Head, Operations and Support Section

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 Operations and Support Section, PCT Information Systems (PCTIS) Division. The Division implements the ICT management framework for the portfolio of business applications supporting the PCT, a highly successful patent filing treaty. The Division comprises four Section, of which the Operations and Support Section, which also contains a Service Integration and Management Unit. There are two application development teams, a Quality Procedures and Control Section and additional roles are evolving towards strategy, demand and portfolio management functions. The Division collaborates with customers, third party suppliers and infrastructure teams and end users. It also delivers service desk, enterprise architecture, release and deployment coordination and systems operation services to the PCT.

b.    Purpose Statement

As Head of the Section, the main role of the incumbent is to identify and manage resources needed for the planning, development and delivery of Operation and Support services for the PCT, ensuring high level of quality and timeliness. S/He influences senior level customers and project teams through change management initiatives, ensuring that the supporting IT layers (infrastructure, architecture, applications) are properly managed to provide agreed levels of service, security and data integrity. S/He plans and manages implementation of processes and procedures, tools and techniques for monitoring and managing the performance of automated systems and services, in respect of their contribution to business performance and benefits to the business.

c.    Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Director of the Division.

d.    Work Relations

S/He works closely with the different Section Heads within PCT Information Systems Division, PCT Operations Division, PCT Business Development Division, PCT International Cooperation Division and liaises with Security and Information Assurance Division and the ICT Department to ensure coordination around, infrastructure, architecture and security matters.

2.      Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Lead, plan and control the Section's work, determining priorities, managing assets and allocating resources for the completion and timely and quality delivery of work products in accordance with results-based management principles as well as key performance indicators.

b.   Manage the staff of the Section, including in the areas of performance management and conflict prevention. Direct, supervise and evaluate the work of the Unit heads.

c.   Collaborate with the Director of the PCT Information Systems Division in the development of the Section's human resources, including workforce and succession planning, talent identification and acquisition, capacity building and training, and other strategic plans.

d.   Formulate and ensure the implementation of strategies for service delivery that support and meet the strategic needs of the PCT. Authorize the allocation of resources in relation to service delivery.

e.   Plan and forecast future resource requirements taking into account the projected evolution of workloads, process improvements, procedural enhancements and automation.

f.    Manage, approve and implement service levels and associated agreements relating to PCT information systems, including leading the development, evaluation and procurement of tenders.

g.   Develop and elaborate recommendations on information technology strategies, policies, procedures and architectures by evaluating organization outcomes, identifying and resolving problems, evaluating trends and anticipating requirements.

h.   Build strategic relationships and coordinate with WIPO member States, the office of the PCT, users, user groups and other interested parties associated with the PCT information systems.

i.    Implement, to the greatest possible extent, systems and services compliant with WIPO's Information Security Policies, and substantively contribute to the evolution of those policies.

j.    Represent WIPO at meetings and seminars relating to PCT information systems, prepare and oversee the preparation of related reports, provide authoritative advice and recommendations, and plan, organize and lead seminars, workshops and training courses including preparation of documents and delivery of lectures.

k.   Perform other related duties as required.

3.      Requirements

Education (Essential)

Advanced university degree in information technology, computer science or a related field. A first-level degree plus two years of relevant experience in addition to the experience required below may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Certification in project management, e.g. PRINCE2 or Agile.

Education (Desirable)

Certification in program management, e.g. MSP or PgMP.

Certification in ITIL.

Experience (Essential)

At least ten years of relevant professional experience, of which at least eight in the domain of IT Service Management and Service Operation and at least three years in an IP office or comparable working environment.

Experience in supervising a team and dealing with process improvement/workload planning issues.

Experience with highly secure ICT solutions.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience in managing medium to large scale IT transformation projects with direct business impact by using industry standard methodologies and tools.

Experience in international IP registration systems.

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English.

Language (Desirable)

Knowledge of other PCT publication languages.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Knowledge of IT Service Management and Service Operation.

Knowledge of project management.

Knowledge and understanding of infrastructure, network configurations, physical and virtual servers, SANs, WAN topologies, HA/clustering, dynamic allocation policies, storage solutions etc.

Excellent people and resource management skills.

Job Related Competencies (Desirable)

Knowledge of methods and techniques for preparing and presenting business cases, requests for proposal (RFP) invitations to tender (ITT) and statements of requirements/work both orally and in writing.