Information Management Officer (Digital Archivist) Job at United Nations IRMCT – Arusha, Tanzania

United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT)

Deadline : May 14, 2025

Job Description

The Information Management Officer (Digital Archivist) will manage the digital records of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and the digital component of the archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the Mechanism’s digital preservation programme.
• Research, analyse and evaluate new systems or tools for the management of digital archives, and make recommendations for their deployment.
• Ensure that the Mechanism’s digital repository is supported, maintained and managed in accordance with required standards.
• Plan, organise, lead, monitor and evaluate work on ingest, curation and preservation of digital content, including digital forensic activities.
• Plan, organise, lead, monitor and evaluate work on delivery of digital content to discovery and delivery platforms.
• Provides advisory services to Mechanism officials and staff on digital recordkeeping issues and practices on the management of digital archives, including: needs and business process analysis; organization and maintenance of Mechanism information assets; digital records preservation and disposition; and the application of information management policies and procedures, with an emphasis on technological solutions.
• Researches, analyses and evaluates new applications of information technology to digital preservation, archives and records management and makes recommendations for their deployment.
• Plan, organise, monitor and evaluate digital recordkeeping improvement projects, contributing to feasibility studies, systems analysis, design, development and implementation and in the evaluation and testing of record-keeping application improvements and new systems; provides user support; develop and deliver digital recordkeeping training programmes for Mechanism staff.
• Develops detailed system and other functional specifications and standards from the recordkeeping perspective and user documentation for new digital recordkeeping and document management systems.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of strategies, policies and procedures for the management of the archives of the IRMCT, ICTR and ICTY and the provision of access to them.
• Implement strategies, policies and procedures, in collaboration with the Digital Archivist Hague Branch.
• Plan, organise, lead, monitor and evaluate work on acquisition, accessioning, arrangement and description, storage, preservation and conservation of digital archives.
• Plan, organise, lead, monitor and evaluate work on preparation and dissemination of finding aids for digital archives.
• Advise on and recommend measures to enhance the accessibility of digital archives.
• Advise on the determination of requests for access to digital archives. If access is approved, provide access, and information and assistance to requesters, in collaboration with the Associate Information Management Officer.
• Understands, keeps current with and applies digital preservation techniques and strategies for Mechanism records and in line with Mechanism Standards, policies, guidelines, manuals and the Secretary-General’s Data Strategy.
• Manages Mechanism digital archives processing activities by overseeing adherence to digital preservation metadata, digital archival description and database standards; produces descriptive inventories; prepares mark-up of descriptive inventories for electronic dissemination; and makes recommendations regarding the planning and prioritisation of digital preservation and Mechanism description programme requirements.
• Participates in developing client outreach strategies and in their implementation.
• Conducts programmes of outreach and user education to improve client use of desktop information resources; uses judgement of relevant institutional needs to develop presentations appropriate to client audience; develops publicity materials to facilitate outreach.
• Assists in programme administration, including supervision of contractual employees and General Service staff, formulation of consultant contracts and subsequent implementation, development of the programme budget, etc.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the Section’s operations and services by: keeping abreast of professional developments; supporting audits of the Section’s work; participating in internal reviews of the Section’s work, recommending improvements and implementing approved initiatives.
• Assist the Officer(s) in Charge (OiCs) Arusha and The Hague branches in planning, budgeting, procurement, finance, human resources or facilities management, as required.
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Requirements

• Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

• Demonstrable knowledge of recordkeeping theory and practice, and of established standards in records management and archives management.

• Demonstrable knowledge of current standards, best practices and trends in digital preservation and digital recordkeeping.

• Knowledge of electronic data maintenance, including appraisal, migration management; records preservation and description.

• Ability to conduct research and provide recommendations on information management trends.

• Ability to demonstrate conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills and conduct independent research and analysis, identifying and assessing issues, formulating options and making conclusions and recommendations.

• Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.

• Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.

• Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.