Vacancy Notice No. 2008/072
Position and Grade: Unit 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 relating to data processing, secure information distribution, information analysis and knowledge generation necessary to draw independent, impartial and credible safeguards conclusions.

The Customer Services and Operations Section provides 24/7 quality computer services to the Department of Safeguards, and is 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 project management, in close coordination with the Information Architecture and Projects Section. The Customer Services and Operations Section, which operates in an environment where protection of confidential information is paramount, comprises four units: Network Operations; Customer Services; Data Integration; Support and Coordination.

The Network Operations Unit manages the infrastructure required for secure data communication within the Department and for secure external connections to facilities, IAEA Regional Offices, inspectors in the field and Member States; manages the infrastructure required for secure safeguards applications; provides ICT security services; and is responsible for electronic role-based access authentication services to ensure the proper availability, integrity, and confidentiality of safeguards information.

Main purpose
Under the general supervision of the Head of the Customer Services and Operations Section, the Head of the Network Operations Unit is responsible for the smooth running of the infrastructure (network, servers and software), ensures maximum availability to deliver the required ICT services to Department of Safeguards, ensures that the security policies are implemented in the safeguards ICT infrastructure and are maintained through all evolutions, and coordinates with the Information Architecture and Projects Section for the deployment of ICT applications from development to production.

Role
The Unit Head is: (a) a manager and team leader, using innovative, smart, and workable solutions to ensure that programmes and tasks are implemented effectively; (b) a facilitator of inter-organizational cooperation in the deployment of IT infrastructure; and (c) a technical adviser to the Section Head and Division Director on specialist issues concerning ICT systems and ICT security.

Partnerships
The Network Operations Unit Head coordinates daily with colleagues in the Customer Services and Operations Section on matters regarding infrastructure operations, interacts with the Information Architecture and Projects Section project team business analysts, architects and project support staff on matters related to new application deployment. He/she collaborates with project leaders, IT staff throughout the IAEA and end-users to provide information on the solution to be deployed, and liaises with external contractors and vendors to support the infrastructure needs.

Functions / Key Results Expected
  • Plan, coordinate and supervise the activities of the Unit staff to ensure the delivery of programme objectives, covering the implementation and maintenance of ICT infrastructure (network, servers and software), including the support for the Regional Offices (Tokyo and Toronto), ensuring 24/7 availability.
  • Identify future needs and ICT infrastructure requirements to support technological changes and growing Departmental needs. Plan, lead and implement tasks required to achieve the same.
  • Work with the Unit staff to ensure the maximum reliability and availability of ICT infrastructure.
  • Establish service level agreements with other divisions and sections, working with the Section Head and other Unit Heads.
  • In collaboration with the Service Desk in the Customer Services and Operations Section, coordinate efforts to troubleshoot and implement solutions in the event of failure of any part of the IT infrastructure.
  • Plan and coordinate the deployment of applications delivered by the Information Architecture and Projects Section to the production environment and/or all the outsourced/third party applications, following the established change management process and quality system.
  • In collaboration with the Customer Services and Operations Section Head, plan the resource and skill needs of the Unit.
  • Ensure the high security of ICT infrastructure by taking and leading actions to achieve it, following the policies in place.
  • Participate in the implementation of the architecture governance, allowing the Department to deploy consistent ICT solutions across all the divisions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Innovative thinking with strong analytical and problem solving skills to deal with complex situations and problems.
  • 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.
  • Adherence to principles and values: A high standard of integrity, fairness and transparency to ensure and promote a work environment based on mutual respect and trust.
  • Management skills: Ability to manage human, financial and material resources to achieve stated objectives and to provide effective guidance to a team of professionals and support staff.
  • Planning and organizing skills:
    • Demonstrated ability to set clearly defined objectives and to plan activities/projects well in advance, taking into account possible changing circumstances;
    • Ability to identify and organize the required internal and external resources and to monitor performance against very tight deadlines and milestones.
  • Learning attitude: Ability to keep abreast of technological developments.
  • Strong interpersonal skills to deal effectively with internal and external counterparts.
  • Strong communication skills including effective presentation skills and the ability to write and edit technical reports.
  • Quality and customer orientation.

Education, Experience and Language Skills
  • Advanced university (or equivalent) degree in computer science, information technology or related technical discipline.
  • A minimum of ten years of relevant experience in the field mentioned above, including at least 5 years in ICT infrastructure operations and support, preferably in an international organization.
  • Excellent technical knowledge and proven experience in:
    • HP hardware and Microsoft software, including cluster configurations;
    • Network infrastructure, IT security, experience in design and implementation of infrastructure systems, troubleshooting and solving system failures.
  • Practical experience in implementing processes and procedures and documenting them.
  • Demonstrated experience in the management and operation of a large and complex IT infrastructure consisting of diverse hardware configurations, network systems, security devices and supporting software.
  • Knowledge of and practical experience with ICT service quality standard (ITIL) processes desirable.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English.

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.