Information Management Officer [TJO], P3 (Temporary Job Opening)

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Humanitarian Access Support Unit in the Coordination Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), based in Geneva. OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention, and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The Information Management Officer will report to the Head of the Humanitarian Access Support Unit.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Information Management Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
General
• Provides advisory services on recordkeeping practices include: needs and business process analysis; organization and maintenance of UN information assets; records preservation and disposition; and information management policies and procedures, with an emphasis on technological applications.
• Researches, analyses and evaluates new applications of information technology to archives and records management and makes recommendations for their deployment.
• Participates in record-keeping improvement projects, contributing to feasibility studies, systems analysis, design, development and implementation and in the evaluation and testing of record-keeping application improvements and new systems; provides user support.
• Develops detailed system and other functional specifications and standards from the recordkeeping perspective and user documentation for new systems.
• Develops training materials and user manuals; trains staff in use of the recordkeeping system assigned.
• Manages records accession and disposition functions by applying the life-cycle concept to information assets, including appraisal by liaising with records-originating offices regarding the transfer and/or disposal of their records; assures that retention schedules, registration and physical aspects of records transfers meet established standards; oversees space management and commercial storage contracts; supervises General Service staff in implementing related tasks; and performs records appraisal.
• Understands, keeps current with and applies preservation techniques and strategies for records in all media. Ensures that the Section’s storage facilities meet environmental standards.
• Manages archival processing activities by overseeing adherence to preservation, international bibliographic, description and database standards; produces descriptive inventories; prepares mark-up of descriptive inventories for electronic dissemination; and makes recommendations regarding the planning and prioritisation of preservation and description programme requirements.
• Performs and supervises reference functions by advising internal and external users about records holdings and accessibility; maintaining communications with other information management networks and records and archives specialists; supervising retrieval and reproduction activities of General Service staff.
• Evaluates adequacy of existing records management and reference tools. Implements new technologies in information management to ensure that tools developed for efficient access to information are accessible to staff throughout the Organization. Creates digital tool to map out complex humanitarian issues; Supports OCHA field operations with the development of digital tools;
• Maintains access and declassification standards by liaising with records-originating offices/offices of interest regarding access to security-classified materials and implements access and declassification determinations.
• Participates in developing client outreach strategies and in their implementation. Conducts programmes of outreach and user education to improve client use of desktop information resources; uses judgement of relevant institutional needs to develop presentations appropriate to client audience; develops publicity materials to facilitate outreach.
• Assists in programme administration, including provision of assistance to or supervision of contractual employees and General Service staff, formulation of consultant and institutional contracts and subsequent implementation, development of the programme budget, etc.
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of information management, archival, record keeping and record disposition. Knowledge of electronic data maintenance, including appraisal, conservation and migration management; records preservation and description. Ability to conduct research and provide recommendations on information management trends. Ability to demonstrate conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills and conduct independent research and analysis, identifying and assessing issues, formulating options and making conclusions and recommendations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in archival, information science, information systems, social science or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in modern archives management, record keeping, library, information management or related area is required.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience in digital mapping on issues related to international and current affairs, humanitarian or political affairs is required.
Experience with data analysis required.
At least two (2) years of relevant international field experience is required.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience working for the United Nations or similar international organization or an NGOs is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required and knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2022. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.