Regional ICT Lead, (Fiji National, Fixed-Term Contract – 12 months)

Job Summary:

Beyond Essential Systems (BES) is seeking an Regional ICT Lead to support the technical components of implementation and ongoing use of Tamanu, an electronic health record (EHR). This is a full-time, 12-month fixed-term contract based in Suva, Fiji, with the opportunity to extend based on project requirements, funding, and performance. This role is open to Fiji nationals only.

The role is both hands on, and strategic. The core job is leading the technical setup and maintenance of the digital healthcare infrastructure across multiple Pacific Island nations. There is a strong focus on working collaboratively with and capacity-strengthening local IT staff to ensure long-term system sustainability. You will be coordinating and overseeing technical requirements of existing and new projects, managing in-country BES IT support officers, and report into our Head of Engineering. Success looks like a Pacific region with consistently robust servers and networking, and local IT teams who can maintain them.

This role will include regular travel across the Pacific region in order to conduct IT infrastructure assessments, assist local teams in setting up new hardware, train junior IT staff, and provide on-the-ground troubleshooting. The position will work closely with IT staff, hospital management, and the BES project delivery and technical teams to ensure smooth system operation and high-quality health information management. Knowledge of medical lab equipment interfacing is a bonus.

There is future potential for the right person to expand the role, by developing new client relationships and broadening our IT consulting workstreams beyond the health domain.

A bit about us:

Here at Beyond Essential Systems (BES) we make awesome technology and put it to good use in the world. Our aim is to improve decision-making in low-resource settings by providing meaningful data that results in better outcomes for individuals and communities.

Our services and products have an impact across health, education, supply chain, and disaster management, and we are proud to deliver innovative, collaborative solutions while working closely with local partners across the Asia–Pacific region.

About the role:

BES is supporting the rollout and ongoing use of Tamanu across health services in Fiji and other Pacific Islands Nations. There is a strong need for on-the-ground support to ensure smooth system functionality and strengthen local IT capacity. You will be supported by our technical teams, and work closely with Tamanu Project Managers and Project Officers based on the ground.

This role requires close collaboration with IT teams, MOH and facility stakeholders, and the BES project delivery and technical teams. Local and international travel is a key part of this role, with the expectation that you will be travelling 30% of the time, and more over busy periods. While traveling, you will be entitled to BES’s travel policy, which covers all travel, accommodation and per diems while away from home. 

The position is full-time (40 hours per week), with leave and entitlements provided in line with Fiji employment regulations. Required equipment, including a laptop, will be provided.

Key responsibilities:

• Plan, install, configure and maintain infrastructure that supports locally deployed BES applications in partner countries, including servers, network hardware, UPSs and backup infrastructure

• Support installation, configuration and maintenance of Tamanu, Tupaia and other locally installed BES software instances in country

• Work with local ICT staff to troubleshoot network issues and support high availability, reliability and internet connectivity

• Lead BES IT staff embedded within ministries, providing mentoring, professional development, and coordination

• Recommend and implement practical infrastructure improvements, redundant network options and network security measures

• Monitor network performance and identify areas for improvement

• Collaborate with central BES teams and country ICT teams to ensure local infrastructure integrates with cloud-hosted applications

• Provide fit-for-purpose documentation, technical support and training to end users where required, including desktop support

• Lead SENAITE IT support, including hardware setup for ASTM instrument interfacing 

• Overseeing in-country trips by other BES IT staff, and reviewing and/or producing reporting outputs (such as IT infrastructure assessments)

• Travel to Pacific countries as required (30% travel expectation)

• Liaise with Project Managers to plan in-country trips

• Owning an effort to improve IT skills and systems in all countries we work in

As part of the IT Operations team, your baseline responsibilities are:

• Maintain working knowledge of deployment processes, environments, versions, release requirements, and operational infrastructure.

• Maintain working knowledge of Amazon Web Services, cloud infrastructure, and on-premise infrastructure, including server hardware, networking, Windows and Linux environments.

• Coordinate deployment, upgrade, hotfix, environment setup, and configuration requests, and post-deployment validation end-to-end.

• Perform required pre-deployment checks, and postpone or cancel work when checks fail, requirements are unclear, or risks remain unresolved.

• Carry out approved deployment and infrastructure tasks, including upgrades, hotfixes, service restarts, server setup, configuration changes, maintenance work, and environment recovery.

• Track incomplete items after deployment, including pending checks, unresolved errors, follow-up fixes, and stakeholder confirmation.

• Escalate deployment or infrastructure issues to the appropriate team with enough context for action, and ensure failed or partial deployments are followed through to resolution.

• Maintain deployment and infrastructure records, including version details, access details, environment notes, URLs, server details, and key changes made.

• Support troubleshooting of server, access, sync, certificate, backup, networking, cloud, and on-premise infrastructure issues.

• Document key learnings, blockers, repeated issues, and any items requiring clarification or post-mortem review.

• Stay up to date with the latest technology advancements and make recommendations for upgrades and improvements.
  
  

Selection criteria:

Qualifications

• Diploma or Certificate (Level 5 or higher) in IT, Computer Science, or related field.

Experience

• 5+ years’ experience implementing or providing IT support for large-scale digital systems.

• Experience with digital systems in a health environment is highly desirable.

• Any of the following would be an advantage: 

  • Exposure to server environments (Windows/Linux)

  • Strong understanding of networking, cabling, and WiFi systems

  • Strong understanding of VMs and cloud-hosted systems

  • Familiarity with UPS/power continuity environments

  • Familiarity with ASTM interfacing for lab equipment
    
    

Personal attributes

You’ll have a real connection with our purpose and will be looking for a role where your work has a meaningful influence and impact on the lives of others. You’ll be a natural collaborator with initiative and drive. All BES staff must be ethical, professional, adhere to the organisation’s values, and are expected to report against misconduct, illegal and inappropriate behaviour. You’ll have a genuine interest in learning and developing new skills, you’ll be reliable, detail-oriented, and comfortable working with data and digital systems.

• Strong commitment to improving health systems and patient outcomes.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a small, collaborative team.

• Well organised, with strong attention to detail.

• Strong communication skills, with a good command of spoken and written English.

• Willingness and ability to learn new systems and processes.

• Professional, ethical, and respectful approach to work.

What’s in it for you?

Where do we start! As well as being part of key projects and having meaningful work, we also offer:  

• The opportunity to live and work overseas

• The opportunity to build skills in digital health and data systems

• A talented, collaborative, and friendly team to work with

• Accommodation, flights, visa costs, and per diems while working overseas

How to apply:

Please submit the following as part of your application:

• Cover letter

• CV

• Include in your cover letter the answer to the question (in less than 100 words): What is your favourite software and why?

We would especially encourage you to apply if you are from a community that’s underrepresented in the technology or aid industry.

We’ll hire as soon as we get the right candidate, so don’t delay!