IT Officer at International Rescue Committee

Position Summary

• The IT officer provides technical support, systems administration and network infrastructure management for the Hagadera field office. The role reports administratively to the head of the Hagadera field office (through the county area coordinator, Garissa) and technically to the IT manager.
• The role combines hands-on support with planning for systems, networks and health information systems, including the electronic medical record (EMR) used in IRC-supported health facilities. The IT officer keeps staff and clinical teams connected, protects IRC data, and works closely with the service desk, NOC, SOC, GIS and the regional and HQ IT teams.

Major Responsibilities

IT support (Level 1 and Level 2)

• Work with end users, IT colleagues and the service desk to resolve Level 1 and Level 2 issues in the Hagadera field office.
• Resolve or escalate Level 3 issues to the right internal or external resource (IT manager, regional IT lead, applications team, service desk or vendor) as necessary
• Log, update and close all incidents and requests in Service-Now, with clear notes on actions taken.
• Provide remote support for field staff and off-site clinic locations.
• Run user training on IT tools, cybersecurity awareness and digital literacy.

Network infrastructure and systems administration

• Servers and domain: install, configure and manage Windows Server, the domain environment and essential network services.
• End-user devices: install and support desktops, laptops and peripherals using the IRC standard Windows 11 image and provide Microsoft Office support.
• Specialized applications: install and support applications such as the EMR among other systems.
• Email: assist with user email account set-up, archiving, and distribution group management.
• Networks: install, document, manage and support wired and secured wireless networks for the Hagadera field office and its satellite sites, including LAN, wireless and client-server architecture as appropriate.
• Network equipment: manage switches, routers, wireless access points and network security devices.
• Backbone links: monitor the performance of the microwave, point-to-point and fibre backbone networks serving Hagadera.
• Performance: monitor and optimize network performance, bandwidth use and connectivity, and improve the network infrastructure (internet servers, filters, domain controllers, backups, print servers and similar).
• Backups: manage on-premises and cloud backup solutions for servers, EMR databases and critical data, and test restores regularly.
• Procurement: advice on procurement on spare parts and new IT equipment so that purchases meet IRC standard specifications.

EMR system implementation and support

• Understand the EMR system well enough to troubleshoot, or to escalate technical errors to the focal IT person or the EMR developer.
• Be the point of contact for EMR issues raised by physicians, health records officers, the matron and clinicians in charge.
• Take part in planning, designing, developing and deploying new EMR modules and enhancements.
• Support EMR implementation on sites, documenting approaches, challenges and mitigation strategies.
• Prepare recommendations and alternatives to improve how the EMR operates.
• Work with facility teams to generate structured and ad-hoc reports for stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, donors, administrators and clinicians.
• Keep EMR servers, databases, workstations and network links at the clinics available, backed up and patched, in line with the uptime targets below.
• Train and coach EMR users on basic troubleshooting, data security and good practice.

Maintenance, repair and security

• Carry out preventive maintenance on all IRC computers and network resources.
• Develop and follow maintenance protocols for laptops, desktops, photocopiers, printers and other IT and communication equipment.
• Implement backup solutions for the office and individual users in line with IRC IT recommendations (including Box), and train users on how to use them.
• Apply and update network security and data loss prevention procedures to protect systems from physical harm, viruses, unauthorized users and data damage.
• Review user accounts and access rights regularly and remove access promptly when staff leave.
• Report security incidents to the SOC and IT manager straight away and help contain them.
• Monitor power backup (UPS and generator or solar) for server and network rooms, and report faults early.
• Create and maintain network documentation, including IP addresses, system access, upgrades and changes to the original network.
• Investigate local internet connectivity options to link offices through VPNs and secure enough bandwidth for intranet and application access.
• Take part in disaster recovery and business continuity planning and testing for Hagadera.

Collaboration, planning, reporting and capacity building

• Act as IT liaison with field administration and staff, to understand and interpret IT needs at base level and meet them across teams.
• Work with the regional and HQ IT teams on the helpdesk, connectivity and other in-country and global IT projects.
• Take part as an IT team member in planning, problem resolution and reviewing department performance.
• Work with the IT manager on work plans to improve IT systems.
• Help write and put into practice IT policies and standard operating procedures.
• Deliver on-demand training so that staff strengthen their basic computer skills and write and maintain user guides and training materials.
• Maintain IT asset registers with equipment details, locations and warranty information.
• Submit monthly reports using the standard templates to the geographical and functional managers.
• Carry out any other IT-related tasks assigned by the supervisor or the regional and HQ IT teams.

Cross-site collaboration (shared technical expertise)

• The IT officer is part of a shared technical pool across the Hagadera and Kakuma field offices.
• For this position, approximately 20% of working time will be required to support the Kakuma field office on the common functions listed below. The time is planned with the IT manager and the Hagadera field office head so that service levels in Hagadera are not affected. Support is given remotely where possible and on site when needed.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science or a related field.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible work experience directly related to the duties above.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Networking and infrastructure technologies: LAN and wireless access point administration and the Cisco environment. Meraki and Cyberoam skills are an added advantage.
• Windows Server administration
• Virtualization expertise on Windows platforms.
• Working knowledge of cloud computing and data storage.
• Backup and recovery: configuring, monitoring and testing backups for servers and databases, including cloud backup.
• Patch and endpoint management: applying and verifying patches and keeping devices secure and up to date.
• Basic cybersecurity awareness: network security, data protection and incident reporting.
• ITIL v4 fundamentals and experience with an enterprise ticketing system such as Service-Now, to run the service desk platform and improve SLAs and customer relationship management.
• Project management skills (PMI).
• Ability to support users and systems across more than one site, remotely and on site, in a field setting.
• Ability to support users and systems across more than one site, remotely and on site, in a field setting.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work well with a wide range of people in a diverse community.
• Fluent in English. Kiswahili is desirable.
• Preferred: knowledge of EMR or health information systems, backup and patch management tools, and basic network security. Relevant certifications such as CCNA, MCSA or ITIL are an advantage.