Database Administrator at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Database Administrator

Job Code: 20000170
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Institution: ECOWAS Commission
Grade: P3/P4
Department: Internal Services
Directorate: Directorate of Information, Technology Service
Division: System Acquisition and Implementation
Status: Permanent
Line Supervisor: PO System Acquisition and Implementation
Supervising: IT Assistant

Role Overview

• Under the direct supervision of the PO System Acquisition and Implementation, the incumbent is responsible for performance, integrity and security of ECOWAS database. He/She will plan and develop database and troubleshooting as required to ensure that the server security is up to date.
• He/She will perform routine back-ups, design and implement tests of the system to address issues with accessing data information, ensuring data is stored securely and only available to authorized users, and users can access information they need at the times they need it, and that it is in the format they need.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Design and implement database of high availability in accordance to end users’ information needs and views. Define users and enable data distribution to the right user, in appropriate format and in a timely manner.
• Minimize database downtime and manage parameters to provide fast query responses.
• Create new databases or design database structures and manage database access and permissions, ensuring that databases meet users’ requirements.
• Liaise with programmers, applications/operational staff, IT project managers and other technical staff to develop or test new database applications using commercial design tools such as SQL Server or oracle.
• Monitor database performance and tuning to ensure optimal performance at all times.
• Create new databases or design database structures for new systems.
• Manage backup and recovery processes including replication for failover environments disaster recovery.
• Provide technical support for ECOWAS’s database applications by answering user questions about database structure or function.
• Develop or test new database applications using commercial design tools such as SQL Server or oracle.
• Monitor and resolve database performance issues, database capacity issues, replication, and other distributed data issues.
• Design, implement, manage, and tune SQL Server
• Engineer and maintain database solutions specific to a shared cloud operations environment.
• Ensure that all databases are backed up, conduct restore tests.
• Work with project management resources related to the implementation and sustained configuration management of the database environment.
• Devise and implement high speed transaction recovery techniques and processes for resolving faults and data loss, writing disaster recovery plans and archiving data.
• Maintain data integrity by monitoring database activity to ensure that it meets ECOWAS regulations on security and compliance.
• Own configuration change activities required to deploy and maintain the shared database environment.
• Follows strict change control procedures.
• Create knowledge base articles that can be used by tier one and tier two support engineers in response to routine incidents around the shared database environment.
• Determine, enforce, and document database policies, procedures and standards.
• Install and upgrade database software to ensure that it is compatible with current technology standards.
• Create and maintain documentation to support configuration and management of the shared database environment.
• Establish policies and procedures related to data security and integrity and monitors and limits database access as needed.
• Improve and automate regular processes, document change to the systems.
• Interact with users, software developers, database administrators and evaluate vendor products.
• Perform tests and evaluations regularly to ensure data security, privacy, and integrity.
• Monitor database performance, implement changes and apply new patches and versions when required.
• Perform disaster recovery procedures to ensure business continuity in case of equipment failure or natural disaster.
• Recommend improvements to database security measures to prevent unauthorized access or misuse of data.
• Configure administrator accounts, maintain system documentation, tuning system performance, install system wide software.
• Interact with users, software developers, database administrators to evaluate vendor products.
• Provide proactive and reactive data management support and training to users
• Write operating manuals and provide training and support for database use.
• Work alongside Architecture and Development teams to ensure product scalability and performance.
• Support software administrators by assisting in troubleshooting technical problems
• Provide occasional out-of-hours support.
• Perform any other duties as may be required from time to time.

Academic Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Business Systems Analysis & Design, Information Systems Management or any related ICT field from a university of recognized standing.
• Minimum of five (5) years previous experience in running database services on a scale.
• Good knowledge with other RDBMS platforms such as Oracle, SQL Server or Postgres in a production environment preferred.
• Experience in administering multiple MySQL databases and versions.
• Experience with other RDBMS platforms such as Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server in a production environment preferred.
• Experience designing data queries against data in the HDFS environment using tools such as Apache Hive, Implementing MapReduce jobs.
• Hands-on knowledge of Map-reduce, Pig, Hive, Flume and other tools such as oozie, zookeeper etc.
• Good knowledge and experience in scripting languages (Bash, Korn, Perl, Python).

Age Limit:

• Be below 50 years old. 
• This provision does not apply to internal candidates.

