[Hiring] Systems Architecture Specialist @United Nations Office for Project Services

Role Description

This is a hands-on architecture role with real influence over how CPIT builds its digital solutions. You'll be at the heart of the team, leading the technical direction of the products and solutions that CPIT delivers. The position combines deep technical design with mentoring, responsible AI, and the satisfaction of building solutions that help our field projects make a meaningful impact on people's lives globally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent), preferably in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Technology Management, Mathematics or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience
• OR Master's degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Requirements

• At least 5 years of professional experience in a senior IT development capacity. Experience in systems architecture, solutions design, or similar roles is highly desirable.
• Experience writing and reviewing production code with a working knowledge of clean architecture principles or domain-driven design.
• Experience defining API standards, including RESTful design conventions, versioning strategies, and authentication patterns.
• Experience with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Experience mentoring or technically leading a development team, including through code reviews and architectural guidance.
• Experience producing technical documentation (e.g., system blueprints, component catalogues, or handover materials).

Benefits

• Engagement in ongoing or short-term, ad hoc contracts, depending on interest and project budget availability.
• Positions may be office- or home-based.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Architecture & Design
  • Design and deliver sustainable, scalable, and secure architectural blueprints for CPIT solutions, adhering to ITG best practices and clean architecture principles.
  • Define and maintain API design standards, including RESTful conventions, versioning strategies, authentication patterns, and documentation requirements.
  • Conduct in-depth analysis of emerging architectural patterns and industry best practices to optimise internal system designs.
  • Design reusable project templates and starter kits that enable developers to spin up new applications quickly while following CPIT's architectural standards.
  • Ensure all CPIT-built solutions are resilient, secure, scalable, and interoperable with enterprise systems, legacy platforms, and external partner systems, using standardised APIs and integration patterns.
  • Ensure CPIT-built solutions are, as far as possible, technology vendor-agnostic and portable to enable handover to third parties at any point.
• Development and Team mentoring
  • Guide and mentor CPIT developers through code reviews, pairing sessions, and architectural guidance, raising the team's overall engineering capability.
  • Lead the development of core product components, writing code where necessary and ensuring all implementations adhere to architectural principles and performance standards.
  • Translate business requirements into technical specifications, data models, and solution designs.
• AI & Responsible Technology
  • Embed Responsible AI principles into system architecture, including data privacy, transparency, fairness, explainability, audit trails, and human oversight mechanisms.
  • Provide technical expertise on the implementation of modern AI/ML techniques, prediction algorithms, and advanced data processing patterns.
  • Evaluate and recommend platforms, open-source frameworks, and cloud services, including AI-specific ones, aligned with organizational risk and procurement frameworks.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Work with project stakeholders to ensure CPIT-built solutions meet business application delivery requirements.
  • Work with project stakeholders to ensure appropriate knowledge and experience is provided to assist them with IT hiring processes.
  • Work with project stakeholders to ensure appropriate knowledge and experience is provided to assist them with IT procurement processes.
  • Work with the Core Engineering, CSOC and Enterprise Architecture teams to ensure that CPIT solutions align with ITG's ongoing maturity journey.
• Knowledge Management
  • Establish and maintain a catalogue of reusable components, templates, and integration patterns (both AI and general-purpose) that CPIT can deploy.
  • Maintain and enforce comprehensive technical documentation for all CPIT products and infrastructure to ensure long-term maintainability and clarity.

Skills

• Cloud Computing
• Solution Architecture
• Technical Documentation
• Technical Leadership
• Data Engineering
• Software Architecture

Competencies

• Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation.
• Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same.
• Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit.
• Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal.
• Open to change and flexible in a fast-paced environment.
• Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions.
• Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner.

Language Requirements

• English Fluent Required