IT Officer – Shared Services Centre

REPORTS TO; IT Coordinator – Shared Service Centre (SSC)

DIRECT REPORTS: IT Assistants/Interns as may be applicable from time to time

THE ORGANISATION

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And its girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organization is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 100 million girls.

The Shared Services Centre is a Centre of Excellence based in the MEESA region office. The centre’s vision is that within 2 years its clients will have recorded added value within their support services. The centre is committed to a reliable, efficient and effective service to the MEESA regions at a competitive price. Its ultimate goal is to be trusted, predictable, and dependable to our clients at all times and to ensure commitment to excellent turnaround times in all our service delivery.

ROLE PURPOSE

The SSC IT Officer under the overall supervision of the SSC IT Coordinator will provide first line support for IT infrastructure support to the SSC clients. This includes desktops, servers, telecommunication equipment and networks as well as troubleshooting for systems to ensure uninterrupted IT operations.

ACCOUNTABILITIES & MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Help Desk and User Support – Global & Local IT Services (60%)

• Contributes to performing remote troubleshooting through diagnostic techniques and pertinent questions.
• Escalates incidents to SSC ITC, /CITM/global infrastructure support or local external support contracts as appropriate.
• Contributes to giving client staff access to Plan International User Applications by setting up user accounts, permissions and passwords in line with defined network policies and procedures.
• Contributes to giving client staff access to Corporate Applications / ERPs: (global IT Access to services).
• Contributes to providing IT Administration: (of global IT services); (Exchange Online Administration Portal, IT Administration, Portal, ServiceDesk, Speed test, SAP, SAP BI).
• Contributes to providing information security services (global and local IT services) by ensuring physical and logical security of IT Assets, Data and information at all times; as well as enforcing existing IT policies and developing relevant guidelines and policies e.g., online security, passwords, back-up procedures, anti-virus solutions, etc.
• Contributes to Ensuring Kaspersky endpoint security is installed on all laptops and OneDrive configured on all computers to sync folders under OneDrive to the cloud.
• Contributes to Including staff in the global active directory / OKTA services management.
• Contributes to Ensuring global and local active directory services management by facilitating the management of joiners and leavers on the local and global active directory and management of email distribution groups.
• Contributes to Ensuring the provision of Local Area Network (LAN) and internet.
• Contributes to providing support on payroll software (local service).
• Contributes to Carrying out system upgrades, patching and backups.
  • Bandwidth Management
  • Cisco Any Connect Web Filter installed and configured on all laptops
• Contributes to Monitoring network performance (Review net flow and riverbed reports).
• Contributes to service Follow up and updating customer status and information.
• Contributes to Documenting feedback or suggestions by users for sharing with SSC Lead and CIT Manager for informed decision making.
• Contributes to the IT Risk Management

IT Support to Other Countries (10%)

• Contributes to providing systems administration support i.e., Global Hub systems.
• Contributes to providing general IT support including systems/application development support.
• Contributes to providing IT advisory services.

Vendor Management (5%)

• Contributes to Contacts with vendors to ensure provision of good service provision.
• Assists during vendor meetings to discuss SLAs and agree on expected standards.
• Contributes to providing vendor supervision to ensure compliance to agreed standards, general user experience improvements for ease of access to systems, applications and services.

Other IT Support Services (20%)

• Contributes to providing user support and training in corporate applications such as SAP, HRIS, PERPAY, Office 365 software and OneDrive.
• Assist client staff orientation on new rollouts and migration of new systems.
• Contributes to providing conferencing Support for the client.
• Contributes to providing oversight on the PU IT support for Machakos PU/ Tharaka PU and Kajiado Satellite office.
• Contributes to Monitoring and ensuring application/compliances of IT policies and guidelines, established processes and procedures by all end users.
• Contributes to providing orientation and training of IT related policies to new staff.
• Supervises, mentors and coaches the IT Assistants/ Interns as may be applicable.
• Undertakes any other duties as may be assigned

Innovations / Research (3%)

• Contributes to Implementing innovative technologies and solutions within the Plan International environment in liaison with programme and share best practices and learnings to improve programme effectiveness and enhance programme delivery
• Assists in the technical research and development to enable on-going innovation within the infrastructure to enable staff to work productively
• Contributes to Ensure that IT systems, applications and services, hardware, operating systems, software and related procedures adhere to organizational standards and values enabling staff to work productively.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) (2%)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Leads the orientation of programme staff to ensure that they are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies.
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day-to-day work of IT team.
• Ensures that Plan Kenya contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Essential Qualifications/ experience:

