L’UNICEF recrute un Gestionnaire Data Center, Etats-Unis

 

 

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

 

For every child, a connected world.

The Data Center Manager post is within the Platforms and Service Delivery Section of the ICT Division’s Digital Core in Valencia, Spain. UNICEF information systems are the backbone without which the Organization will be severely diminished in its ability to execute its mandate. The data centers are the foundation for this information ecosystem. It is the location where critical systems such as VISION are hosted. The responsibilities of this position ensure that:

• Contracted vendors deliver services to their contractual obligations.
• UNICEF continues to function.
• Events that threaten its smooth operation are identified and mitigated.
• Data center operations support is available 24 x 7.
• Reports are delivered to Chief on the operational status, capacity, and disaster recovery posture of the data center.

These responsibilities enable the organization to meet its strategic objectives and execute its mandate.

This position reports to Chief, Platform and Services Delivery at the P-5 level and supervises one general service staff member. This role will also oversee the work of consultants.

 

How can you make a difference?

The Data Center Manager is a transformational leader who oversees the stable, agile, reliable, and efficient operation of the UNICEF data centers in Valencia, Spain, Brindisi, Italy and in Azure. The Data Centre Manager drives innovation and automation across the hybrid data center landscape. The responsibilities for this role are in distinct functional areas which underpin the reliable operation of these data centers:

• Data Center Operations Management
• Microsoft Windows Server operations
• Virtual environment operations under VMWare
• SUSE Linux server operations
• Storage Area Network infrastructure operations
• Wide Area Networking and virtual networks
• Backup and disaster recovery operations

 

Key responsibilities:

Operations Management
• Manage the Data Center Operations contract to ensure that the vendor responsible for the planning, installation, maintenance and operation of compute, storage, backup, recovery, and other ancillary infrastructure complies with their contractual obligations. Ensure that UNICEF complies with its obligations under the contract.
• Work with peer organizations and other ICTD teams that affect and deliver services to and consume services from data center operations, such as network operations, applications development teams, facilities/maintenance management, and off-site media management companies to successfully deliver and maintain data center capacity to support ongoing business growth.
• Maintain high-availability hybrid datacenter solutions that meet defined and emerging business capability needs in a cost-effective way.
• Partner with IT Security Analysts and Enterprise Architects to establish, understand, and adhere to technical and IT security standards.
• Oversee and ensure stable, agile, reliable, and efficient operation of UNICEF data centers at Valencia, Spain and Brindisi, Italy.
• Oversee data center operations 24 x 7 monitoring.
• Oversee maintenance, organization, upgrades, cable and equipment installation and decommissioning.
• Coordinate with ICTD Sections and business units to ensure data center requirements are considered in all IT projects for which data center services will be required.
• Monitor hardware and software operations to comply with agreed Service Level Agreements.
• Oversee troubleshooting and disaster recovery procedures, provide expert knowledge in technical matters relating to data center operations and connectivity.
• Schedule and manage planned downtime in agreement with server and service owners.
• Analyze and forecast data center capacity requirements (e.g., compute, storage, bandwidth, rack capacity etc.) to ensure that requirements are anticipated, planned, acquired in good time and provide the best value for UNICEF.
• Advise and notify service and server owners of impending capacity issues that may require their intervention.
• Perform other duties that enhance and sustain optimal data center operations.

Administration and Vendor Management
• Manage contracts with vendors providing data center services to ensure that UNICEF always gets services as described in the vendor contract, or better.
• Plan and budget for data center requirements and manage allocated budgets appropriately.
• Validate vendor invoices against contracts and certifies them for payment.
• Manage records for all components, assets, equipment, and capabilities installed and operating in the data centers.
• Follow-up on cost recovery arrangements.

Compliance Management
• Ensure that UNICEF data centers comply with Tier III data center requirements
• Respond to Audit findings that relate to Data Center Operations; Follow-up, coordinate and implement Audit recommendations.

Leadership and People Management
• Strategically lead, supervise, develop, and empower staff under supervision.
• Promote culture of performance management, providing timely guidance, feedback, and support to supervisees.
• Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Promote environment of staff well-being, accessibility, and inclusion.
• Develop work plans and targets based on strategic division and organizational priorities.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Academic Degrees:
• Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in computer science, information systems management, network engineering is required.
• A first University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent) in a relevant field combined with 10 years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Required Skills and Experience:
A minimum of 8 years of progressive responsible work experience is required in the management of:
• SaaS and PaaS environments
• VMWare and other virtualization technologies
• Multiple site data centers with inter-site failover capabilities
• Disaster recovery management
• Microsoft Azure
• Linux Servers

Strong technical knowledge in networking is required.

Working experience in ITIL or CoBIT processes is required.

Desirable Skills and Experience:
• ITIL certifications or qualifications in IT Service Management and Project Management are highly desirable.
• Knowledge and experience of UNICEF’ s procedures and business processes are desirable.

Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese or Russian) is an asset.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability and the core competencies as follows:

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People
• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

View our competency framework here.

 

Remarks:

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

International mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.