Project Manager (Web Portal and PSR Database)
Organization: UNHCR
Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland
Duration: 6 months
Start date: April 2013
Contract Type: Individual Consultant (IC)
Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland
Duration: 6 months
Start date: April 2013
Contract Type: Individual Consultant (IC)
Background information:
As part of its Information Management Strategy 2012 – 2014, UNHCR is further developing standard applications for field information management. A Project Manager is required for two co-dependent complex data systems:
• UNHCR’s information sharing portal (http://data.unhcr.org), which has been deployed in several emergency operations to date, It serves the information dissemination and coordination needs of UNHCR field operations, including both operational and implementing partners.
• The Population Statistics Reference Database (PSR), which is a centralized solution for housing, analyzing and presenting all population statistics for the organization.
The two systems are co-dependent in that the population figures from PSR will feed the web portal (as well as other systems).
Given the nature, scale and complexity of these projects, the organization requires the services of an experienced Project Manager to coordinate the activities and input of all actors to ensure the successful development, testing, and roll-out of the new systems within the agreed time frame and financial commitments.
The two projects are currently in different stages of development:
• The requirements for version 2.0 of the web portal have been documented and need to be developed. Version 1.2 of the web portal is currently deployed in multiple refugee emergency operations and needs to be maintained pending the release of the new version 2.0. Version 1.2 of the web portal is a standard PHP/MySQL web application.
• PSR is a new system which will consolidate data currently held in spreadsheet form and will allow online data entry of population data in the future. The PSR database design is complete and online data entry screens are currently being developed. PSR is based on an Oracle database, with an ASP.NET front end. It has not yet reached production stage.
Overall activities and responsibilities of the Project Manager:
1. Coordinate teams working on the web portal and PSR, including business stakeholders and analysts, technical leads, developers and data architects.
2. Facilitate management decision-making by researching best directions for the development of the systems, including technology choices, balance between internal development and outsourcing, NGO involvement, etc.
3. Develop required project management deliverables for both software development projects, including:
• Project plans;
• Communications plans, including the identification of key stakeholder individuals and groups;
• Testing plans;
• Training plans;
• Rollout plans including moving from development to production;
• Detailed description of the required interoperability between the two systems.
4. Provide formal avenues for other divisions within headquarters to participate in the projects.
5. Liaise with the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications (DIST) to ensure the projects’ development complies with organizational standards, meets UNHCR technical requirements, can be hosted by UNHCR or one of its service partners, and will be integrated into the overall ICT support and maintenance plans.
6. Liaise with other related initiatives – including but not limited to UN OCHA’s HumanitarianResponse.org website and the ShelterCluster.org website – in order to ensure synergy between the projects.
The Project Manager will work under the overall responsibility of the Chief of the Field Information and Coordination Support Section (FICSS), Division of Programme Support and Management (DPSM) in Geneva.
Required qualifications and experience:
• The Population Statistics Reference Database (PSR), which is a centralized solution for housing, analyzing and presenting all population statistics for the organization.
The two systems are co-dependent in that the population figures from PSR will feed the web portal (as well as other systems).
Given the nature, scale and complexity of these projects, the organization requires the services of an experienced Project Manager to coordinate the activities and input of all actors to ensure the successful development, testing, and roll-out of the new systems within the agreed time frame and financial commitments.
The two projects are currently in different stages of development:
• The requirements for version 2.0 of the web portal have been documented and need to be developed. Version 1.2 of the web portal is currently deployed in multiple refugee emergency operations and needs to be maintained pending the release of the new version 2.0. Version 1.2 of the web portal is a standard PHP/MySQL web application.
• PSR is a new system which will consolidate data currently held in spreadsheet form and will allow online data entry of population data in the future. The PSR database design is complete and online data entry screens are currently being developed. PSR is based on an Oracle database, with an ASP.NET front end. It has not yet reached production stage.
Overall activities and responsibilities of the Project Manager:
1. Coordinate teams working on the web portal and PSR, including business stakeholders and analysts, technical leads, developers and data architects.
2. Facilitate management decision-making by researching best directions for the development of the systems, including technology choices, balance between internal development and outsourcing, NGO involvement, etc.
3. Develop required project management deliverables for both software development projects, including:
• Project plans;
• Communications plans, including the identification of key stakeholder individuals and groups;
• Testing plans;
• Training plans;
• Rollout plans including moving from development to production;
• Detailed description of the required interoperability between the two systems.
4. Provide formal avenues for other divisions within headquarters to participate in the projects.
5. Liaise with the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications (DIST) to ensure the projects’ development complies with organizational standards, meets UNHCR technical requirements, can be hosted by UNHCR or one of its service partners, and will be integrated into the overall ICT support and maintenance plans.
6. Liaise with other related initiatives – including but not limited to UN OCHA’s HumanitarianResponse.org website and the ShelterCluster.org website – in order to ensure synergy between the projects.
The Project Manager will work under the overall responsibility of the Chief of the Field Information and Coordination Support Section (FICSS), Division of Programme Support and Management (DPSM) in Geneva.
Required qualifications and experience:
- University degree in Business Management, IT, Engineering, or related field;
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in ICT Project Management with a proven track record;
- Certified in Prince2 project management methodology;
- Familiarity with key ICT architectures (web, client/server, distributed and centralized repositories, data security, etc.);
- Excellent communication and negotiating skills in terms of managing client expectations and brokering with contractual partners;
- Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills to coordinate a multicultural team of varying technical and functional backgrounds;
- Fluency in written and spoken English. Other UN languages would be an asset.
UNHCR aims for workforce diversity at all levels. We encourage applications from qualified women and persons with disabilities.
How to apply:
How to Apply: A cover letter, full curriculum vitae, and updated personal history form (P11) should be sent to:HQCS00@unhcr.org
The P11 Form is available at the following link: http://www.unhcr.org/recruit/P11_UNHCR.doc
Closing date for receipt of applications: Friday, 22 March 2013
No late applications will be accepted. Only the successful candidate will be notified of the outcome. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).
