Associate eLearning Information Systems Officer

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE:  please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.

1.      Organizational Context

a.    Organizational Setting

The post is located in the IP eLearning Section of the IP eLearning and Internal Training Program of the WIPO Academy, Regional and National Development Sector.  The IP eLearning (Distance Learning (DL)) Section provides general, advanced, and skills based Intellectual Property (IP) knowledge through online, hybrid and blended learning for the benefit of WIPO Member States, mainly for developing countries, least-developed countries (LDCs) and countries in transition. It provides training and education through specific programs that utilize an eLearning platform as its core methodology.

The Academy’s IP eLearning Section runs a highly customized eLearning platform for IP skills development and certification, and has grown from two to more than 20 integrated online services delivering a nonstop service, during the last ten years. Improvements are made consistently to the existing eLearning IT platform in order to respond to the increasing demand for real-time, and relevant IP knowledge by a large number of online learners and IP experts who serve as tutors. The IP eLearning Section is followed by approximately 120,000 participants a year. They follow any number of 300 training sessions taught by approximately 400 IP experts. Recent technological advances in the digital environment brought significant changes in the value and method of knowledge acquisition. The Academy’s eLearning services have thus been enhanced with hybrid and blended learning methodologies, as well as new online partnership models to support both internal and external demands and to build a robust eLearning-IT structure in seven languages. Among the new services that are under development are a real-time, interactive online teaching tool using AI information technology, Chat Bot, and other agile machine learning technologies that meet ongoing eLearning demands and allow data and training-impact analysis.

b.    Purpose Statement

The aim of the Associate eLearning Information Systems Officer is to provide technical support throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including IP content and target audience related designs, and eLearning administration and partnership projects. This includes participation in assigned eLearning-IT projects, in particular those related to the intersection of eLearning and AI technologies, certification/accreditation of badges, special course designs, and eLearning network partnerships.

The post of the Associate eLearning Information Systems Officer will primarily support the work of the IP eLearning Section with a view to enhance new content and target audiences, as well as optimize the use of the platform by other Sectors of the Organization.  The IP eLearning Section requires new approaches to project coordination and to ensure its continual development, growth and expanding services. The post will facilitate quality and optimal interactive user experience by putting to use the cumulative knowledge consolidated by the Academy's eLearning and blended learning services. Setting the new technologies in place, maintaining their effective application, and upgrading the system periodically are undertakings which require consistent interaction with IP content development, administration, finance, and standard setting teams in the Organization.  This role is necessary to support the Academy's eLearning IS projects in particular those at the intersection of eLearning and AI technologies.

c.    Reporting Lines

The post will be under the overall management of the Director of IP eLearning and Internal Training Program and the direct supervision of the eLearning IT Solutions Manager.

d.    Reporting Lines

The Associate eLearning Information Systems Officer will work with the IP eLearning Content Development, Administration, and DL-IT teams as well as with other colleagues in the Academy and other Sectors across the whole of WIPO, where relevant, as well as external partners.

2.      Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Liaise with eLearning Content Development, Administration and Software Implementing teams and DL IP experts and contribute to the development of assigned DL Program projects, particularly the IP Digital Tutor and Digital Administrator Chat Bot project using AI techniques (such as Natural Language Processing and Language Learning Models). This includes collaborating with WIPO ICTD for global AI integration in different WIPO services, with focus on promoting IP teaching and skills development through the Academy eLearning Platform.

b.   Provide technical support for all eLearning IT project phases, from conception and initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, to closing of projects.

c.   Develop interfaces using business intelligence and data visualization techniques, and identify, consolidate and analyze required data for the management and administration of reporting modules.

d.   Act as an eLearning IT/IS focal point for projects requested by the DL Content Development, and Administration teams that have the aims of, among others, modernizing the look and feel of eLearning course content, enhancing and liaising with Finance on IP Experts database, creating certification/accreditation badges, establishing partnership networks and eLearning consortia, increasing interactivity in the distance learning courses using emerging technologies, and improving and optimizing the learning experience contained in the DL courses to utilize them to support other areas of the Organization where relevant.

e.   Provide technical support for the eLearning Management System, including its administration modules (i.e., from instructional functions to data automation).

f.    Draft presentations for new DL IT projects, develop eLearning data analysis for the production of key performance indicators and statistics, and generate management dashboard and course impact template reports.

g.   Draft periodic reports and take meeting notes to facilitate proper eLearning IT project coordination and software quality control.

h.   Draft and update user guides for the WIPO eLearning Center (WeLC) applications and modules.

i.    Perform such other related duties.

3.      Requirements

Education (Essential)

A first-level university degree in Information Systems Management, Computer Science, Business Analytics, or other relevant discipline.

Experience (Essential)

At least three years of progressive professional experience in project management with a focus on eLearning systems development, natural language processing or machine learning, and data science.

At least one year of work experience in working with IP content development experts, multilingual eLearning administrators, as well as multiannual UI designers.

Relevant work experience using AI technology.

Experience (Desirable)

Prior exposure to eLearning, IT projects, software development (Python, R, Java or PHP), web development (CSS, HTML, JavaScript) and database design and development (Oracle, Maria DB or MySQL).

Demonstrated record of implementing online platforms and ease with IT-related processes that are related to educational activities.

Experience with project management methodology, ideally PRINCE-2.

Language (Essential)

Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.

Language (Desirable)

Knowledge of other official UN languages.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Proven ability to design, implement, and monitor eLearning initiatives and platforms.

Results oriented.

Proven ability to rapidly analyze and assimilate complex new issues.

Ease with internet-based platforms, including ability to define and describe business side-needs.

Strong, analytical, decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Sound judgment and integrity.

Excellent communication skills.

Proven ability to communicate technical subject matter to non-specialist stakeholders in both written and oral form.

Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensibility and respect for diversity.