Ecowas Key Competencies:

• Ability to persuade/influence others to consider a certain point of view, adopt a new idea or implement new methods and practices.
• Ability to lead a team of trainees/junior staff and instill a spirit of teamwork to engage employees and achieve a well-defined set of activities.
• Ability to respect chain of command in an appropriate manner.
• Ability to resolve challenges that occur with minimal direction and/or to recommend and explain solutions or alternatives for approval.
• Ability to utilize the Code of Ethics to manage self, others, information, and resources.
• Ability to mentor others and create feedback loops with supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates to build strong working relationships and improve performance.
• Contribute to maintaining organizational unit’s performance goals and standards.
• Interpersonal skills with ability to keep a client informed of progress or setbacks in projects of relevance to timeline, quality, and quantity.
• Ability to proactively interact with clients and build strong trusting relationships based on mutual respect and regular discussions.
• Ability to establish and sustain professional credibility with clients/stakeholders in a manner that anticipates their need, mitigates issues and that carefully balances professional obligations with the need to be sensitive and responsive to their needs.
• Ability to counsel, advise, consult, and guide others on matters pertaining to assigned client service responsibilities and established client service standards.
• Demonstrate respect for cultural differences, fairness, and ability to relate well with people from varied backgrounds, nationality, gender, ethnicity, race and religion.
• Understanding of diverse cultural views especially within West Africa, with sensitivity to group differences; ability to challenge bias and to practice tolerance and empathy.
• Ability to listen actively, consider people’s concerns and apply judgement, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a diverse and inclusive interactive environment that benefits from diverse strengths.
• Ability and responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Ability to encourage, empower, and advocate for people in an unbiased and transparent manner.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS institutions, sectors, programmes and policies.
• Knowledge of ECOWAS internal operational requirements of programs, projects, services, and systems required to achieve work assignments and meet performance goals.
• Knowledge of rules and procedures of ECOWAS associated assigned responsibilities and ability to explain these clearly to others.
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS culture, structures and performance issues and priorities impacting assigned responsibilities.
• Knowledge of member states development trends, indicators, challenges, and opportunities as it relates to project/program assigned to own position.
• Ability to study data/information from a variety of sources, identify anomalies, trends and issues, present findings, and make recommendations.
• Ability to break down problems or processes into key parts to identify and solve gaps in service, quality assurance, compliance, and performance targets.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply techniques to generate creative ideas and new approaches to meeting goals.
• Ability to use evidence and research to inform policies and programs and identify relevant and appropriate sources of information, including stakeholders, regional institutions and/or internal committees.
• Demonstrate operational computer proficiency using appropriate tools.
• Ability to make sound use of graphics and tables to effectively present numerical data to write semi-complex technical reports/proposals and edit/check templates, letters, etc.
• Ability to convey information clearly and concisely in a succinct and organized manner through both writing and verbal means.
• Exhibit interpersonal skills, make presentations, express opinions, and debate ideas with others in a constructive manner.
• Proficiency in information communication technologies (ICT).
• Fluency in oral and written expressions in one of the ECOWAS official languages of the Community (English, French & Portuguese). Knowledge of an additional one will be an added advantage.
• Ability to develop, implement an individual action plan for achieving specific work goals.
• Identify, organize, and monitor tasks throughout to facilitate execution.
• Ability to contribute and/or lead on projects as per accepted project management standards and techniques, to co-ordinate contributions by others to set and meet deadlines.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and work within timelines, giving attention to details, stakeholders, indicators, and risks.
• Ability to identify, collect and assess indicators to monitor performance and to take proactive remedial action as required.
• Assessment method: Assessment of qualified candidates may include a written exercise and a competency-based interview.

ECOWAS Work Environment:

• ECOWAS provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and a healthy work-life balance. 
• We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore, we encourage women to apply for positions that suit their competencies. Individuals from minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are also highly encouraged to apply. 
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of ECOWAS’s workforce.

Salary
UA49,106.81 / USD77,480.72; UA56,591.37 / USD 89,289.87 annually.

Application Closing Date
21st April, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to: b52databaseadministrator@ecowas.int using the Job Title as the subject of the mail.

Click here to download the application form (Docx.)

Note
Disclaimer:

• Selection and appointment will be subject to background and reference checks and other administrative requirements.
• ECOWAS does not charge for any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing in connection with application or recruitment processes and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
• To view the complete job description and apply to this position, follow the link below.