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Project Background

USAID CATALYZE Ethiopia: MS4G is designed to benefit the Ethiopian people, build community resilience, and strengthen rural-urban linkages, in the areas of food security and WASH. MS4G invests in developing strong relationships with private sector players, co-investing in inclusive business models, advisory services, digital solutions, and market-based initiatives that increase the resilience and sustainability of Ethiopian enterprises and employment for women and youth.

CATALYZE MS4G uses a market systems approach to address key food security and WASH sub-system areas and the impact of economic shocks, including COVID-19 and political instability by stimulating adoption, adaptation, broad expansion, and responsive institutionalization and scaling of approaches and business models to transform the lives of Ethiopians.

Under its Strengthening Enterprise Ecosystem objective, MS4G works with growth-oriented SMEs in food security and WASH sectors to accelerate their capacity to grow, adopt inclusive business models, and provide sustainable employment to youth and women. This is achieved through initiatives that facilitate market-based business development through Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs) and/or enterprise ecosystem actors such as business incubators, accelerators, and anchor/lead firms.

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

The ICT Specialist – provides leadership for the IT system management of MS4G Ethiopia, specifically being responsible for all infrastructure, network and server administration activities of MS4G in Addis Ababa & Regional Program Offices. This includes installing, hardware/software, configuring the internet base networks according to standards, and maintaining/administering systems for all offices across Ethiopia. S/he interacts with the IT contact person/team at Washington DC for management of IT related tasks. The ICT Specialist reposts to the HR & Operations Manager.

The ICT Specialist Is Responsible For

Management & Administration

• Manage and follow-up the execution of all IT tasks inside the project (workflows and processes);
• Establish system by planning and executing the selection, installation, configuration, and testing of PC and server hardware, software, wireless and LAN networks, and operating and system management systems; defining system , operational policies and procedures.
• Maintains system performance by performing system monitoring and analysis, and performance tuning; troubleshooting system hardware, software, networks and operating and system management systems; designing and escalating application problems to vendor.
• Support day to day users request and concerns for both software and hardware.
• Training staff on new technology available in the facility. Ensure timely and accurate delivery of technology products and services.
• Configuring and troubleshooting desktops, laptops, printers, and phone handsets
• Configure new emails accounts for staff.
• Oversee and maintaining the internet connection for the office and maintaining relationship with service provider and following up to ensure timely monthly internet invoice payment.
• Negotiate contracts and purchases with vendors for software, hardware and internet services.
• Install and configuring software and hardware.
• Preserves assets by implementing disaster recovery and back-up procedures and information security and control structures.
• Requesting software licenses and hardware from Washington DC Office
• Upgrades, installs and troubleshoots networks, networking hardware devices and servers software.
• Maintaining an inventory of all IT related equipment and parts as well as documentation and license provided by Washington DC or the local vendors
• Seeks ways to apply new technology to help staff with easy tasks.
• Purchasing cartridges for all the printers at the office
• Configuring and maintaining the telephone system at the office
• Meets financial requirements by submitting information for budgets; monitoring expenses for IT activities.
• Protecting organization’s information confidential/material.
• Perform IT department management of IT initiatives.
• Consults with program/operation management for appropriate technical solutions to help them perform their tasks more efficiently.
• Advise on options, risks, costs vs. benefits, impact on new technologies implemented and systems
• Printing and configuring ID cards and maintaining the access control system
• Maintain and troubleshooting the CCTV system for offices
• Troubleshooting and upgrading of smart phones for project staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by HR & Operations Manager

User Support

• Plan for major IT initiatives
• Ensure new systems are aligned with Palladium IT policies and procedures.
• Manage IT system implementation projects in the offices.
• Manage internal & external support arrangements required to deliver effective IT services to project staff.
• Ensure Palladium IT policies are well known to staff and implemented across the board.
• Setup, configure, monitor, and manage systems required to implement and support the organisation’s security policy.
• Provide regular guidance/feedback to the HR & Operations Manager on IT issues.
• Oversee maintenance of records for IT inventory with Logistics Specialist, and ensure software license and support and maintenance contracts, remain updated.
• Establishes system specifications by conferring with users, analysing workflow, access, information, and security requirements; designing system infrastructure for the project.
• Identification of routine desktop and application support issues and provision of training for staff as required.
• Maintenance of ICT User Guide
• Ensuring user compliance with ICT policies and guidelines
• Training staff on use of one drive and SharePoint for saving and sharing of files.

Requirements

Required Qualifications & Knowledge

• At least Bachelor’s degree in IT related field, preferably someone with certifications such Network, Applications infrastructure configurations and other post IT qualifications.
• Five or more years of directly related working experience in position.
• Understanding basic principles of structured network cabling and the practicalities of connecting network devices combined with sound experience.
• Understanding the function of basic network infrastructures such as routers & switches
• Confident user of Windows client operating systems and common desktop applications (Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, etc)
• Certifications in Microsoft, CISCO, and/or other related technologies is a plus
• Demonstrated management experience
• Understanding of client/server-based applications.
• Ability to travel within Ethiopia occasionally.

Abilities/Skills

• Excellent management, supervision/mentoring and organizational skills including the ability to handle a variety of assignments sometimes under pressure of deadlines.
• A broad variety of IT and support management skills
• Be self-motivated, proactive, have a positive attitude & work with minimum supervision.
• Ability to communicate effectively, instilling trust and confidence.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Be of high integrity and have a sense of confidentiality.
• Language Requirement: Fluency in oral and written English and Amharic is required