MapAction Hiring for IT Support Engineer at Chinnor / Remote Full Time

MapAction is a leading humanitarian mapping charity delivering information services and products to help humanitarian responders in disasters and conflicts. This mapped information helps responders understand vulnerabilities and target their response effectively, contributing to saving lives and minimising suffering. The organisation works through a team of skilled volunteer professionals and a small paid staff team.

MapAction has built a strong reputation in the humanitarian sector and is a technical partner of the United Nations, Non-Government organisations, regional entities and national authorities.

The Technical function provides support to the organisation’s internal institutional and operational capability and ensures technical services are available to service users. The function comprises a Technical Director (focusing on the leadership of the function and infrastructure for the charity and operations), Head of Technical Development (focusing on technology development that evolves the service offer), Systems Engineer (focusing on business and operational systems integration) and IT Support Engineer (focusing on IT support tasks). It works closely with technical working groups of volunteer software and IT systems experts. 

Technical support is essential to ensure MapAction’s internal capability remains ready to deploy 24/7, 365 days a year. 

Main Responsibilities

This role provides technical support to MapAction’s team by carrying out specific IT administration related tasks. It is responsible for maintaining MapAction’s fleet of laptops (hardware and software).  Staff and Volunteers rely heavily on IT for its work in affected countries and in its UK headquarters. MapAction’s IT is managed by the Technical Circle, a group of technically minded staff and volunteers, including the post holder. .  The job holder is not expected to deploy overseas as part of regular MapAction emergency operations.  You will  have the opportunity to train and progress in the role. This position is of a hybrid set up, you will work from the office two days a week and the rest from home. You will need to live within a 2 hours drive to Chinnor, Oxfordshire, as you may be required to attend the office at short notice. 

Functional capability

• Ensure all IT systems are operational at all times. This includes maintaining MapAction’s fleet of laptops, communications equipment, and specialist software applications (GIS, Geographic Information Systems). 
• Check and rebuild laptops and other equipment after use in emergency deployments and training weekends meeting the deadlines to do this.
• Configure end user IT equipment to the specifics of MapAction’s demanding operating environment.
• Manage laptop software upgrades (through deployment system)
• Package new software and maintain existing ones  
• Undertake scripting and automation tasks both for system administration purposes and some file management tasks.
• Work with MapAction’s IT outsourcing supplier (a local IT company) and the Senior Systems Engineer to develop and improve MapAction’s IT infrastructure. This includes system integration, acceptance testing and developing specifications for future work.
• Implement, test and improve MapAction’s in-field IT procedures and systems.
• Create written guidance for both technical and end user audiences.
• Work with the volunteer team to integrate their contributions to the tasks above.
• Provide IT support to office staff and members/volunteers as required 
• Support MapAction’s Technical Infrastructure (servers, network, telephony and cloud-based systems).

Technical support tasks

• Ensure MapAction’s IT systems are regularly backed-up in accordance with MapAction’s SOPs
• Support the process of disaster recovery as required 
• Support colleagues with the management of the contracts with CST, Linode and others
• Others as agreed with Technical Director

Key Competencies

• Minimum vocational education (HNC or HND) in an IT related subject
• Minimum one year of professional experience in a technical support or system administration role
• Experience of Microsoft Windows 10, Windows Server, MS Office, servicing hardware and software, software deployment and configuration, 
• Scripting and automation
• Experience managing cloud-based infrastructure (AWS, Azure or Google Cloud)
• Knowledge of Linux, including setup, configuration and shell scripts 
• Good communication skills, verbal and written
• Strong commitment to MapAction’s mission and values 
• Positive team player and ability to work collaboratively  

Additional Information 

• Must have the right to live and work in the UK (MapAction is unable to consider candidates who do not already hold appropriate permissions).
• Flexibility and willingness to work outside office hours including evening and weekends, attending monthly weekend training events as required. In particular, during MapAction deployments to major emergencies; occasionally attending MapAction’s volunteer training and development weekends; and occasional participation in conference calls on evenings and weekends. Reasonable time off in lieu is available by agreement.
• Note: this is an operational role in a small, highly specialised charity and an appreciation of, and affinity with, the humanitarian purpose of the charity is essential.
• 30 days holiday and work place pension. 

Equal Opportunities Policy

MapAction is an Equal Opportunities employer. All employees have a personal responsibility to promote and support measures designed to create a working environment which is free from harassment or discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, membership of the Traveller community or HIV & AIDS status. MapAction also positively encourages Women and those from the BAME community to apply. 

This is a rolling recruitment and we will interview on that basis. We reserve the right to close the recruitment process early. Please include a cover letter to be considered for the role, any candidates who don’t will be automatically disqualified from this recruitment.  Do not apply if you are from outside the United Kingdom, we are unable to offer sponsorship or relocation for this position.

Contact Name: MapAction
Reference:
TJ/8078/77743
Job ID:
3061845