ICT Associate – Head of ICT Unit

The ICT Associate – Head of ICT Unit provides leadership and coordination in delivering high-quality ICT services for the UNDP Common Premises Unit in Baghdad. The role involves strategic planning, infrastructure management, team supervision, and ensuring compliance with corporate ICT policies to support UNDP and co-located UN agencies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the common premises ICT team and coordinate the implementation of ICT activities and services, ensuring alignment with UNDP’s operational needs and standards.
• Coordinate the integration of ICT assets and systems received from UNAMI, ensuring minimal disruption and full alignment with UNDP protocols.
• Oversee the decommissioning and repurposing of ICT infrastructure, ensuring proper asset documentation, labeling, and disposal according to UNDP and UN regulations.
• Develop local ICT budgets, procurement forecasts, and asset management reports for internal tracking and donor reporting.
• Manage local IT support operations, including helpdesk services, network availability, and end-user support for hardware and software issues.
• Supervise national CP ICT staff and contractors, delegate responsibilities, and ensure team development and performance monitoring.
• Liaise with national service providers, vendors, and partners for procurement, maintenance, and service delivery of ICT-related contracts.
• Work collaboratively with the UNDP ICT Team on all aspects of the common premises network and security management, including planning, implementing, and maintaining secure network infrastructure, monitoring network performance, and ensuring compliance with UNDP security policies and standards.
• Participate in joint efforts to strengthen cybersecurity measures, monitor firewalls, and respond to security incidents.
• Ensure robust ICT security measures are implemented, monitored, and reported in compliance with UNDP policies.
• Ensure business continuity planning (BCP) and disaster recovery measures are in place and tested.
• Support IT project work as necessary, including developing proposals and solutions for standard desktop setups and new products.
• Serve as a focal point for coordination of related activities, such as monitoring or expediting computer applications or systems development projects.
• Prepare standard terms of reference, process and follow up on administrative actions, and resolve issues related to project implementation (e.g., training, procurement).
• Provide guidance to new/junior staff and ensure training is received for proper implementation of projects/assignments.
• Occasionally supervise a team of staff for specific projects.
• Draft correspondence and communications, including work plan revisions and periodic reports.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field; perform benchmarking and propose new acquisitions.
• Ensure proper documentation of technical tasks, service records, and infrastructure diagrams.
• Calculate and comply cost estimates and projected budget requirements and assist in preparation of budget and audit reports.
• Assess and evaluate costs of all services received, and provide reports as required, on cost trends and variations in the billing of all services being utilized.
• Follow up on outstanding payments and recovery of charges.
• Maintain electronic records of all expenditures for commercial communications of the compounds and provide this information on a regular basis.
• Perform other duties within their functional profile, as deemed necessary, for the efficient functioning of the CP and the Organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree with 4 years of relevant experience OR High School certificate with 7 years of relevant experience.
• Minimum of 7 years (with high school diploma) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant working experience in development and implementation of ICT strategies, management and supervision of ICT services and teams, hardware and software platforms, telecommunications facilities, knowledge of Windows-based packages/applications, experience in web design and development of web-based office applications.
• Experience working with user-centered designs and conducting user research and testing is required.
• In-depth knowledge of LAN/WAN design, routing, VLANs, VPNs, and Wi-Fi networks.
• Experience with Cisco/Meraki or equivalent enterprise-class network and firewall systems.
• Strong understanding of IP addressing, network segmentation, QoS, and redundancy setups.
• Proficiency in using network monitoring and management platforms (e.g., Zabbix, Meraki Dashboard).
• Ability to plan and implement infrastructure upgrades, failover mechanisms, and capacity management.
• Solid understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and risk management practices.
• Experience in firewall configuration, intrusion prevention, endpoint protection, and access control policies.
• Knowledge of disaster recovery, data backup, and business continuity planning.
• Familiarity with UN/ISO 27001 security standards and ICT compliance policies.
• Experience managing service desks or IT support operations with defined SLAs.
• Proven ability to ensure timely response and resolution of incidents and service requests.
• Proficiency in IT asset management, licensing control, and software lifecycle oversight.
• Skill in analyzing recurring issues and implementing preventive and corrective measures.
• Oversight experience with telephony (VoIP / CUCM / Teams) and radio communication systems (VHF/UHF).
• Familiarity with VTC operations (Teams Rooms, Webex, Zoom, etc.) and meeting room AV systems.
• Familiarity with emergency notification systems, CCTV, and access control integration.
• Experience with Windows, UNIX, and Non-UNIX server platforms.
• Experience with virtualization platform: VMware.
• Proven ability to develop/integrate/operate/manage IT network, communications, Cloud or on-premise infrastructure, and new technologies like IoT. Cisco CCIE CCNP or similar is desirable.
• Proven ability to deliver IT products and services to customers at the right level of Quality and Costs, taking into account user experience. ISO 20000 knowledge. ITIL certification or similar is desirable.
• Proven ability to advise on IT continuity and disaster recovery. Knowledge of ISO 22301.
• Previous relevant experience supporting UN/International organizations or NGOs field communications systems.
• Fluency in English and Arabic languages is required.
• Knowledge of Kurdish language is desired.
• Certifications in CCNP, MSCA, MSCE or MCP are an asset.

Skills

• ICT Strategy Development
• IT Service Management
• Team Supervision
• Hardware Platforms Management
• Software Platforms Management
• Telecommunications Facilities Management
• Windows-based Applications
• Web Design
• Web-based Office Applications
• User-Centered Design
• User Research
• User Testing
• LAN/WAN Architectures
• Network Routing
• VLAN Configuration
• VPN Management
• Wi-Fi Networks
• Cisco Network Systems
• Meraki Network Systems
• Enterprise Firewall Systems
• IP Addressing
• Network Segmentation
• Quality of Service
• Network Redundancy
• Network Monitoring
• Zabbix
• Meraki dashboard
• Infrastructure Upgrades
• Failover Mechanisms
• Capacity Management
• Cybersecurity Frameworks
• Risk Management
• Firewall setup
• Intrusion Prevention
• Endpoint Protection
• Access Control Policies
• Disaster Recovery
• Data Backup Solutions
• Business Continuity
• UN ISO 27001 Security Standards
• ICT Compliance Policies
• ICT Service Desk Management
• IT Support Operations
• Service Level Agreements
• Incident Response
• Service Request Resolution
• ICT asset management
• Software Licensing Control
• Software Development Life Cycle Management
• Problem Analysis
• Preventive Measures
• Corrective Measures
• VoIP Telephony
• CUCM
• MS Teams
• Radio Communications Systems
• VHF Radio Communication
• UHF Communication
• Video Teleconferencing Operations
• Teams Rooms
• Webex
• Zoom
• Meeting Room AV Systems
• Emergency Notification Systems
• CCTV Integration
• Access Control Integration
• Windows Server Platforms
• UNIX Server Platforms
• Non-UNIX Server Platforms
• VMWare Virtual Infrastructure
• IT Network Management
• Cloud Infrastructure Management
• On-Premise Infrastructure
• Internet of Things
• ISO 20000
• ITIL Certification
• IT Continuity Planning
• ISO 22301
• Field Communications Systems
• CCNP
• MSCA Certification
• MSCE Certification
• MCP Certification

Languages

English, Arabic, Kurdish