that the Project is in synchrony with the latest developments – including decisions on technical solutions that are deployed, to make sure that the Project’s outputs are compatible.

3. Manage external contractors and teams of external experts hired by the Project to do elements of the Project work:

• Draft terms of reference/scopes of work for Project consultants who may be involved in technical writing, development of documentation for the following types of certification: cryptographic protection (KZI), technical information protection (TZI), complex systems for information protection (KSZI), ISO 27001 type assessments and certificates. Conduct quality control of the works performed;
• Lead teams on testing and quality assurance of software, hardware, cryptographic and other solutions that are intended for procurement and deployment by the Project;
• Supervise teams of external experts hired by the Project to do elements of Project work as related to software development, certification, hardware procurement and configuration and underwrite the reports, memos and policy papers as produced by the Project.

4. Preparation of analytical documents:

• Prepare periodic reports capturing progress made and summarise highly technical information into digestible formats for report purposes;
• Drafting of reports, memos.

5. Ensure the mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment considerations in the field of expertise:

• Be aware of relevant gender issues and concerns in the field of expertise and be familiar with gender issues pertinent to the country/region;
• Promote, where possible, the participation of women experts in the IT sector.

6. Promote a safe and enabling environment free of any discrimination and abusive behaviour:

• Promote a team culture of gender equality and zero tolerance to any sexual misconduct in the team through leadership and personal example;
• Demonstrate respect for gender equality in professional interactions, identify and address sexism and gender discrimination, including in the products that the team produces and in professional behavior;
• Recognize the care responsibilities of both women and men employees and encourage personnel to take advantage of the available family-friendly facilities and work/life flexibilities.

Measurable outputs of the work assignment

• Developed software packages / IT systems successfully transferred “to the balance” of state entities in line with Ukrainian rules and regulations;
• Technical documentation for software, hardware, cryptographic solutions, terms of reference for consultants, reports with findings and recommendations produced on time and of high quality;
• Essential technical memoranda/data exchange protocols that enable data-processing for digitalized services under the Project are adopted;Project-developed / procured systems are certified in line with Ukrainian standards.

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

• Quality of work;
• Relations with colleagues and the ability to be an effective team player;
• Initiative;
• Technical Skills;
• Knowledge of required procedures;
• Communication and listening skills;
• Partnering and networking.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Leadership;
• Innovation;
• People Management;
• Communication;
• Delivery
• Commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Ethics and integrity;
• Corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Functional Competencies:

• Mature judgment combined with a proactive, energetic approach to problem-solving;
• The ability to manage project/programmes for results, including the ability to translate strategic aims into achievable annual work plans; and prepare project/programme reports promptly;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including acceptance of responsibility to ensure that organizational objectives, policies and requirements are met;
• Ability to manage external teams of consultants, ability to handle politically sensitive issues and contacts within government authorities and UNDP;
• Ability to work under continuous pressure and meet deadlines;
• Good analytical skills;
• Ability to manage IT Network and infrastructure;
• Knowledge of IT security management concepts, processes, and innovations and the ability to apply to strategic and practical situations;
• Ability to develop, support, and maintain applications;
• Knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment issues and ability to apply it to strategic and practical situations, e.g. integrating into the project/programme cycle, including design, planning, and implementation.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in IT, Management of Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Process Analysis, Public Administration, Science, Social Science or related field;

Experience

• Minimum 5 (five) years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience that includes management of teams dealing with IT or telecommunications, operations of an IT-related business, within a government entity or in the non-profit sector;
• Demonstrated track record of business process automation in any sector;
• Demonstrated track record of managing external contractors in the IT or telecommunications sphere, including quality control of deliverables;
• Demonstrated understanding of Ukraine’s IT development market, and of certification requirements vis-à-vis state-owned and state-operated systems dealing with sensitive personal data (including processes of KZI, TZI, KSZI certification and ISO 27001 certification);
• Certification in areas such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, design and architecture of IT systems, telecommunications at the national and international level is an asset.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English, Ukrainian (both spoken and written).

Please apply here https://jobs.partneragencies.net/erecruitjobs.html?JobOpeningId=35089&HRS_JO_PST_SEQ=1&hrs_site_id=2