Senior Systems Specialist, Coffee Africa at TechnoServe: (Deadline 2 September 2022)

Senior Systems Specialist, Coffee Africa at TechnoServe: (Deadline 2 September 2022)

Title:  Senior Systems Specialist, Coffee Africa

Supervisor: Regional MEL Advisor

Location:  Kigali, Rwanda

Travel: International approximately 30%

Grade: 8

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing…when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

Job Summary:

The Senior Systems Specialist, Coffee Africa provides technical oversight of monitoring systems for our coffee practice in Africa. The role oversees the development and management of digital systems that collect, analyze and present data on farmer attendance and program performance monitoring (PIMA). PIMA is the monitoring platform for Coffee Africa programs at TechnoServe, tracking program performance and staff activities, operating through CommCare, OpenFN, and Salesforce. Tailored PIMA reports are used by all levels of management to make informed management decisions. The system currently provides monitoring of training attendance and training observation assessments. The vision for PIMA is that it will provide real-time monitoring of all program activities leading to increased program quality and cost efficiency.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Management of the PIMA monitoring system to track field management of programs

• Manage change requests from project teams related to mobile data collection surveys, survey mapping to the PIMA System database, and reporting.
• Manage the PIMA System support helpdesk, tracking and responding to user requests in a timely and effective manner.
• Ensure SOPs, training materials, and user guides on the system are up-to-date and accurate.
• Monitor system performance and operation, verifying the integrity and availability of server resources, systems and key processes, reviewing system and application logs, and verifying completion of scheduled jobs.
• Design systems for data quality assurance checks

Working with program management teams to design, test and roll-out new features in the PIMA system to track performance of field teams and the efficiency of program interventions.

• Collaborating with prospective users and program teams to understand and anticipate their needs and translate them into product requirements
• Managing the product backlog and prioritizing them based on changing requirements
• Implement all stages of product creation including design and development
• Monitoring and evaluating product progress at each stage of the process
• Liaising with the product team and provide regular updates to end-users
• Participating in scrum meetings and product sprints
• Developing training materials and training system users for the new product developed.
• Design and develop implement and maintain system data quality assurance checks for the new product developed.
• Ensure Standard Operating Procedures are in place as a guide to users for the new product developed.

Dashboard and Reports 

• Design and build data warehousing systems and dashboards for organization’s intelligence, reporting and analytics
• Identify BI solutions to achieve data reporting and analysis goals (if there is a need to move away from existing BI solutions).
• Address dashboard and report queries and issues in a timely fashion.
• Train users on the use of the data warehousing systems.

Basic Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science with 5 years of experience in data/system engineering, or Master’s degree in computer science with 3 years of experience in data/system engineering
• Experience in systems development, implementation, operations, maintenance, and support activities for data management.
• Experience working with Apex for Salesforce and JavaScript required
• Strong supervisory, communication and coordination skills required
• Analytical thinking skills

Physical Requirements:

The person in this position must be able to:

• Travel in work environments that may present physical challenges in regard to traversing rough terrain, tolerating extreme climate/weather conditions, and at times safety, security and/or health concerns.
• When not in the field, may remain in a stationary position for an extended number of hours throughout the day using a computer, frequently communicating by telephone or Skype, and in meeting with others
• Occasionally move items weighing up to 20 lbs. and able to transport and position their luggage when traveling;
• Occasionally ascend/descend stairs; and
• Frequently move about inside the office to access files, cabinets, office machinery, and meeting rooms.

Application Instructions:

Qualified and interested applicants should:

• Submit a Word-formatted single document consisting of cover letter and resume to jobs@tns.org not later than September 2, 2022. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line.
• Submit this Candidate Self-Identification Form. The form is voluntary but the information helps us to track our diversity goals.
• If a reasonable accommodation is needed for the recruitment process, please contact a member of our recruitment team at 202-785-4515 or jobs@tns.org.

Closing Statements

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.