Senior Devops Engineer

Organizational context

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

Senior Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Specialists at this level are senior specialists assigned leadership and management of technology design, development and maintenance work that involves interface with users and coordination of other ICT specialists. The accountabilities / key results include: 

• ICT Practice Leader
• ICT Business Partner
• ICT Management
• Agent of Change

Senior ICT Specialists work under the overall strategic, policy and management guidance as well as direct supervision of the Director or Manager, Information and Communications Technology Division (ICT). They are typically accountable for unit work plan establishment and supervision of a team of ICT Specialists, Associates and/or Assistants.

The role of ICT Senior ICT Specialist is a key role within ICT. The incumbent is required to understand technical requirements and develop in-depth knowledge of IFAD processes, systems and infrastructure. The incumbent has responsibility for ensuring alignment of the infrastructure solutions with the overall ICT architecture landscape in accordance to the strategic evolution of the ICT ecosystem supporting IFAD Strategy.

The position is a senior technology leader and strategist responsible leading a small specialized team translating business strategies into technical solutions while balancing risks and investment needs whilst being fit for purpose. This hands-on role defines the future state vision, develops an IT architecture for an end-to-end integrated capability and ensures technical implementation aligns with the design intent and achieves operational sustainability.

The incumbent has responsibility for developing architectural standards, policies and guidelines while ensuring the alignment of the infrastructure solutions with the overall ICT architecture landscape in accordance with the continuous strategic evolution of the ICT ecosystem. The incumbent contributes to defining the principles for enterprise data management and implements data services and solutions to realize the technical architecture. The incumbent is a fundamental element in the liaison with external vendors, ICC and stakeholders in collaboration with other ICT specialist.

Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Act as a technology leader to shape and influence via technical excellent new ways of working incorporate latest and emerging technologies, alongside more traditional ones within the infrastructure and devops space
• Design consistent standards, principles and reference models for infrastructure, application, security, information/data and integration.
• Define the roadmap to build a highly efficient data ecosystem, and provide solutions to organize, share, leverage and reuse data across various business and technology functions. Incorporate an innovation agenda into the IT architecture and data strategy and develop a roadmap to accelerate delivery of the business strategy; this involves both on premises and cloud hosted infrastructure
• Setup applications to be optimized to work within constructs of leading cloud provider environments
• Develop templates or scripts to automate everyday developer or operations functions
• Monitor and maintain multiple (DevOps) environments based on client requirements
• Set up or managing backups and patching across diverse environments
• Able to function at a high level in network administration and security management roles
• Identify new tools and processes to improve the cloud platform and automate processes
• Provide high-quality support of the infrastructure and liaise with the other 3rd level support teams regarding networking, server and storage issues.
• Create and maintain documentation on systems architecture, processes, workflows and playbooks to respond to alerts.
• Work alongside the subject matter experts and system administrators as well as agile dev teams
• Contribute to the Infrastructure and Services for all on premises solutions as well as the Cloud Strategy, Op Model Transformation, Cloud Development, Cloud Integration & APIs, Cloud Migration, Cloud Infrastructure & Engineering, and Cloud Managed Services.
• Develop and monitor implementation of information security policies, procedures, controls and technical systems in order to maintain the integrity and security of the infrastructure. Establish Standard Operating Procedures to ensure optimum management of the infrastructure.
• Apply innovative methodologies and approaches (including agile) to translate big picture vision to technical solutions through business process, information flow, solution and technical architecture domains.
• Identify and evaluate technology risks, mitigating controls, and opportunities for control improvement. Conduct periodic security risk assessments of the infrastructure, giving priority to business continuity and disaster recovery considerations
• Ensure that appropriate data security and access controls are maintained for network based applications deployed over Local and Wide Area Networks
• Lead, plan and control the work of other resources ensuring the effective management, appropriate sourcing and efficient use of all resources. Supervise, evaluate and monitor individual and team operational performance levels to ensure projects are delivered on-time and on-budget.
• Submit planning and roadmap proposals and activities in conformity with defined outcomes developing Budget requests to support implementation where appropriate. Produce regular management reports on the activities of the team.
• Ensure collaborative and active stakeholder engagement. Manage relationships between ICT and business users in major functional areas with multiple lines of service with a view to understanding and anticipating business and ICT needs, establishing clear service expectations and providing original technical and cost-effective ICT solutions. Collaborate with solution software architects to develop scalable and adaptable architectural solutions
• Manage the contracts and the relationship with the United Nations International Computing Center, external contractors and vendors including cloud providers for the support, implementation and delivery of services to IFAD

Develop the team skills with regards to devops, cloud and emerging technologies infrastructure management towards a raster of well qualified professionals in this domain over time.

