IT Administrator

Position Title: IT Administrator
Position Reference: 220402
Position Location: Remote
Timeframe: At will, and as funding allows
Application deadline: 10 May 2022. Interviews will be carried out on a rolling basis.
Assigned Unit/Team: Operations Unit/Global
Coordinator: Operations Director

Overview: This scope of work (SoW) outlines the IT Administrator consultancy with the Center for Operational Analysis and Research (COAR). The IT Administrator Coordinator consultant will be responsible for the management of COAR’s software subscriptions and licenses, front- and back-end website functionality for six project websites, maintenance and performance of websites, cybersecurity measures across the organization, supervising Mailchimp email publications of text and mounting on relevant web pages, and acting as the focal point for assigned external consultants. The IT Administrator Coordinator will also ensure proper internal storage and organization of COAR’s Google Drives, as well as smooth operation and implementation of COAR’s communication platforms.

About COAR: COAR is an independent social enterprise that directly supports practitioners, policy-makers, and donors by facilitating humanitarian and development interventions in complex, fragile, and high-risk environments. COAR delivers neutral and objective research and analysis, which identifies - but does not influence - local stakeholders, relationships, interests, and analyzes broader political, economic, social, and security dynamics and trends. COAR research leverages social media, personal networks, field research teams, and local experts in order to map and translate the local human context; COAR analysis synthesizes and studies this data in order to inform both programmatic and strategic decision-making, reduce security and conflict sensitivity risks, and increase the impact of humanitarian, development, stabilization, peace-building, and peacekeeping initiatives.

Objectives:
● To manage content, usability, security, and operationality of various project and organizational websites;
● To act as the focal point for the procurement and assignment of all online and electronic resources, to include (but not limited to) software subscriptions and licenses, communication platforms, and security;
● Oversee various user lists and oversee email distribution of COAR product releases;
● Ensure form submissions and unsolicited emails are identified and directed to appropriate focal points;
● To liaise with external technical contractors, Graphic Design, and other teams to ensure that licenses and platforms are procured and assigned to respective teams and individuals;
● Collaborate with Operations, Legal, and Finance Departments to ensure digital resources are correctly allocated to COAR’s projects and budget lines, and ensure compliance with GDPR and other regulatory frameworks;

Responsibilities:
The IT Administrator Coordinator will:
● In collaboration with the responsible teams focal points, manage website content: ensures webpages’ content is uploaded; create tags and manage post categories; update plugins, themes, and tools; ensure proper security; monitor and improve website speed; ensure periodic data backups; server maintenance.
● Manage Google Workspace: Manage Google Apps to include, but not limited to, Gmail accounts, GDrive, Google Sheets and Docs templates; periodically backup Gdrive content; suggest and implement plugins to enhance collaboration and performance of Google Apps; monitor for security issues such as spam and phishing attempts; provide desk support for COAR users.
● Manage subscriptions and licenses: In coordination with the Operations and Finance focal points, manage user subscriptions/licenses for software and platforms such as Adobe Suite, ArcGIS, Microsoft, Slack, and other applications as needed and in accordance with COAR technical requirements and budgets; coordinate with senior COAR personnel to identify software-based needs and solutions; communicate and problem-solve with technical support as needed; provide desk support for COAR users; procure and register software while tracking payments and subscriptions (plugins, online services, digital resources, etc).

● Manage and ensure cybersecurity for COAR’s online presence: Monitor COAR security threats (website, plugins, emails); force access security solutions across the different teams globally (two-factor authentication, third-party authenticators, etc.); report on potential security challenges and threats related to various internal and external communications platforms (Skype, Signal, etc.); develop digital contingency plans in collaboration with the Operations Director and specialized consultants as required;
● Identify digital requirements in coordination with technical teams, advise on specifications and technical support, and coordinate with Operations and Finance teams to ensure hard and software requirements are met in a timely manner;
● Provide Reports to Relevant COAR Stakeholders: Reports include (but are not limited to) monthly reports on user access to website and online products; monthly report on Mailchimp reach; and Monthly report on Google Analytics. Reporting will also require maintenance of databases for COAR users (per relevant category) as well as user engagement with periodicals, reports, and other publications.
● Serve as the focal point for external technical contractors: Identify gaps and lead on recruitment of external consultants to bridge gaps; create detailed scopes of work (SoWs) and/or terms of reference (ToRs) aligned with available financial resources and COAR’s needs; liaise between external contractors and COAR Finance and Operations Teams for contracting, invoicing, and payment; ensure requirements, objective, and expectations are clearly communicated to external contractors by ensuring deliverables and work plans of external contractors remain on track, and meet agreed deadlines; ensuring deliverables are high-quality and aligned with COAR’s needs while minimizing feedback loops with external contractors by thoroughly reviewing final deliverables; backstop and/or support data visualization or mapping as needed.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate for the IT Administrator consultant will have:
● A bachelor’s degree in data science, computer science/engineering, data visualization/analysis, geographic information science, or related field;
● 2 to 5 years of experience in data management,, graphic design, software/computer engineering, website design/management, or related field preferably within the humanitarian or development sector;
● Demonstrated experience with Adobe Suite, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office. Experience with ArcGIS is an advantage;
● Experience in WordPress management, demonstrated with cybersecurity threats and solutions and Google Analytics reporting;
● Demonstrated ability to identify digital needs and offer solutions;
● Experience in data cleaning, management, and aggregation;
● Experience sorting, tagging, and labeling secondary data sources;
● English fluency;
● Ability to think critically;
● Strong organizational skills;
● Ability to remain impartial and objective;
● Demonstrated ability and/or willingness to work simultaneously on multiple tasks, under tight deadlines, provide real-time data points and analysis with accuracy under pressure, and off-work hours;
● Commitment to discretion and confidentiality;
● Strict adherence to COAR’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies at all times.