Network Support Specialist

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

The Digital FAO and Agro-informatics Division (CSI) is responsible for all IT activities within the Organization. CSI performs on behalf of the Organization the following critical roles: defining FAO IT policies and providing strategic advice on IT architecture and standards, governance, policy and operational matters while monitoring organizational compliance; defining the mechanisms for managing FAO's information and data; protecting FAO's information assets and ensuring confidentiality, integrity and availability; ensuring provision of IT services that are core for the Organization's global operations and supporting the information and business processes; coordinating organization-wide IT activities in order to reduce duplication and fragmentation and to increase integration of information data, systems and platforms, mobilizing IT resources from across the Organization.

Reporting Lines

Under the direct supervision of the Information Technology Officer (IT Global Infrastructure), the consultant will act as Network Specialist performing the following functions.

Technical Focus

The Network Specialist will be responsible for the correct operation and management of the global telecommunications infrastructure of the organization.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Perform daily monitoring and maintenance activities, including managing Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), Wi-Fi, and maintaining security firewalls and Virtual Private Network (VPN) devices. Responsibilities also include log reviews, firmware updates, network cabling assessments, device inventory management, and core infrastructure optimization.
•    Install, configure, and manage network and communication devices. Ensure that configuration and technical documentation are consistently updated to support the global network and communications infrastructure effectively.
•    Propose and implement enhancements, including software and hardware upgrades, aimed at improving network performance, reliability, and scalability.
•    Ensure that all network monitoring and management tools are current and perform automatic backups of all network device configurations regularly.
•    Design, organize, and lead system integration efforts for audio/visual implementations, including deployment and troubleshooting.
•    Provide second and third-level support for the global network infrastructure to users at headquarters and decentralized offices.
•    Raise and manage cases with vendor Technical Assistance Center (TAC) support as needed and liaise with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to address contract and performance issues related to WAN links.
•    Promote improvements and contribute to the security of the network infrastructure by adopting the best practices, emerging technologies and high security standards
•    Contribute to the technical growth of the team by drafting and updating technical and operational documentation to maintain an up-to-date operational framework.
•    Operations of the FAO network services require scheduled and emergency interventions and require on-call and remote assistance as needed and agreed with the Information Technology Officer.
•    Any other duties as required

All work will be undertaken in compliance with the appropriate organizational standards and procedures and all IS/ICT products will conform to IT divisional technical, security and quality standards.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree or relevant educational certification in Computer Science, Networking or closely related discipline.
•    For COF.REG: At least 7 years, for PSA.SBS at least 5 years of proven experience in deploying and managing large-scale global telecommunication networks, with focus on performance optimization and scalability
•    Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Structured analysis and problem-solving skills
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Experience in managing and configuring multi-vendor network environments, including Cisco, Meraki, F5 devices, routers, switches, SD-WAN, and firewalls
•    Excellent knowledge and extensive experience with Layer 2 protocols such as, but not limited to, MAC, VLAN, ARP, STP, VTP, DTP, CDP, LACP, PAGP, PPP, 802.11
•    Excellent knowledge and extensive experience with Layer 3 protocols such as but not limited to OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, VPN, IPv4, IPv6, VPN
•    Excellent troubleshooting skills at both the network and application layers. Proficient in packet capture and analysis using tools like Wireshark.
•    Solid understanding of firewalls and security principles, with the ability to implement best practices in network security.
•    Hands-on experience with network management, monitoring solutions, diagnostics, and analytics to optimize performance and reliability.
•    Proven experience in supporting IT and communication technologies within extensive LAN and WAN environments, ensuring seamless operations.
•    Familiarity with audio/visual protocols, specifically the DANTE protocol, for networked audio solutions, including configuration and troubleshooting of DANTE-enabled devices.
•    ITIL certification and at least 2 certifications from a recognized organization (i.e. Cisco CCNP/CCDP, F5 CTS-LTM)

Selection Criteria

•    Years of experience 
•    Field of work and area of specialization 
•    Education 
•    Language: limited knowledge of one of the following: French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian would be an asset.
•    Assessments through interview

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
• Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ 
• For more information, visit the FAO employment website
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT