Jdvarela

More than 20 years of experience in Information Technology with expertise in ICT infrastructure management, system administration, network management, and IT security. Proven track record in supervising ICT units, coordinating technical support, and implementing global ICT strategies in international organizations.

Independent Consultant at Independent Consultant - Professional Services (2025-01 – Present)

Regional Information Technology Officer at United Nations - International Organization for Migration (2007-01 – 2024-12)

• Supervise and coordinate the activities of the ICT unit in San Jose Office and the Regional Office for North, Central and the Caribbean, ensuring that all requests are addressed efficiently, timely, and accurately. Define and monitor Service Level Agreements for technical support and customer service cases.
• In alignment with global ICT strategies, define, outline, and coordinate the implementation of local ICT workplan for the Regional Office.
• Keep abreast of technological changes, advise mission management and project officers on technological developments, and suggest enhancements to improve office operations and performance.
• Support the mission management in the provisioning of efficient ICT Services. Provide support in the management of ICT resources (budget, human resources, inventory, procurement, software licensing, and capacity planning and provisioning of services)
• Establish proactive and close coordination with other local ICT Assistants/Officers in the Region, and act as liaison with the ICT Central Team. Ensure that communication flows in all directions of the above.
• Actively participate and collaborate with project officers and mission management in the preparation technological solutions and/or validate technical specifications or requirements for projects containing an ICT component.
• Ensure that all ICT technical support requests are answered appropriately via email, telephone call or in person.
• Ensure the required performance and stability of network and systems. Take action and make recommendations guaranteeing uptime and/or uninterrupted access to Local, Corporate, or Cloud Services (including but not limited to LAN, WAN, AWS and Azure Cloud, local infrastructure (DNS, DHCP, file/print, messaging), VPN, and Server and Virtualization)
• Ensure that networks and systems implementations follow the global ICT standards, guidelines, and policies.
• Coordinate and make recommendations to the Logistics/Procurement Officer in the purchase and maintenance of IT/Communication equipment of the mission. Collaborate in the vendor selection processes (includes but not limited to participating in the sourcing of vendors, analyzing bids and products, and selection of successful provider).
• Ensure data and system integrity by setting up, administrating, and monitoring IT security systems: anti-virus, backup routines, patching, access controls and physical security.
• Coordinate and support the installation, operation, monitoring and administration of network, servers, systems, and services (including but not limited to Cisco network devices, Windows Servers, communication equipment (PABX, Internet Access, video conference).
• Keeping and updating the inventory of all equipment and software used in the Regional Office, such as software licenses, servers, desktops, laptops, printers, communications equipment, monitors, UPS, and others.
• Coordinate, install, and monitor the functioning of standard corporate applications.
• Identify the needs, coordinate, and/or deliver end-user training.
• Develop procedures for the different mechanisms of access to our applications and information, such as: Internet Mail Access, Data File and Folders Management, Printer Management, Phone operation, etc.
• Management and control of user rights access to systems, files, and databases, as well as monitoring systems and application usage.
• Perform such other related duties as may be assigned.

Information Technology Specialist at International Organization for Migration (2002-01 – 2007-12)

Project SIEMCA/SIEMMES. Responsible for all technology functions related to the project, such as: Development and maintenance of the project website, development of applications for the generation of statistical products (statistical tables and graphs).

Data Base Administrator at Banco Nacional de Costa Rica (2000-12 – 2001-03)

Development of tools with Databases (SQL and PL/SQL) and SQL Server 6.5 and 7.0 Databases under Windows NT and Windows 2000 Operating Systems. Development of PL/SQL programs and scripts to obtain reports for the management.

Professional Services for DBA and Technical Support at Registro Nacional de Costa Rica (1994-01 – 2000-12)

Period completed: 7 years. Carry out activities within the Technical Support Department in a computing environment managed by several Mainframe: IBM-4381/P21, an IBM-9121/210 and an IBM-9672/R41, using the tools: Relational Databases (SQL /DS versions 3.4.0 and 3.5.0), Operating System (VSE/ESA), File Manager (VSAM), Online Transaction Manager (CICS), Programming languages (CSP, COBOL, Visual Age), Databases Hierarchical (DL1), Job Manager (JCL), etc.

Analyst-Developer at Registro Nacional de Costa Rica (1992-01 – 1993-12)

Period completed: 2 years. Systems Analysis in certain projects developed at the Registro Nacional and developer in the COBOL, CICS and CSP languages on an IBM-4381/P21 Mainframe computer, using SQL/DS as a database manager and database manager. VSAM files.

Developer at Registro Nacional de Costa Rica (1990-01 – 1991-12)

Period completed: 2 years. Developer in several projects under the COBOL, CICS and CSP languages installed on an IBM-4361 Mainframe computer, using SQL/DS as a Database manager and VSAM as a file manager.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with an emphasis on Information Systems – Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (2000-04)

Bachelor's Degree in Systems Engineering – Universidad Internacional de las Américas (1995-08)