Consultant for IT Networks Infrastructure and Security, IOM Moldova

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS   

Reference code:  SVN2024-26

Open to External Candidates

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

1. Nature of the consultancy: Enhancing IT Network Infrastructure and Security for the General Inspectorate for Migration (GIM), Category B Consultancy.

2. Project Context and Scope:

Within the framework of the EU-funded project “Supporting protection, transit, repatriation and reintegration of affected eastern partnership citizens and vulnerable third country nationals in the eastern neighbourhood region affected by the conflict in Ukraine,” IOM is supporting the General Inspectorate for Migration of the Republic of Moldova to modernize and enhance its IT network infrastructure to improve efficiency, security, and compliance with contemporary technology standards. The project also recognizes the urgent need to develop a new informatic system to prevent cyberattacks, which have intensified following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Service (Serviciul Tehnologia Informației și Securitate Cibernetică, STISC), between December 2023 and May 2024, its alert and monitoring systems registered 6,570,000 cybersecurity events targeting Moldova's governmental infrastructure. Additionally, the development of this system responds to the necessity of creating a framework that is easy to integrate with European Union systems, ensuring compatibility, seamless collaboration, and adherence to EU standards. To address these challenges, IOM seeks to engage an experienced IT network consultant to evaluate the current infrastructure, propose improvements, and support the implementation of a secure, scalable, and EU-compatible architecture incorporating robust cybersecurity measures.

3. Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing:

Migration Governance, Immigration and Border Management

5. Category B Consultants: Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment

Under the present Terms of Reference, IOM Moldova is seeking a national qualified and experienced expert that will provide technical support and expertise to:

- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of GIM's existing network infrastructure.

- Document the current ("AS IS") architecture.

- Propose recommendations for a future ("TO BE") architecture.

- Develop a needs and budget analysis to support the creation of the updated infrastructure.

Under the overall guidance of the IOM Chief of Mission and Programme Coordinator – Migration Governance, and the direct supervision of Programme Officer/IBG Unit, the incumbent will be responsible of:

- Performing a thorough audit of the current network infrastructure, including routers, switches, firewalls, IDS/IPS systems (intrusion detection/prevention), and VPN configurations.

- Identifying vulnerabilities and recommend corrective measures for enhanced security.

- Designing a robust network architecture ensuring performance, scalability, and security.

- Incorporating redundancy and failover mechanisms for critical services.

- Developing a migration/implementation plan for proposed solutions.

- Preparing detailed technical documentation, including configurations and operational procedures.

- Delivering a final report with recommendations for ongoing maintenance and continuous improvement.

To perform the duties, the incumbent is expected to organize focus group meetings with focal points from national stakeholders, might have to visit different site locations of the institution to assess the physical setup and existing infrastructure, engage in discussions with employees of the institution to gather insights on operational challenges and user needs, and review existing reports and evaluations to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. These activities will ensure a comprehensive understanding of the current environment and facilitate the development of tailored and effective solutions.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Payment Modalities

The payment will be done in one instalment, upon submission of the last deliverable.

The consultant must adhere to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Data Protection Principles (IN/138) and maintain confidentiality.

6. Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

     The consultant’s’ performance will be evaluated against the following criteria:

1. Satisfactory completion of tasks indicated in this TOR
2. Stakeholder satisfaction and feedback on recommendations and implementations.
3. Quality and comprehensiveness of reports and documentation.

7. Education, Experience and/or skills required

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or related fields.

EXPERIENCE

- Minimum 5 years in designing and implementing complex IT network solutions.

- Proven experience with industry-leading equipment and technologies (e.g., Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, Palo Alto).

- Proficiency in routing, switching, firewalls, and VPN technologies.

- Experience with network monitoring and management tools (e.g., SNMP, syslog, NetFlow).

- Diagnostic and troubleshooting capabilities for complex network performance issues.

- Relevant certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, CISSP, or CompTIA Security+ highly desired.

       LANGUAGES

For this position, fluency in Romanian is required, knowledge of English is an asset.

8. Travel required

Not envisaged

9. Competencies

Values

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
• Integrity and transparency: maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action-oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.
• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Other

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this special vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

A prerequisite for taking up the position is legal residency in the country of the duty station and work permit, as applicable.

How to apply:

Interested applicants are invited to send CV and Cover Letter in English to: hrchisinau@iom.int

Please, indicate the position you are applying for and reference code in the subject line of your message.

Closing date for applications is 20 December 2024.

In order for an application to be considered valid, IOM only accepts the applications duly completed.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Posting period:

From 13.12.2024 to 20.12.2024