Solutions Architect, P4

This position is located in the Solutions Transformation Team (STT), Software Products for Member States Unit (SPMS), Information Technology Service (ITS), Division for Management (DM), United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in Vienna. The incumbent will work on Digital Solutions-related topics under the direct supervision of the Chief, Software Products for Member States Unit (SPMS), Digital Transformation umbrella, and the overall guidance of the Chief of the Information Technology Service (ITS) in Vienna. The Software Products for Member States Unit (SPMS), part of the Information Technology Service (ITS)at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), develops a suite of innovative software deployed at close to a hundred Member States to operationalize UNODC’s mandates in countering corruption, controlling illicit drugs and fighting financial and organized crime. The Unit’s portfolio of applications provides actionable intelligence through analysis, case management, artificial intelligence and dissemination to Law Enforcement Agencies for combatting financial crime, money laundering and terrorist financing. The suite of solutions is deployed at a large number of Member States, has a six-figure user base across various sectors, and produces a tangible impact in investigations and convictions. For more information on UNOV or UNODC, please visit the websites: www.unov.org and www.unodc.org

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following specific duties: • Lead a large development team and oversee the development process, organizing agile development, release management and strategy development. • Conduct staff recruitment, when required. • Conduct system design activities and reviews of detailed application module specifications, classes, objects, methods, and other software components with software developers. • Design and implement short and long-term strategic goals for expanding and maintaining the software in line with the requirements of Member States, the organization’s goals and technologies that are driving digital transformation across organizations and industries. • Define and document architecture to enable UNOV-UNODC’s Digital Transformation and Secretary-General’s Digital Strategy implementation, in consideration of current and strategic needs, technical and functional requirements, and standards of the industry. • Design, create, and deliver new modules using modern technologies (e.g. AI/ML, distributed systems), contributing to digital transformation initiatives. • Conduct development lifecycle activities such as managing sprint meetings. • Engage with other teams and Divisions to deliver Solutions Architecture responsibilities and uphold enterprise architecture standards. • Facilitate dialogue with business sponsors and end users aiming to establish and socialize architectural principles and priorities and foster further extension of the software with innovative technologies as may be fitting. • Develop and execute test plans to check technical performance of infrastructure and report findings. Based on findings, make recommendations and policies for standardization. • Undertake social media management and advocacy, including publishing frequent media material, infographics and client outreach content on various platforms including the United Nations platforms. • Produce written material and communications for clients through the user community platforms. • Ensure successful end-to-end engagement processes by facilitating ongoing communication and interaction between clients and technical teams. • Prepare submissions to and collaborate with architectural boards at the United Nations. • Handle clients’ complaints or major incidents; investigate and solve clients' problems and bring relevant problems to the attention of the support team; keep accurate records of discussions and correspondence with customers using project management tools. • Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. • Perform any other work-related tasks.

• Professionalism: Has knowledge of systems design, and development, management, implementation and maintenance of complex information systems. Has ability to develop and oversee large centralized or decentralized institutional systems; conceptual and strategic analytical capacity to understand information system and business operational issues so as to thoroughly analyze and evaluate critical systems matters. Has knowledge of a range of computer languages and development paradigms, knowledge of organization’s information infrastructure and IT strategy as it relates to user area(s). Has ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. • Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology. • 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 on-going developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems. Keeps a client informed of progress or setbacks in projects. Meets timeline for delivery of product or services to client. • Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in information systems, information technology, computer science, software engineering, data science, mathematics, statistics or related technical field is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

IT Enterprise Architecture Certification is desirable. ITIL Foundation certification is required. ITIL Foundation 4.0 certification is desirable. Additional ITIL certifications are desirable.

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible work experience in IT Software Architecture, software development, and enterprise systems design is required. Work experience in enterprise software development within a mature engineering environment, including demonstrated application of modern software engineering practices such as agile delivery, cross-functional collaboration, code reviews, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing, is required. Experience with .Net technologies is desirable. Experience in financial technology domains, such as Fintech or Regtech, is desirable. Experience working with Anti Money-Laundering/ Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks and applying technology to combat financial crime is desirable. Experience with the United Nations System or similar international organizations is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

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

This is a project post. Filling of this position is subject to funding availability and the initial appointment will be for a period of one year. Extension of the appointment will be 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. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity.  All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs.  The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff.  Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Vienna is classified in the H category (family duty station).

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, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, 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. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. 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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.