Key results expected / Major functional activities

1. ICT PRACTICE LEADER: Senior ICT Specialists at this level are typically accountable for technical leadership in their occupational area at the corporate level with accountability for conceptualization, design, development, implementation and maintenance of major and complex information systems and applications to meet the evolving needs of the Fund. They typically accomplish the assigned activities through supervision of an ICT unit comprised of other professional (P) and general service (GS) staff and through technical guidance and work product validation of external ICT consultants.

2. ICT BUSINESS PARTNER: Senior ICT Specialists are credible, trusted partners to client offices served and the Division where assigned, serving as responsive and constructive service providers with a focus on results. They contribute directly to the development of the Fund’s ICT strategy and plans as well as model a commitment to data and systems integrity. Senior ICT Specialists provide authoritative advice and guidance to ICT colleagues and the Division Director on cross-division systems / applications interfaces as well as on the requirement for modifications or enhancements / extensions.

3. 

ICT MANAGEMENT: Senior ICT Specialists are accountable for conceptual work and technical leadership in the development, design, implementation and management of original systems/applications and ensures their interface with existing applications and/or major ICT systems. Representative accountabilities/key results include (a) identifying the need for new applications/systems, conducting feasibility studies and translating user needs into systems and applications that can be integrated with existing systems/technology; (b) conducting and/or leading systems analysis, determining costs of development and eventual operations of the system(s)/applications; (c) defining application/system requirements and developing technical and functional specifications; (d) overseeing the development of file and database architecture, configuration and record formats ensuring relevant internal control and security mechanisms are established; (e) planning, scheduling and launching implementation work and systems testing; (f) identifying, testing, assessing and evaluating new products and technologies and proposing strategies and implementation plans; (g) collaborating on defining and resolving problems of the Fund’s systems integration (intra/inter- organizational); and (h) leading the

Rev 1 preparation of technical and user documentation for entire systems and interdependent applications as well as training materials and detailed technical presentations; conduct courses for users.

4. AGENT OF CHANGE: Senior ICT Specialists understand and apply the principles of change management and proactively serves as a role model for transformation and capacity for acceptance of change. They use a seasoned knowledge of information technology to develop, analyze and promote acceptance of new methods of work and automated workflows. Senior Specialists manage change through technical leadership in identifying systems/applications that support change and outreach to client offices to build understanding of and to ensure open and regular communications pertaining to current and planned changes in the Fund’s information and communication technology strategy, standards, regulations and rules.

5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: Senior ICT Specialists are typically team leaders with accountability for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD technology. This includes: (a) People Management through work plan development, recruitment, performance and career management of P and GS staff as well as learning management establishing learning plans and ensuring staff supervised meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD; (b) Resource Management by providing strategic and data inputs into the divisional budget preparation exercises; (c) Knowledge and Content Management by ensuring (i) knowledge content within functional area is continuously updated and available to colleagues and clients (ii) best practices are continuously identified, documented and distributed and (iii) appropriate and up-to-date information and learning tools are available to the Fund’s managers, supervisors and staff; and Information Technology Management through leveraging ERP functionality for improved business results, simplification of transaction and reporting processes and improved client services.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

The work of Senior ICT Specialists involves leading the design, configure, implement, maintain and improve critical technology operations of the Fund, adapting processes as necessary to achieve full functionality and interface with existing systems. Thus work at this level impacts on the overall design and continuity of major systems/applications and indirectly impact the accomplishment of the Fund’s objectives, goals and functions.  as a foundation for the Fund’s administrative and programme operations. Technical decisions are taken on the feasibility of technology proposals and specifications for systems / applications. They provide authoritative advice to the Division Director and senior IFAD management, which leads to both technical decisions as well as resource commitments.

