Post title: Senior IT Assistant

Organizational unit: UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE)

Duty station: Moscow, Russia

Closing date: 08 August 2024

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

The UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE) was established as an integral part of UNESCO by the General Conference of UNESCO at its 29th session (November 1997). IITE is the only UNESCO Category 1 Institute that holds a global mandate for ICT in education.

Under the overall guidance of the Director of the UNESCO IITE, direct supervision of the head of administrative office of IITE and in close cooperation with the UNESCO Bureau for Digital Business Solutions (DBS) and other relevant services Senior IT Assistant will perform the functions aimed at IITE’s IT systems administration and maintenance support, web site administration and other related services.

In particular, Senior IT Assistant will:

• Ensure effective desktop administration and configuration and server operations and administration in line with the organizational requirements. Deliver the day-to-day IT support of the workstations, servers, the overall computing environment, IP telephony, video conferencing systems as well as of printers and scanners. Perform software distribution updates, scripting, testing and support. In close cooperation with DBS ensure the maintenance of all IT equipment and that the staff members of the IITE have proper operational workstations with necessary applications, recommend technology and configurations for effective provision of services to the IITE.
• Implement deployment and upgrade methods for computers and software standardized by DBS. Ensure service installation and support, including tasks related to service requests such as equipment replacement, equipment installation/de-installation, software installation, LAN connection, etc. Respond to and resolve requests related to technical hardware, software, or services problems with the IT environment of the IITE. Coordinate with external service providers as appropriate. Create and track service tickets in UNESCO service desk portal If required.
• Liaise with the DBS and other relevant UNESCO central services as required regarding IT needs and problems of the IITE. Provide effective cooperation and services to meet the diverse technical needs of users. Maintain absolute discretion in dealing with confidential data and documents, develop information notes and provide training sessions to users if required.
• Investigate, recommend, and implement new IT technologies/policies and their effective application to the IITE environment in line with the requirements of UNESCO. These should include, but not be limited to, anti-virus, anti-spam measures, password management, file access security, email good practices, workstation, and server security.
• Day-to-day monitor and implement data backup and restoration to ensure that the IITE data is effectively secured and implement disaster recovery and offsite data protection policies. Inform the supervisor of any IT security incidents, including with service providers and assist in the technical response to these incidents.
• Ensure LAN administration, such as support LAN hardware and LAN infrastructure devices, technical network support and support LAN services according to the rules and standards defined by UNESCO, including the WAN’s connection.
• Support administration of Linux-based web servers, DNS servers, SMB servers, firewalls etc. Issue SSL certificates, update server software.
• Ensure maintenance and administration of WordPress based websites, including CMS and plugin updates.
• Maintain accurate inventory of computers, software, and licenses, maintain accurate documentation of the technical environment and IT. Recommend acquisition of hardware, software, devices, tools, etc. to facilitate work, assist in IT procurement activities and development of IT procurement plan.
• Perform other tasks as required by supervisor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Higher education in relevant field.

Work Experience:

• At least four (4) years of relevant experience in the provision of IT systems administration and maintenance support, including software solutions, working with various hardware, software and networking systems, services and applications as well as website administration and development is required.
• Experience in Linux and Windows Server administration, including package managers, bash scripting, OpenSSL, SSH, Active Directory, DNS, proxy servers, Hyper-V Failover cluster management etc.

Skills/Competencies:

• Ability to manage heavy workloads and multitask to meet deadlines, paying close attention to detail;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective working relations with colleagues in a multicultural environment;
• Strong organisational skills for planning and managing tasks;
• Strong IT skills.

Languages:

• Fluency (written and spoken) in Russian and English is required.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work Experience:
• Experience in full-stack development in PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, including Node JS, Webpack, Bootstrap, SQL is an advantage;
• Previous experience in the United Nations System or other international organizations and/or large companies and corporations.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply through the Job Opportunities section on the website of the UNESCO IITE as only applications received through this channel will be considered. Applications received after the deadline (08 August 2024) will not be considered. Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step may be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.