MENA: Regional Technical Support Specialist

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Under the supervision of the Senior Technology Specialist and Support Manager, the Regional Technical Support Specialist (hereafter “Support Specialist”) provides first level technical support for Internews’ program offices, help desk support for Internews worldwide staff and support for Internews’ global Technology infrastructure. This position has primary support responsibility for staff based in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region but will be required to assist others globally as needed. The Support Specialist will also help cover other regions when other specialists are on leave or have excessive workload.

The Support Specialist will monitor and respond in a very timely manner to requests for technical assistance received in the Internews Technology Help desk system. They will also take requests via MS Teams Chat and will log tickets in the system on behalf of the user as needed. They shall be responsible for monitoring and maintaining tickets in the Internews’ Technology Help system. This position will also assist in monitoring, maintaining and troubleshooting Internews’ global Technology infrastructure including but not limited to critical HQ business systems and project office technology architecture. A very high level of customer service is expected. This includes prompt, polite responses to internal customers and a daily log of issues and tasks associated with daily work performed.

The Support Specialist will be required to travel to other Internews offices in the region (and possibly beyond) to lead the technical set-up of new offices, and to train staff and assist in rollouts of new software and policies.

Due to the nature of this position, work is generally to be performed between standard office hours of 8:30 am and 6:00 pm local time, Monday through Friday. However, due to the global nature of this position, occasional work outside these hours may be required.

LOGISTICS

This is a remote-based position that will support Internews’ offices in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Occasional travel to country offices may be required. Our ideal candidate is based in Kenya or Jordan; however, candidates based elsewhere in a compatible time zone (UTC +3) will also be considered. You must possess independent work authorization in your location that does not require sponsorship from Internews.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply soon.

OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

DAY-TO-DAY TASKS will include:

Network Configuration, Monitoring & Maintenance

• Assist with project office IT infrastructure setup and maintenance.
• Install and update applications to project office servers and end user devices as requested.
• Initiate third party vendor support requests if required.
• Work under the direction and with the assistance of HQ IT staff to maintain Internews business systems.
• Perform data recovery as needed and implement disaster recovery procedures.
• Contribute to documentation related to company procedures.
• Maintain physical environment for network hardware.
• Assist with off-hours emergencies and time-sensitive issues when required.
• Provide first level support for Internews project office IT infrastructure.

End User Support

• Provide technical support for Internews staff globally.
• Monitor and maintain client issues using Internews help desk system.
• Set up and configure end user desktop, laptop, and mobile computing devices to Internews HQ standard.
• Assist with off-hours emergencies and time-sensitive issues when required.
• Provide support and set-up assistance with mobile devices.
• Learn new tools and best practices and adapt quickly to better support end users.
• Train and support new and existing staff with the use of core technologies such as Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, Egnyte, conferencing tools, and other applications supported by Internews.
• Take a lead role in ensuring the adoption and proper use of collaboration tools in accordance with best practices set by Technology department.

Departmental Administration and People Skills

• Assist with tracking software, hardware, and licensing inventory.
• Provide strong, clear, and concise written and verbal communication to colleagues and customers.
• Build appropriate rapport and have a positive and professional working relationship with co-workers and consultants.
• Manage crisis situations using excellent communication with affected staff and management.
• Respond to support requests with a professional and friendly tone.
• Provide daily reports to Information Technology Manager.
• Respond to support requests with an appropriate sense of urgency.
• Ask questions quickly from HQ when assistance is needed!
• Work within Internews approved communication tools.
• Actively participate in testing new software and hardware as requested by the Information Technology Manager.
• Follow procedures precisely and thoroughly.
• In all duties, demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values.

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• Fluent in English
• Fluent in French or Arabic
• Extensive knowledge of Windows 10, 11, and Mac OS
• Highly proficient in Microsoft 365 Suite
• Proficient in use of Office 365 applications and administration tools, including but not limited to: Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, Forms, SharePoint, 2FA, and Admin Consoles
• Mobile phone/mobile device configuration and support experience
• Familiarity with computer systems from end user perspective
• Broad knowledge of computer hardware, network operations and maintenance
• Knowledge of telecommunications systems
• Knowledge of emerging technology trends
• Knowledge of computer software applications
• Willingness to continue developing professional skills that benefit Internews and the individual
• Detail oriented, with demonstrated ability to follow all policy and procedures
• Consistent, reliable high-speed Internet connection