Vacancy Notice No. 2008/071
Position and Grade: Section Head (P-5)
Organizational Unit: Customer Services and Operations Section
Division of Information Management
Department of Safeguards
Duty Station: Vienna, Austria
Issue Date: 11 September 2008
Application Deadline: 24 October 2008
Type/Duration of Appointment: Fixed term, 3 years (subject to a probationary period of 1 year)

Organizational Setting
The Department of Safeguards is the organizational hub for the implementation of IAEA safeguards. The IAEA implements nuclear verification activities for more than 160 States in accordance with their safeguards agreements. The safeguards activities are undertaken within a dynamic and technically challenging environment including advanced nuclear fuel cycle facilities and complemented by the political diversity of the countries.

The Division of Information Management comprises four sections and provides the Department of Safeguards with the services of data processing, secure information distribution, information analysis and knowledge generation necessary to draw independent, impartial and credible safeguards conclusions.

The Section for Customer Services and Operations is responsible for 24/7 quality computer services to the Department of Safeguards, through the provision and operation of a secure information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure at headquarters, the Regional Offices and other remote safeguards sites and also to inspectors in the field. It provides secure electronic data management systems (databases and electronic repositories) by ensuring the design, implementation and control of IT security architectures and processes to support the Department's information security requirements, and quality customer support enabling staff in the Department of Safeguards to have the approved electronic tools and information required for their work.

The Division's customer services and operations are run in compliance with best practices defined by international standards, in particular ITIL and ISO 17799, while the development of the infrastructure and database landscape follows best practices in project management, in close coordination with the Information Architecture and Projects Section. The Customer Services and Operations Section, which operates in an environment where the protection of confidential information is paramount, comprises four units: Network Operations; Customer Services; Data Integration; Support and Coordination.

Main purpose
As a team leader reporting to the Division Director, the Section Head plans, guides, coordinates and supervises, in line with the strategic directions of the Division, the work necessary to provide quality information technology, telecommunications and IT security services to the IAEA's verification activities, ensuring that these are provided according to high international standards and are appropriate for the requirements and challenges of today and the future.

Role
The Section Head is a team leader of a group of approximately 30 staff, a planner, motivator, and implementer of the programme of activities for the Section; a decision taker, relying on excellent technical and process advice from competent sources as well as her/his own competencies; a manager, making every effort to ensure that the appropriate staff, financial, equipment and time resources are made available for resolution of any IT related service and security issues.

Partnerships
The Section Head develops working partnerships and collaboration across the Department and throughout the IAEA, as well as with Member States. In particular, she/he works closely with counterparts and experts throughout the IAEA to define and operate IT, communications and security solutions with a view to maintaining and developing the IT, communications and security services in a synergetic cooperation approach.

Functions / Key Results Expected
  • Plan the programmatic direction and work of the Section, including the establishment of concrete objectives, milestones and performance indicators.
  • Lead the Section in a manner that promotes motivation and collaboration, internal and external, to optimize the outcomes from the available resources.
  • Ensure that IT services supporting verification activities (99.5% availability) conform to the required quality and security standards.
  • Ensure, through training and recruitment, that the Section maintains an appropriate balance of skills and resources for the provision of reliable IT operations, including high security standards.
  • Liaise with Member States for the provision of technical assistance related to state-of-the-art IT infrastructure and IT security.
  • Contribute definitive expert advice in the development of the IAEA's information security capacities, IT quality standards, communications and security operations and projects, and on equipment investment priorities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Technical expertise: In-depth knowledge of IT operations, IT security, and data services issues and support processes.
  • Leadership skills: Ability to communicate a common and inspiring vision, to provide others with clear direction, to adopt a strategic approach and to act as a catalyst for change.
  • Strong customer orientation to ensure adequate services to users and collaborative inclination to maintain productive relations with other IT specialists.
  • Ability to handle confidential information and to conceptualize, design and implement secure operations in a sustainable manner, through adequate technical solutions and internal processes.
  • Excellent analytical skills: Ability to identify interrelationships in IT operations for resource optimization and for security auditing, including for incident forensics effectiveness.
  • Management skills: Demonstrated ability to apply best practices in human and financial resource management.
  • Strong communication skills: Ability to deliver briefings and conferences in English to internal and Member State audiences, illustrating and explaining IT and security operations, projects, standards and architectures. Ability to write analytical and policy documents.
  • Learning attitude: Ability to keep abreast of developments in relevant information, security and communications technologies.
  • Strong interpersonal skills to promote collaboration with internal and external counterparts in a multicultural environment.

Education, Experience and Language Skills
  • Advanced university (or equivalent) degree, relevant to IT, particularly with an emphasis on information security.
  • At least 10 years of experience in IT operations and support, including 3 years managing a team of IT operations, support and data services staff, particularly in a secure environment.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English. Knowledge of at least one other official IAEA language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) highly desirable. Knowledge of German an asset for liaison with local vendors.

Remuneration
The Agency offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $75 432 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $52 048*, dependency benefits, diplomatic status, rental subsidy, education grant, relocation and repatriation expenses; 6 weeks' annual vacation, home leave, pension plan and health insurance.

How to apply to the IAEA

* Subject to change without notice

Applications from qualified women and candidates from developing countries are encouraged

Applicants should be aware that IAEA staff members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. Staff members may be assigned to any location. The IAEA retains the discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade or to make an appointment with a modified job description or for shorter duration than indicated above. Testing may be part of the recruitment process.