Information Management Officer (Archives and Records Management), P-3. ECA, Addis Ababa. Open until 15 March 2019

Posting Title:	INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OFFICER (ARCHIVES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT), P3
Job Code Title:	INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OFFICER
Department/Office:	Economic Commission for Africa
Duty Station:	ADDIS ABABA
Posting Period:	30 January 2019 - 15 March 2019
Job Opening Number:	19-Information Management Systems-ECA-109354-R-Addis Ababa (G)
Staffing Exercise	N/A

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Org. Setting and Reporting

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN's five regional commissions, ECA's mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development. Made up of 54 member States, and playing a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape, ECA is well positioned to make unique contributions to address the Continent’s development challenges. The strategic objective of ECA is framed around delivering ideas and actions for an empowered, inclusive and transformed Africa in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union through its three core functions, namely, its function as a think tank, its convening function and its operational function.

This post is located in the Publications, Conference & Knowledge Management Division (PCKMD), Knowledge Management Services Section, Archives & Records Management Unit. The incumbent works under the overall guidance of the Director of the Publications, Conference & Knowledge Management Division, and direct supervision of the Chief, Knowledge Management Services Section.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

•Finalize an Archives and Records Management (ARM) strategy for ECA’s vital administrative records incorporating the capture of the past, current, and future records both in print and electronic visual formats;

•Provides advisory services to ECA Divisions on record-keeping practices including: needs and business process analysis; organization and maintenance of ECA 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 to archives and records management and makes recommendations for their deployment;

•Participates in record-keeping improvement projects, contributing to feasibility studies, systems analysis, design, development and implementation and in the evaluation and testing of record-keeping application improvements and new systems; provides user support;

•Develops detailed system and other functional specifications and standards from the record keeping perspective and user documentation for new systems;

•Develops training materials and user manuals; trains staff in use of the record keeping system 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 prioritization of preservation and description programme requirements;

•Performs and supervises reference functions by advising internal and external users about records holdings and accessibility; maintaining communications with other information management networks and records and archives specialists; supervising retrieval and reproduction activities of General Service staff;

•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;

•Initiates a strategy for a paperless system for ARM;

•Contributes to ECA-wide business continuity and disaster preparedness planning to ensure that vital records are safeguarded;

•Evaluates programme effectiveness by conducting periodic surveys of information systems to ensure compliance with the policy;

•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 information management, archival, record keeping and record disposition. Knowledge of electronic data maintenance, including appraisal, conservation and migration management; records preservation and description. Ability to conduct research and provide recommendations on information management trends. Ability to demonstrate conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills and conduct independent research and analysis, identifying and assessing issues, formulating options and making conclusions and recommendations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Planning & 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 doctorate) in archival, information science, information systems, social science or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of 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 area is required. Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing a Records Management strategy including guidelines, procedures and manuals in an international organization is desirable. Qualifying years of experience are calculated following the receipt of the first-level university degree recognized by the United Nations.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of the other is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

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.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 November 2018, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belarus, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cyprus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.