Information Management Officer, P-3. UN Secretariat, OCHA, Dakar. Open until 8 November 2013

Job Title: Information Management Officer, P3 Department/ Office: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Duty Station: DAKAR Posting Period: 24 October 2013-8 November 2013 Job Opening number: 13-IMA-OCHA-31131-F-DAKAR (X) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), based in the Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROWCA), in Dakar, Senegal. The Information Management Officer reports to the Head of Unit within ROWCA. Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Information Management Officer will be responsible for the following duties: • Manages information to support OCHA and the UN system, as well as partner organizations, prevent, mitigate, manage, and recover from humanitarian disasters and emergencies. • Provides advisory services on information management including: 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 for information management and makes recommendations for their deployment.Participates in information management improvement projects, contributing to feasibility studies, systems analysis, design, development and implementation and in the evaluation and testing of application improvements and new systems; provides user support. • Develops detailed system and other functional specifications and standards. • Develops training materials and user manuals; trains staff in use of OCHA information system and standards 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. • 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. • 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 the use of information management in humanitarian emergencies, crisis management or disaster management contexts; Ability to analyse and articulate the information management requirements of complex situations, requiring a coordinated response between disparate actors;. Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to use sound judgment to ensure the effective and timely completion of complex tasks; Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters); Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. • PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: 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; uses time efficiently. • CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in archival, information science, information systems, social science or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Work Experience A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in modern archives management, record keeping, library, information management or related field. A minimum of two years of experience in managing information in a crisis, disaster management, emergency management, humanitarian emergency or recovery context, or related area is required. Experience with Geographic Information Systems is desirable. Field experience working with a humanitarian organization is desirable. Experience with the United Nations Common system is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is an advantage. Assessment Method Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special Notice This "Recruit from Roster" job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. This post is funded for a period of at least one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to Extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. United Nations Considerations The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. 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.