Database Manager (MIS)

Project Description

The $10 million USAID Higher Education Capacity Development (HECD) program is a five-year activity (2019-2024) supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Education Development Center (EDC) in partnership with Florida State University (FSU). The HECD Program will implement capacity building programs for up to twelve Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) aimed at addressing an underlying development challenge that affects many HEI’s in Lebanon: the limited capacity to adequately prepare graduates with both technical and soft skills currently demanded by the labor market. Despite high levels of tertiary education, the supply of high skilled workers in Lebanon is not keeping up with labor market demand. This requires increased institutional capacity of HEIs to deliver in-demand skills effectively to graduates ready to enter the labor market.

Position Description

The Database Manager (MIS) will assist in the design and development of a data collection and management system for project team. S/he is responsible for design, development and management of project databases, and generating project reports, as well as supervising periodic data quality audits. S/he will be responsible for development of appropriate databases as required. S/he will manage and troubleshoot the MIS database and support the M&E Specialist to develop reports as needed. S/he will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining the project’s MIS software, peripherals and network.

The Database Manager (MIS) will take lead in the development of tools for collecting, assuring quality, entering, storing, retrieving and organizing project data. S/he will also support the M&E Officer in the

development of training and necessary support for data collection, analysis, dissemination, and use at all levels of service delivery.

Essential functions include (but not limited to):

• Managing overall MIS data including, collection, validation, cleaning, and ensuring accurate entry of complete project data;
• Ensuring data cleanliness, quality and security;
• Ensuring management of project database including regular data security activities such as storage and backups, testing of data integrity, periodic recovery testing as well as logical consistency checks;
• Providing assistance as required to the data analysts;
• Building the capacity of project and HEI staff on basic and advanced data management skills and assisting with statistical analysis;
• Creating and enforcing project-wide data processing protocols, including manuals and reference guides, for proper use of the project database and related functions;
• Assisting in planning and implementing data reconstruction exercises;
• Supervising the implementation of regular/routine data quality audits;
• Ensuring adherence to reporting deadlines;
• Providing technical guidance to other M&E staff in data management;
• Developing digital data entry tool
• Maintaining updated data collection and reporting tools;
• Developing standard operating procedures and systems for collection, storage and analysis of data;
• Working with project and HEI staff to find and implement technological solutions to data-related challenges;
• Ensuring seamless integration between numerous systems in order to reduce unnecessary redundancies;
• Producing regular reports according to the guidelines determined by project management
• Working with project team members and partners in numerous field locations throughout the country to ensure the database functionality meets their needs;
• Solving troubleshooting computer hardware, software, peripherals and network problems
• Monitoring servers and report any issue to the Server Company
• May be expected to travel within Lebanon;
• Work effectively with diverse stakeholders; and
• Other duties, as assigned.

Reporting and Organizational Relationships:

The Database Manager (MIS) reports to the Monitoring and Evaluation Learning Specialist. 

The candidate for the position of Database Manager (MIS) shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor’s degree or Higher Technical Diploma in computer science or similar field, or equivalent experience.

Skills and Experience:

• At least 5-6 years’ experience managing and troubleshooting databases for large projects;
• At least three to five years’ experience with an international NGO preferably in the Education sector;
• Experience in setting up databases and statistical analysis of data and proficiency in Microsoft Office suite;
• Experience in creating digital forms and surveys on tablet
• Preference for good working knowledge of USAID reporting;
• Experience with databases for monitoring program implementation and in data collection, processing and analysis systems;
• Training and capacity building skills;
• Ability to meet strict deadlines under minimum supervision;
• Excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills;
• Good technical writing skills; and
• Demonstrated the ability to balance work within a team environment while working with minimal supervision.

Candidates must also demonstrate knowledge of the following computer languages and systems.

• Excel – ability to use advanced formulas, functions, and calculations to analyze data. Create and update database through connected worksheets. Should be able to clean, transform, and relate data from multiple sources.
• Excel + Power Query – ability to create Excel connected to SQL database report templates. Should be capable of using Power Query to clean, merge, pivot/un-pivot, and transform data.
• Structured Query Language (SQL) – Understands T-SQL to build complex queries and sub-queries as well as how to filter, group, join, and sort the results. Uses SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and other query tools to connect, query, and manage databases. Familiar with SQL database structures (not Access), can build SQL queries using SELECT statements from one or many different related tables to output data from SQL databases. Understands database fields and properties, database relationships, primary and foreign keys, can read a database ER Diagram.
• SQL Databases - Can create relational database structures, tables, fields and properties, primary and foreign keys, and indexes. Creates complex SQL queries, Store Procedures, and Functions. Preferable experience in Microsoft SQL Server databases. Imports and Exports data to and from databases or different sources in multiple formats. Can backup or restore databases between work environments.
• Power BI – Ability to create basic Power BI dashboards and data visualizations connecting to external data sources like Excel to analyze data. Understands the different types of Charts, Graphs, and tables to visualize data. Creates filters, measures, and columns using DAX formulas. Can publish, update, and share dashboards and reports.

Language:

Fluency in English is required.