VACANCY: Deadline: 31 January 2008

GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION FACILITY

Head of Informatics

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) Secretariat seeks a highly experienced Informatics/IT Manager to lead our Informatics team in the ongoing development of our informatics services and internal IT systems. This is a senior-level post reporting to the Director, with an initial contract of up to five years and a highly competitive salary benefiting from the diplomatic status of the Secretariat. The GBIF Secretariat is located in Copenhagen, Denmark with a total staff of 19.

GBIF is a growing international initiative with current membership of 42 countries and 34 international organisations working on the overall mission of mobilising the world’s primary biodiversity data via the internet. Currently the GBIF web portal allows access to more than 950 datasets holding more than 140 million records (http://data.gbif.org). Secretariat priorities, with the emphasis on promoting participation and working through partners, include mobilising biodiversity data, developing protocols and standards to ensure scientific integrity and interoperability, building a global informatics architecture to allow the interlinking of diverse data types from disparate sources, promoting capacity building and catalyzing development of the analytical tools for improved decision-making to underpin sustainable development. For more detailed information on GBIF please visit www.GBIF.org.

1. The Secretariat Informatics team is responsible for:
   1. Developing and supporting multiple tools and standards allowing data providers/users to connect their data to the network, access and analyse these data.
   2. Maintenance and continuing innovative development of the web portal functionality in response to multi-stakeholder needs.
   3. Drafting and management of numerous GBIF-funded and collaborative external contracts.
   4. General IT development and support to the operations of the Secretariat and membership.
2. The Head of Informatics, as IT Programme Manager will:
   1. Lead the development and implementation of the workplan and budgets of the six-person Secretariat Informatics team (and external contracts) as per activities above.
   2. Lead on the development and delivery of key informatics products and services to address multi-stakeholder needs.
   3. Liaise continuously with each of the other Secretariat Work Programmes to identify and ensure delivery of appropriate cross-cutting products and services.
   4. Play a key role in Secretariat strategic planning and serve as the main liaison between the Secretariat Informatics team and the rest of the Secretariat and GBIF membership.
3. Prospective applicants should:
   1. Have significant experience (at least 5 years) as a programme/project manager for a variety of high-level, innovative IT projects, particularly web applications.
   2. Have had direct experience working as a software developer or software architect and/or of conceptualising, planning and implementing large databases or federated information systems/networks.
   3. Have direct IT applications experience in domains such as biology, ecology, biotechnology, medicine, biodiversity, oceanography, geography or earth sciences.
   4. Understand the realm of biodiversity information, including taxonomy, collections management, conservation science and policy, and the reporting requirements of the multilateral environmental conventions, etc, and experience liaising with, and contributing to biodiversity-related organisations, agencies and networks.
   5. Have experience with the development of spatial/GIS solutions and/or semantic web applications.
   6. Have experience working on inter-governmental initiatives and coordinating activities involving a wide range of distributed participants, including governmental, NGO and scientific groups.
   7. Be output and service driven with a proven ability to manage both internal and external teams and deliver products in a demanding, dynamic and multi-stakeholder environment.
   8. Have experience extracting and interpreting disparate user needs and translating these quickly into appropriate products and services.
   9. Have excellent inter-personal and communication skills to foster and motivate a team of skilled professionals and external contributors.
   10. Be self-motivated, highly innovative and looking for a significant career growth opportunity.

The GBIF Head of Informatics post is an exciting opportunity to work in a multi-cultural environment on a major international project and to play a leading role in increasing our understanding and sustainable management of the natural world. The Head of Informatics is expected to take up office by 1April 2008 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Further enquiries and applications should be addressed to the Director, Dr Nicholas King at: HOIpost@gbif.org. Applications should include a comprehensive CV, with a cover-letter detailing how you meet the above requirements (as listed in A, B & C, and numbered accordingly), and your vision for contributing to the overall mission of GBIF, specifically via the ongoing development of the IT systems, products and services, both internal and external.

Closing date: January 31st 2008. Interviews will likely take place in the last week of February.