Background

The Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) is an indigenous medical organization that was established in 1991 as a limited liability not-for-profit Joint-venture between the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Defense and Makerere University Medical School (now Makerere University College of Health Sciences). JCRC is located on plot 101 Lubowa Hill Off Entebbe Road P.O. Box 10005 Kampala. Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) seeks to recruit competent, dynamic, motivated and innovative candidates for the following positions;

Position Summary

The Database Administrator will provide strategic and technical leadership for the design, implementation, integration, governance, security, and sustainability of digital health and information systems under the DHAPP project Partnership for Resilient Military Health Systems. The Advisor will lead the strengthening of digital health systems, enterprise databases, data infrastructure, interoperability, analytics platforms, and cybersecurity systems supporting HIV, TB/HIV, laboratory, surveillance, programme monitoring, quality improvement, and broader health systems strengthening. Working closely with the Director of MEL, project technical teams, Project ICT and health leadership, and relevant Ministry of Health stakeholders, the Advisor will ensure that digital investments are integrated, secure, fit for purpose, and progressively transitioned to Project ownership. The position will provide direct technical supervision to the Software Developer and Cybersecurity Specialist.

Responsibilities or Duties

Digital Systems, Architecture and Interoperability

• Lead the implementation of the project's digital health and information systems strategy, ensuring alignment with DHAPP-Project priorities, the Statement of Work, project requirements, Ministry of Health standards, and applicable digital health policies.
• Lead assessments of ICT and digital systems capacity across supported project health facilities, including infrastructure, connectivity, power, hardware, existing systems, data flows, and user capacity, and use findings to guide prioritization and investment.
• Lead the development and implementation of the project digital health and enterprise information architecture, defining how clinical, laboratory, surveillance, programme, workforce, quality improvement, and other priority systems and data sources will operate and interact.
• Provide technical leadership for the deployment and strengthening of e-AFYA, electronic medical records, eRegisters, and other approved digital health solutions, including system configuration, testing, commissioning, user support, and documentation.
• Lead the design and implementation of interoperability and data exchange mechanisms linking relevant systems, including EMRs, laboratory information systems, DHIS2, surveillance systems, and other approved Project and national platforms.
• Supervise the Software Developer and provide technical oversight for software development and customization, including requirements definition, technical design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance, documentation, and user acceptance.
• Lead the development and strengthening of dashboards, analytical platforms, and decision-support tools that support routine performance monitoring, quality improvement, programme management, surveillance, and strategic decision-making.
• Establish and maintain technical standards and documentation for databases, systems architecture, data dictionaries, metadata, system interfaces, workflows, and standard operating procedures to ensure consistency and sustainability.
• Lead the planning and implementation of enterprise data infrastructure, including databases, servers, storage, backup systems, networking, and other infrastructure required to support project digital health and programme information systems.
• Develop technical specifications, system requirements, Bills of Quantities, and implementation plans for digital infrastructure and provide technical support during procurement, installation, testing, and commissioning.
• Establish and strengthen enterprise data management and governance systems, including data ownership, stewardship, access controls, data quality standards, metadata, sharing, retention, archival, and accountability.
• Supervise the Cybersecurity Specialist and provide technical oversight for information security, including implementation of cybersecurity policies, endpoint protection, firewalls, multi-factor authentication, vulnerability management, incident response, and security monitoring.
• Ensure implementation of robust backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity arrangements, including routine backup processes, recovery procedures, and documented restoration testing for critical systems and data.
• Build the capacity of Project personnel and project teams in database administration, digital systems management, interoperability, data governance, cybersecurity, and appropriate use and maintenance of digital systems.
• Lead digital systems transition and sustainability planning, including progressive transfer of system administration, technical documentation, governance responsibilities, security functions, and operational ownership to designated project structures in line with project transition milestones and sustainability objectives.