The key performance indicators for Senior ICT Specialists include leadership, both technical and team.

Representation / Work relationships

Internally Senior ICT Specialists are responsible for overall coordination with users on all aspects or during all phases of development as well as the provision of authoritative technical guidance to others involved in interrelated technology activities. The acceptance of modification to specifications and work processes is accomplished through negotiations. They provide authoritative technical advice to the ICT Division Director on the design and implementation of technology applications and systems as well as IFAD senior management/decision-makers. Externally work relationships require collaboration and coordination to ensure vendors, service providers, collaborators and external ICT consultants meet established contractual terms and conditions, coordination with other organizations to establish compatibility of systems/application interface (Borrowers and Contributing institutions)

Competencies

Organizational

• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence (Level 1)
• Demonstrating Leadership: Leads by example; initiates and supports change (Level 2)
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Challenges, innovates and contributes to a learning culture (Level 2)
• Focusing on clients: Contributes to a client-focused culture (Level 2)
• Problem solving and decision making: Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact (Level 2)
• Managing time, resources and information: Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources (Level 2)
• Team Work: Fosters a cohesive team environment (Level 2)
• Communicating and negotiating: Acquires and uses a wide range of communication styles and skills (Level 2)
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally (Level 2)

Managing performance and developing staff: Manages staff and teams effectively (Level 1)

Technical/Functional

• Equally at ease using traditional as well as new and emerging technologies
• Excellent system administration skills, including virtual machine and container management / deployment
• Hands on experience with of managing services for leading cloud providers including Install, configure, automate, and monitor various Cloud Services (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS)
• Hands on experience with DevOps/Automation tools
• Knowledge of coding and agile delivery frameworks (e.g. Scrum, TDD/OOP)
• Significant experience in SIEM management and planning and deployment of monitoring infrastructure; Solid cyber security understanding
• Familiarity with large-scale ICT architectures and automated deployment techniques in virtual environments; Experience in continuous integration and development tools such as Jenkins; JIRA; Nexus; GIT-Hub or Bit Bucket; Maven; Gradle; and CI/CD pipelines such as Bitbucket, Jenkins, Artifactory, Ansible, Terraform, and Packer
• Setup and maintenance of code configurations using such tools
• Setup and maintenance of automated testing with tools such as Selenium
• Experience with Security and monitoring, including but not limited to - Active Directory, Splunk, Nagios, Hardening and pen test tools
• System Administration Experience with Linux or Windows Server
• Knowledge of systems design, and development, management, implementation and maintenance of complex information systems. 
• Ability to develop and oversee large centralized or decentralized institutional systems; conceptual and strategic analytical capacity to understand information system and business operational issues
• Essential knowledge and application of networking protocols and understanding of networking architectures and security principles, including IP networking, VPNs, DNS, load balancing and firewalling
• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a diverse organization tailoring language, tone, style and format to match audience.
• Desirable Technical Qualifications or experience
• Any formal qualifications on any of the above
• Exposure to automation tools (in addition to automated testing)
• Experience on setting up DevOps infrastructure from scratch
• Hyperautomation experience 
• Familiarity with software lifecycle management processes and tools, and ability to supervise small development teams
• Exposure to streaming technologies and protocols
• Automated¿ process ¿discovery ¿tools Exposure and/or knowledge of information technology systems and tools as they pertain to financial systems.
• Ruby on Rails exposure a plus

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education:

• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in computer science, software engineering, information technology, mathematics or other job related field; In lieu of an advanced university degree, a diploma in combination with six years over and above the minimum experience requirement may be considered;

Experience:

• At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in planning, design, development, implementation and maintenance of information technology, in any of the following roles: infrastructure, system administration, network administration, security management or coding and agile development;

At least five (5) years of experience with cloud technologies

Language requirements:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Working knowledge of another official language (Arabic, French, or Spanish) is desirable.

Other information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.