Job Description

                                      Vacancy Announcement

ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY

Position:                          Database Administrator

Term of Employment:  One Year with possibility of extension

Duty Station(s):             Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Required Number:        One                                                                            

Salary & Benefits:          Competitive

Application Deadline:   June 28, 2021

BACKGROUND

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government agency created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATA envisions that smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability, contributing to transformed agriculture by 2030.

The agency focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), and its federal and regional affiliate institutions and other partners to identify and address systemic bottlenecks within the sector’s development plan. Second, we support Regional Governments to accelerate the development of high-priority commodity value chains in clearly defined geographic clusters, through the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) Program.

Our major activities include conducting strategic and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support, coordinating platforms to better integrate partners and projects, and designing and directly leading a number of implementation projects. Our headquarters are in Addis Ababa, with regional office representations in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, and Tigray regional offices, allowing us to work closely with a wide range of public, private and development sector partners across the country.

Our Culture

We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results. Our culture is one where talented, dedicated and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great teamwork to achieve excellent results. 

At ATA, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals. 

POSITION SUMMARY:

 Under general supervision from the Application and Database Development Technical Manager, the database administrator will be responsible for the implementation, configuration, maintenance, and performance of critical SQL Server and other DBMS systems, to ensure the availability and consistent performance of our corporate applications. This is a “hands-on” position requiring solid technical skills, as well as excellent interpersonal and communication skills. The successful candidate will be responsible for the development and sustainment of the SQL and other DBMS systems, ensuring its operational readiness (security, health, and performance), executing data loads, and performing data modeling in support of multiple development teams. Desirably have the knowledge & experience of working on an interactive data visualization and analytics tool for business intelligence (such as Power BI). Must be capable of working independently and collaboratively.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identifies database requirements by interviewing users, analyzing applications, evaluating existing systems and designing proposed systems.
• Recommends solutions by defining database physical structure and functional capabilities, database security, data back-up, and recovery specifications.
• Installs revised or new systems by proposing specifications and flowcharts; recommending optimum access techniques; coordinating installation requirements.
• Maintains database performance by calculating optimum values for database parameters; implementing new releases; completing maintenance requirements; evaluating computer operating systems and hardware products.
• Provides database support by coding utilities, responding to user questions and resolving problems.
• Understand 3rd party applications for hosted backend database on site.
• Manage security on SQL Server instances.
• Installs database systems by developing diagrams, applying optimum access techniques, coordinating installation, document actions.
• Maintains database performance by identifying and resolving production and application development problems.
• Design and implement standard backup and recovery plans for all business-critical applications hosted and owned by ATA and verify the accuracy of data on a regular basis.
• Works effectively as part of a team atmosphere to perform duties and achieve daily operational goals.
• Troubleshoot and repair SQL Server database-related problem issues; notify and keep stakeholders and customers informed on issues affecting production systems availability.
• Create SQL queries, procedures, packages, and reports for standalone use and for the data layer of ATA’s business apps.
• Produce a required system and user documentation for projects and tasks; create testing and training plans for ATA technical staff and end-users; use ATA’s configuration management and change control systems.
• Learn and provide escalation level support for ATA’s SQL database-dependent business apps.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Job Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, or other related fields with relevant experience.
• At least 6 years worked as a database system administration (DBA).
• At least 4 years of practical experience working with relational database systems such as MSSQL, MySQL, Oracle or MongoDB, or PostgreSQL and a good working knowledge of SQL scripts.
• At least 2 years of working experience with a programming language like C#, PHP, ASP.Net, or Java.
• Experience with Performance Tuning and Optimization (PTO), using native monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
• Experience with backups, restores, and recovery models.
• Experience working with Windows servers, including Active Directory.
• Knowledge of High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR) options for SQL Server
• Knowledge of interactive data visualization and business analytics tools for business intelligence (Power BI).
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability and willingness to work after hours and weekends, as necessary.
• Flexible, team player, “get-it-done” personality.
• Ability to organize and plan work independently.
• Ability to work in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to multi-task and context-switch effectively between different activities and teams.

How to Apply

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to send (i) a cover letter and (ii) CV (maximum 5 pages) at the website

Also, please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application form.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.