Vacancy Notice No. 2009/035
Position and Grade: Head, Customer Services Unit (P-4)
Organizational Unit: Customer Services and Operations Section
Division of Information Management
Department of Safeguards
Duty Station: Vienna, Austria
Issue Date: 25 May 2009 (re-opened on 22 October 2009)
Application Deadline: 4 November 2009
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 140 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, through: the provision and operation of secure information technology and communications (ITC) infrastructure at headquarters, regional offices and other remote safeguards sites, and to inspectors in the field; the provision of secure electronic data management systems (databases and electronic repositories); the design, implementation and control of IT security architectures and processes to support the Department's information security requirements; and quality customer support to ensure that the Department's staff 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 project management practices, in tight 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 three technical units and a support unit.

Within this Section the Customer Services Unit serves as a single support focal point for Departmental staff, regardless of their location, in their use of safeguards equipment, and IT and communications systems. Its responsibilities include: understanding staff needs and negotiating service level agreements ; managing software configurations and infrastructure changes; handling the standards-based service requests (equipment, IT, communications), and incident and problem resolution; and managing the electronic identities of customers and their assignment to roles, following specific policies and with appropriate approvals.

Main purpose
The main objective of the post is to manage the planning, delivery, monitoring and improvement of support to ensure that staff in the Department can use the secure IT and communications production services reliably, efficiently and securely regardless of their location worldwide.

Role
The Unit Head is a team leader, providing guidance to, scheduling the tasks of and supervising the staff of the Unit; a customer service specialist, fostering positive customer relations, collaboration and partnerships, and demonstrating a concern to satisfy business needs and commitment to delivering quality services; a process specialist, establishing ITIL compliant procedures for change management and the resolution of incidents while maintaining customer communication; a focal point for all IT service provision, and security and communication services for the Department of Safeguards, ensuring service quality; a project manager, defining, planning and executing infrastructure projects; and a skilled negotiator and communicator, negotiating and implementing service level agreements.

Partnerships
The Unit Head works in close partnership with other support areas, especially the Agency's Division of Information Technology and, on safeguards-specific equipment issues, the Division of Technical Support, to establish processes for service quality assurance and to support secure production infrastructure, communications and applications. The Unit Head works closely with software development and IT infrastructure operations stakeholders to manage change and to ensure that services are maintained at a high quality. He/she also works closely with the business analysts in the Information Architecture and Projects Section to ensure the proper integration of their business needs into future development. He/she liaises with the security officers to recommend and implement security enhancements on the Department's network, including staff computers. In close coordination with the Division of Information Technology, the incumbent works with external vendors to manage the lifecycle of desktop and laptop computers.

Functions / Key Results Expected
  • Plan, coordinate and supervise the activities of the Unit's staff to ensure the delivery of programme objectives, including the relevant financial and human resource actions. Provide coaching and hands-on training to staff, in addition to day-to-day supervision.
  • Develop, implement and maintain appropriate work processes according to ITIL and ISO standards to ensure that these processes and quality of services are followed, measured and reported through benchmarking, surveys and statistics. Manage the prioritization of calls, as required, ensuring efficient work flow and follow-up.
  • Oversee the physical security and operations (physical access control to restricted areas) entrusted to the Unit, and ensure that authorized security policies are implemented on staff computers.
  • In coordination with the Division of Information Technology, handle lifecycle management of PCs and laptops and the associated standard software, including the procurement of hardware and software and the secure disposal of obsolete IT hardware.
  • Plan and manage software releases and patch updates to the production environment, and function as the secretary of Change Control Board.
  • Establish and maintain service level agreements and support requirements with customer groups throughout the Department, including remote sites.
  • Establish and maintain a process by which the Department's business and service needs are met and communicate the business needs to business analysts.
  • Plan, lead and manage projects for the deployment of hardware, services and applications to the Department's IT infrastructure.
  • Communicates IT policies, updates and best practices in order to keep staff informed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Professional skills:
    • Excellent knowledge of IT security concepts and their application to local and remote computing environments;
    • Excellent knowledge of international IT service quality standards (for example ITIL) with a proven ability to achieve user satisfaction through the application of these standards;
    • A good understanding of computer system architecture and techniques, and familiarity with physical network infrastructure and telecommunications components;
    • Demonstrated knowledge of IT and communication services that include software, equipment and other services for customers;
    • Broad working knowledge of information systems as a whole, including a working knowledge of information technologies outside his/her own specialization.
  • Management and supervisory skills: Excellent team leadership to work with people in a highly demanding environment, including coaching, mentoring and motivating staff to follow quality guidelines.
  • Customer orientation: Demonstrated customer relationship management skills to minimize work incidents and maximize customer satisfaction.
  • Planning and organizing skills: Ability to plan resources and actions in order to ensure the rapid resolution of IT user problems. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and implement service level agreements.
  • Analytical skills: Ability to assimilate and analyse situations, plus skill in handling unexpected situations.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills.
  • Interpersonal skills: Ability to lead and to maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity. Ability to interact effectively with internal and external counterparts at various levels.

Education, Experience and Language Skills
  • University (or equivalent) degree in the area of information technology, computer science or equivalent.
  • At least seven years of relevant working experience, including significant experience in a supervisory capacity, preferably in an international organization.
  • Experience in IT project management and use of relevant tools (e.g.: MS Project).

Remuneration
The Agency offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at US $64 521 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), a variable post adjustment which currently amounts to US $39 551*, dependency benefits, 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.