Qualifications or Requirements

• Master’s degree in health informatics, Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Data Science, or another relevant field.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Health Informatics, or another related discipline.
• At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in digital health, health informatics, database management, enterprise information systems, information technology, or digital transformation.
• Demonstrated experience leading the design, implementation, or strengthening of large-scale information systems, preferably within public health, government, or other complex institutional settings.
• At least five (5) years of experience providing technical leadership or supervising multidisciplinary teams working in software development, database management, information systems, cybersecurity, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience in database systems, enterprise data infrastructure, digital health systems, interoperability, analytics, or health information systems.
• Experience with information security, data governance, access management, backup, disaster recovery, or business continuity systems.
• Experience developing technical specifications, system requirements, procurement documentation, or implementation plans for ICT and digital infrastructure.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, communication, technical writing, and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Lead the implementation of the project's digital health and information systems strategy, ensuring alignment with DHAPP-Project priorities, the Statement of Work, project requirements, Ministry of Health standards, and applicable digital health policies.
• Lead assessments of ICT and digital systems capacity across supported project health facilities, including infrastructure, connectivity, power, hardware, existing systems, data flows, and user capacity, and use findings to guide prioritization and investment.
• Lead the development and implementation of the project digital health and enterprise information architecture, defining how clinical, laboratory, surveillance, programme, workforce, quality improvement, and other priority systems and data sources will operate and interact.
• Provide technical leadership for the deployment and strengthening of e-AFYA, electronic medical records, eRegisters, and other approved digital health solutions, including system configuration, testing, commissioning, user support, and documentation.
• Lead the design and implementation of interoperability and data exchange mechanisms linking relevant systems, including EMRs, laboratory information systems, DHIS2, surveillance systems, and other approved Project and national platforms.
• Supervise the Software Developer and provide technical oversight for software development and customization, including requirements definition, technical design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance, documentation, and user acceptance.
• Lead the development and strengthening of dashboards, analytical platforms, and decision-support tools that support routine performance monitoring, quality improvement, programme management, surveillance, and strategic decision-making.
• Establish and maintain technical standards and documentation for databases, systems architecture, data dictionaries, metadata, system interfaces, workflows, and standard operating procedures to ensure consistency and sustainability.
• Lead the planning and implementation of enterprise data infrastructure, including databases, servers, storage, backup systems, networking, and other infrastructure required to support project digital health and programme information systems.
• Develop technical specifications, system requirements, Bills of Quantities, and implementation plans for digital infrastructure and provide technical support during procurement, installation, testing, and commissioning.
• Establish and strengthen enterprise data management and governance systems, including data ownership, stewardship, access controls, data quality standards, metadata, sharing, retention, archival, and accountability.
• Supervise the Cybersecurity Specialist and provide technical oversight for information security, including implementation of cybersecurity policies, endpoint protection, firewalls, multi-factor authentication, vulnerability management, incident response, and security monitoring.
• Ensure implementation of robust backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity arrangements, including routine backup processes, recovery procedures, and documented restoration testing for critical systems and data.
• Build the capacity of Project personnel and project teams in database administration, digital systems management, interoperability, data governance, cybersecurity, and appropriate use and maintenance of digital systems.
• Lead digital systems transition and sustainability planning, including progressive transfer of system administration, technical documentation, governance responsibilities, security functions, and operational ownership to designated project structures in line with project transition milestones and sustainability objectives.

• Strong analytical skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Project management skills
• Communication skills
• Technical writing skills
• Stakeholder engagement skills
• Database administration
• Digital systems management
• Interoperability
• Data governance
• Cybersecurity
• Use and maintenance of digital systems

• Master’s degree in health informatics, Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Data Science, or another relevant field.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Health Informatics, or another related discipline.
• At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in digital health, health informatics, database management, enterprise information systems, information technology, or digital transformation.
• Demonstrated experience leading the design, implementation, or strengthening of large-scale information systems, preferably within public health, government, or other complex institutional settings.
• At least five (5) years of experience providing technical leadership or supervising multidisciplinary teams working in software development, database management, information systems, cybersecurity, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience in database systems, enterprise data infrastructure, digital health systems, interoperability, analytics, or health information systems.
• Experience with information security, data governance, access management, backup, disaster recovery, or business continuity systems.
• Experience developing technical specifications, system requirements, procurement documentation, or implementation plans for ICT and digital infrastructure.