• Degree in Information Technology (IT) or Computer Studies or equivalent.
• 3 years’ relevant working experience with at least 2 years in System Administration.
• Certifications in Systems Administration / System Engineering, Microsoft technologies (Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows, SQL Server, Exchange server) and Cisco technologies)
• Experience in managing and implementing information systems and supporting technologies and proven knowledge, ability and experience in setting up Local Area Networks (LANs) and telecommunication technologies

Desirable Qualifications / experience:

• Project Management certification is a plus
• Knowledge and experience of firewall design principles, CISCO Meraki, Virtualization technologies, Trend Anti-Virus, Java and Avaya technologies will be an added advantage.

Languages required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Skills:

• Service oriented/ Customer centric/ customer relationship skills
• Good communication skills and ability to communicate ideas and technical information to a non-technical audience
• Strong analytical and logical ability
• Strong negotiation, facilitating and influencing skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Creativity and Innovation
• Works collaboratively as a team player
• Capability to coordinate and cooperate within interdisciplinary teams

Knowledge:

• Networking, sharing information and best practices
• IT technical knowledge in IT infrastructure and applications
• Project and General Management Skills
• IT Risk assessment and management
• Written and verbal reporting

Behaviors:

• Role model our values and behaviors both internally and externally.
• Engages sensitively with staff and partners on issues of gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local culture and context.
• Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion and girls’ empowerment in Plan’s work and in its work with partners
• Applies participatory influencing methodologies both internally and externally
• The ability to build collaborative working relationships
• Ability to influence
• Uses creativity to challenge the norm and promote innovation and thinks and acts for the wider organization – linking IT with the context of the wider organizational strategy
• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences
• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking, mentoring, coaching and advocates the importance of knowledge management.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Courageous in taking a lead, focussed on Plan International’s purpose and making the most effective contribution within my own work context.
• Behaves in line with our values and safeguarding practices, inside and outside work.
• Challenges own attitudes, unconscious bias and behaviour and speaks up when they see wrongdoing, especially by those who use their power over others to create fear or abuse.
• Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices and standards relevant to own work and keeps their knowledge and skills up to date.
• Honest and efficient in use of resources, including own time.
• Takes responsibility for own performance and development: reflecting; seeking and listening to feedback; learning from mistakes; finding people or resources to help them learn.
• Constructive and optimistic in facing setbacks, challenges and change, using own initiative to analyse issues and improve things.
• Good team player, communicating effectively and being open and supportive towards those around them.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

• Understands Plan International in Context, including its purpose, values, and global strategy, and can communicate these to varied audiences, including how Plan International will deliver on its objectives through the theory of change
• Manages legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with Plan International’s core risk-related standards (Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender equality and inclusion, Counter Fraud, Safety and Security)
• Managing activities and resources including skills in strategic thinking, planning and organising, financial planning and monitoring for cost allocation and cost recovery
• Managing people and information including skills in assessment and coaching, evidence-based management, communication skills, both speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• To perform certain necessary tasks the IT Officer will need to be familiar with a range of cisco technologies, operating systems, applications, and programs – Microsoft, Linux, database technologies
• IT Officer may also be asked to perform debugging duties occasionally, so they need to be familiar with the notion of computer coding and programming.
• IT Officer encounters heavy human interaction in the course of their work. The role requires the individual to work with several departments outside of IT, on a daily basis. Therefore, they need to possess a high level of patience and professionalism when working with other employees who will have a varying range of computer competencies.
• The IT Officer role can be seen as the ‘puzzle solver’ of the organisation and this can be highly stressful, especially in Plan International whose departments e.g., Programme, Sponsorship, Operations (finance & grants, Administration, Logistic and procurement, Security) etc are heavily dependent on IT operations. The IT Officer will require excellent problem solving and multitasking skills and should be a constant learner and able to remain calm when dealing with a crisis.
• The IT Officer also needs to be aware that they may come across confidential information from time to time when monitoring network traffic, which needs to be kept private to maintain their professionalism.
• The IT Officer will be dealing with problems of varying nature. For instance, customers and stakeholders will have differing expectations and needs relating to the overall process that will require:
  • Clear articulation of purpose and expected outcomes at all times and with appreciation for time sensitive delivery.
  • Understanding and managing conflicting expectations; negotiating and accommodating a variety of required outcomes within procedures, tools and guidance; influencing and persuading around purpose and expected outcomes.
  • Developing communication routines covering all stakeholders

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with, and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.