Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

ASA Microfinance Uganda Ltd (ASA Uganda) is a for-profit, non-deposit taking Microfinance Institution, operating as a microfinance company and regulated by the Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority (UMRA). ASA Microfinance Uganda Ltd is also a member of the Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda (AMFIU). ASA Uganda commenced operations in 2013. ASA Uganda is a subsidiary of ASA International, one of the world’s largest international microfinance institutions globally and operates in 13 countries in Africa and Asia. The company was listed in the premium segment on the London Stock Exchange in July ’2018. ASA Microfinance (U) Ltd is seeking for professional, confident, self-motivated, and committed team players to reinforce its capacity by filling the following vacant positions:

Job Purpose:

To administer, secure, and optimize the ASA Microfinance Uganda Ltd.'s databases architecture supporting the core banking system, digital platforms, and reporting systems, ensuring data integrity, optimal performance, and availability.

Responsibilities or duties

Database Administration & Maintenance (30% weighting):

• Install, configure, upgrade, and patch database platforms (Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL).
• Manage database environments (development, test, UAT, production).
• Maintain database standards, naming conventions, and documentation.
• Work with developers on schema design and data models.
• Support reporting, BI, and analytics workloads.
• Provide data extracts and ensure data availability for business operations.

Performance Monitoring & Query Optimization (20% weighting):

• Monitor database performance (CPU, I/O, locking, wait events).
• Optimize queries, indexing strategies, and execution plans.
• Conduct performance tuning periodically.

Backup, Recovery & Data Integrity (25% weighting):

• Design and implement robust backup and recovery strategies.
• Validate backups through periodic restoration tests.
• Ensure transactional consistency and data integrity.
• Configure clustering, replication, mirroring, and failover solutions.
• Ensure minimal downtime and seamless failover for mission-critical systems.
• Support DR integration and cross-site replication.

Database Security & Compliance (15% weighting):

• Enforce database security (encryption, access control, auditing).
• Support regulatory compliance and data protection requirements.

Capacity Planning & Storage Management (10% weighting):

• Monitor database growth and storage utilization.
• Plan partitioning, archiving, and purging strategies.
• Optimize storage performance and cost.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Academic qualifications:

• University degree in Information technology/Computer Science or related field.

Professional training:

• Training and/or certification below is an added advantage: Database Administration e.g. Oracle Certified Administrator, Professional (preferred), Microsoft Certified Database Administrator, etc.

Experience needed

Desired work experience:

• Two years' experience in enterprise database architecture integration, administration and maintenance in medium-to-large organizations.
• Experience in Banking/Microfinance environment.

Technical Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of Database Platforms Architecture & Administration.
• Practical skills in Performance Tuning & Query Optimization.
• Proven experience in High Availability & Disaster Recovery for Database system.
• Experience in Capacity Planning, Data Security, Integrity & Lifecycle Management.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Ability to follow a systematic approach to diagnosing and resolving complex issues while remaining innovative.
• Ability to maintain control during critical incidents and crisis scenarios.
• A quick learner that keeps pace with evolving systems, tools, and security requirements.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret market and financial data reporting needs.

• Install, configure, upgrade, and patch database platforms (Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL).
• Manage database environments (development, test, UAT, production).
• Maintain database standards, naming conventions, and documentation.
• Work with developers on schema design and data models.
• Support reporting, BI, and analytics workloads.
• Provide data extracts and ensure data availability for business operations.
• Monitor database performance (CPU, I/O, locking, wait events).
• Optimize queries, indexing strategies, and execution plans.
• Conduct performance tuning periodically.
• Design and implement robust backup and recovery strategies.
• Validate backups through periodic restoration tests.
• Ensure transactional consistency and data integrity.
• Configure clustering, replication, mirroring, and failover solutions.
• Ensure minimal downtime and seamless failover for mission-critical systems.
• Support DR integration and cross-site replication.
• Enforce database security (encryption, access control, auditing).
• Support regulatory compliance and data protection requirements.
• Monitor database growth and storage utilization.
• Plan partitioning, archiving, and purging strategies.
• Optimize storage performance and cost.

• Strong knowledge of Database Platforms Architecture & Administration.
• Practical skills in Performance Tuning & Query Optimization.
• Proven experience in High Availability & Disaster Recovery for Database system.
• Experience in Capacity Planning, Data Security, Integrity & Lifecycle Management.
• Ability to follow a systematic approach to diagnosing and resolving complex issues while remaining innovative.
• Ability to maintain control during critical incidents and crisis scenarios.
• A quick learner that keeps pace with evolving systems, tools, and security requirements.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret market and financial data reporting needs.

• University degree in Information technology/Computer Science or related field.
• Training and/or certification below is an added advantage: Database Administration e.g. Oracle Certified Administrator, Professional (preferred), Microsoft Certified Database Administrator, etc.
• Two years' experience in enterprise database architecture integration, administration and maintenance in medium-to-large organizations.
• Experience in Banking/Microfinance environment.