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Information Management Officer (IMO)

The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training or any other fees). Also, the United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts.

Post title and level: Information Management Officer (IMO), P-4

Duty station: Amman/Jordan with frequent travel to Iraq

Duration: Until 31 December 2011

Vacancy Notice number: OCHA/G/ 06/2011

Deadline for applications: 04 March 2011

Date of entry: asap

United Nations Core Values: Integrity ● Professionalism ● Respect for diversity

1) Background & Organizational Setting

The Information Management Officer will be expected to support the implementation of OCHA’s Field Information Management Strategy under the supervision of the Head of IAU. He/she will be expected to provide direct support to IAU, OCHA Humanitarian Support Unit(HSU), UN agencies, national organisations in the adoption and use of field information management applications and procedures, particularly the OCHA developed standardised Content Management System, the Who does What Where and Contact Directory and the Field Document Management System. He/she will also support the development and improvement of field information management procedures to ensure that information management functions are efficient and provide the best possible functionality and usability to humanitarian partners.

He/she will more specifically be responsible for providing information management support to humanitarian coordination processes among the UN Agencies and other partners as follows:

a) Manage the Information Management function or staff working on information management activities.

b) Lead and/or participate in large, complex projects, which may include disaster assessment or other missions, advising and strengthening information management capacities of natural disaster authorities; and the coordination of the information management aspects of international humanitarian/emergency assistance for complex emergency/disaster situations.

c) Support a systematic analytical approach to humanitarian coordination and response in national disaster management authorities, Resident Coordinator’s offices, IASC Disaster Management Teams by identifying the questions or issues to be addressed by decision makers, separating the issues or questions into more understandable information or data elements, modelling the issues, investigating model results, analysing the results, and possibly making recommendations in consultation with subject matter experts.

d) Lead and implement a client-oriented approach with all relevant stakeholders to help identify priority information requirements to ensure that the information needed to support humanitarian operations and the coordination role of the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator, IASC Disaster Management Team, national authorities, is submitted/collected, organised, prioritised and made available to all humanitarian stakeholders in-country.

e) Assess and make recommendations to national authorities, the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator or Head of IAU on the primary data and information elements that are required internally and externally to support humanitarian decision making.

f) Support in the assimilation of global information management standards, policies and procedures to guide related activities within the Unit.

g) In partnership with the relevant functional areas of IAU/OCHA, plan, implement and evaluate information management components of humanitarian and emergency assistance programmes in the field; help ensure that latest findings, lessons learned, policy guidelines, etc. are incorporated into these activities.

h) Collaborate with UN agencies and regional development organizations to ensure enhanced linkages between humanitarian and development actors on the ground in the context of information management as it relates to transition activities.

i) As required, initiate and coordinate information management activities related to technical cooperation and technical assistance projects in disaster response and disaster response preparedness; formulate project proposals and relevant project documents; provide technical support to field work; review and clear project reports for submission to donor governments.

j) Ensure strategic and operational decision making by leading and overseeing the processing and analysing of data and information and presenting it in the format most useful for analysis (e.g. standardised templates, reports, maps).

k) Develop and design and implement a structured dissemination plan for humanitarian information products and services (e.g. reports, data, maps) through, for example, hard copy, stand alone executable programmes, CD-ROMs and websites.

l) Design, manage and deliver training to national authorities, IASC partners (in particular cluster leads), on OCHA’s information systems.

m) Develop and lead at the country level, in collaboration with the Field Information Support Project, the promotion of data and information sharing protocols, such as SHARE standards and the use of standardised metadata, as well as data standards (particularly P-codes).

n) Guide and manage the data collection, data entry and use of standardised systems to support humanitarian operations and the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP). These standardised databases include: Who Does What Where, Contacts Directory, Field Document Management System (FiDMS) and Financial Tracking System.

o) Manage and promote the use of OCHA’s standardised document management system (FiDMS).

p) Manage technical staff in the development of databases to support the collection and processing of context specific data (e.g.: affected population, displaced populations, demographic and vulnerability data, results of common rapid needs assessment etc.).

q) Support the advocacy functions of the office through leading the collection, processing, storage and retrieval of documents, including images, of emergencies and vulnerability, as well as relief operations.

r) Any other duties as may be requested by the Head of IAU.

2) Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

a) Staff at all levels within OCHA, NGOs and the humanitarian community as well as national counterparts and donors.

b) Members of IASCO, with responsibility for information management, humanitarian issues, and non-governmental organization representatives.

c) Field Information Support Unit (FIS), in OCHA New York.

3) Qualifications / Experience

a. Education: Advanced university degree (Masters Degree) in:
i. Social Sciences (Humanitarian Affairs, International Development, International Relations etc.),
ii. Business Administration (Information Management or Computer Science),
iii. Management (Information Management or Information Systems),
iv. Geographical Information Science,
v. Social Science, or
vi. a related field, or
vii. the equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience
b. Experience:
i. Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in information management or a related field; experience both at the national level and international level in large organisations with dispersed operations and/or in the public and private sector preferred (nine years experience if candidate holds Bachelors degree or equivalent).
ii. Experience in the application of information management in humanitarian response (complex emergencies and/or natural disasters) is essential.
iii. Demonstrated and proven experience in the design and successful implementation of new processes and systems.
iv. Demonstrated and proven experience in the application of standards to the development and use of information management systems.
c. Language: Fluency in written and spoken English is essential; fluency in one or more official UN languages is desirable, particularly Arabic is also desirable.
d. Other skills:
i. Qualifications and / or industry certification and /or demonstrable experience in project management are desirable.
ii. Qualifications and / or industry certification and /or demonstrable experience in the following applications: Microsoft Office (advanced user certification of MS Access, MS Excel and MS Word desirable) and Lotus Notes are desirable.
iii. Knowledge and experience of database development and management.
iv. Knowledge of GIS.
v. Knowledge of Content Management Systems.

4) UN Competencies

a) Professionalism – Advanced knowledge of the use of information management in humanitarian response; highly developed conceptual, analytical and innovative ability to identify and articulate the information management requirements of complex situations requiring a coordinated response between disparate actors; demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to use sound judgment to ensure the effective and timely completion of complex tasks; ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters). Management experience within an International context.

b) Planning and Organising – Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

c) Accountability – Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; operates in compliance with organisational regulations and rules; supports subordinates and peers, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

d) Judgment/Decision-making – Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision.

Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

All posts are subject to availability of funds.

Applications from qualified female candidates and from nationals of non- and under-represented countries are particularly encouraged.

Diploma of completed University degree may be requested in due course.

Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.
This vacancy announcement may be used to fill similar positions at the same level in other field duty stations.

Candidates will be expected to move periodically to new functions throughout their careers and are subject to the assignment by the Secretary-General to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations.
How to apply
All applicants are requested to email the following documents to the OCHA Human Resources Section/AO at ochavacancies@un.org

1. Cover letter, explaining why you consider yourself qualified and motivated for this particular position
2. Completed Summarized Personnel Information Form
3. Completed P-11 and P-11 Supplementary Forms

All Application Forms can be found by clicking on the following link:
http://ocha.unog.ch/OCHAvacancies/

It would be appreciated your stating your full name and the OCHA vacancy notice number (OCHA/G/ 06/2011) as the subject in your e-mail application.

Please send one email application for every vacancy announcement.