Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide senior-level technical support for the design, development and operation of current and future IT Cluster database systems. To provide technical leadership in the configuration, customization, implementation, and maintenance of Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and/or other application systems. To provide direction in technical design, programming concepts and optimization training, assuring compliance with standards, backup and integrity needs. To research data center operating systems and database software and monitor its operations it to ensure their optimum performance and high availability and security are met. To provide leading role in implementing new technology.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Job requires:
1) Applying senior technical expertise in designing, developing and implementing all IT Cluster databases and data structures and providing group leadership and technical direction, consultation, and instruction to the application developers to ensure the benefits of database technology are achieved.
2) Providing technical direction and expert advice to the application development teams and monitoring, identifying and resolving the IT Cluster production systems to ensure their integrity and performance through database recovery, purge and reorganization operations, reviewing database performance, transaction and space utilization etc. and through validating designs against government and IT Cluster policy and standards.
3) Providing technical leadership in the configuration, administration and support of ERP and/or other application systems. Performing software upgrades and patching, cloning, tuning, implementing backup and recovery strategies including disaster recovery and other activities for ERP and/or other application systems. Work closely with operating system and storage administrators, other database administrators, data security, business analysts, operations and applications development staff in support of ERP and/or other application systems.
4) Providing senior level expertise in the design, development and implementation of technology solutions researching, evaluating and selecting hardware and software tools and their impact on the various applications, communicating and coordinating with IT Cluster management and clients.
5) Providing leadership, planning and analysis expertise in technology uses for managing information and relationships to IT Cluster databases, operational systems and providing training to systems staff in best practices for data and database structures and design. Reviewing proposals from subordinates and peers for feasibility, quality and effectiveness.
6) Establishing and maintaining the methods, techniques, guidelines and monitoring practices for the design and development of database systems, to minimize operational costs, to ensure service levels are maintained with clients and to comply with l&IT policy and standards.
7) Providing on-call and overtime support services, weekends and holidays to resolve all system related problems for the ministry's infrastructure as required. Enterprise applications are typically mission-critical or business-critical, and have associated high availability (e.g. 7 x 24) requirements.

Staffing and Licensing :

N/A

Knowledge :

Job requires:
- Expert knowledge of database management technologies and database design methods, techniques and practices to design and maintain IT Cluster databases. Must be able to design, install, monitor, maintain and performance tune production databases while ensuring high levels of data availability.
- Knowledge of technical performance software to ensure database integrity and performance standards are met, and knowledge of database utility software for mainframe, mid-range and desktop database management technologies to perform database recovery, purge and reorganization operations.
- Expert knowledge of ERP database and/or other application database installations, configuration, upgrades and on-going maintenance, monitoring and tuning in an enterprise class high availability environment.
- Expertise in performing ERP Systems and/or other application middleware and client software installations and configuration in a high availability environment.
- Knowledge of research and project management methods to lead a multi-disciplinary project team, including business analysts, technical staff, knowledge workers and stakeholders in: identification and evaluation of information technology options for clients; development of new systems or systems modifications; evaluation and recommendations for acquisition of applications, hardware/software, and information technology services.
- Knowledge of theory and principles of business design, systems analysis, design and development, and related methods, techniques, practices and standards, in order to lead a team in: initiating projects, establishing scope, objectives, requirements and analysis and definition of clients business and information technology requirements; design, development, testing and implementation of systems solutions; ensuring preparation of technical documentation and technical support; preparation of training and implementation plans for all aspects of the technical system.
- Knowledge of IT Cluster/government administrative policies and directives to ensure compliance of recommendations on acquisition of technology and services.
- Knowledge of the Clusters' IT plan, project planning methodology, and clients' business, processes, and requirements to recommend systems development solutions which promote the Cluster's IT strategies and goals while also meeting business needs/priorities of client. Job requires understanding of operational disciplines and processes.
- Knowledge of Data and Information Architecture to work with application development staff to develop data architectures and models.

Skills :

- Job requires senior level expertise in design, development, implementation and operation of IT Cluster databases.
- Job requires proven analytical and problem solving skills, including the ability to assess sometimes competing clients' information/systems needs and lead development of information technology solutions which are cost effective and improve client program/service delivery.
- Job researches, evaluates and recommends new database design techniques, software, technology and standards in support of procurement and development efforts.
- Job requires senior level expertise in ERP database and/or other application software installations, configuration, upgrades, database and application software patching, application middleware and client software installations, ERP and/or other application software environment refresh and cloning, backing up, recovering, monitoring and tuning in a high availability environment.
- Job provides support to development and business application support teams as well as projects working on development or production support of ERP environments.
- Job requires working experience with major server and operating system platforms, High Availability (HA) technologies, enterprise backup solutions, familiarity with techniques and technologies for data encryption and secure access to ERP application systems.
- Job leads systems analysis and design: designs and develops data requirements with stakeholders both in the technology and user areas; leads the design process and data modeling for client branches/programs.
- Job performs analysis and definition of client information requirements, including assessment of short and long term business goals and objectives.
- Skills in negotiation, conflict and problem resolution and team membership and leadership.
- Job analyzes and advises clients on development of their information/data technology priorities in order to reflect their business needs/requirements/plans, program/service delivery requirements and resource limitations.
- Job requires expert technical problem analysis and resolution for production issues during regular business hours and after hour support.
- Job requires verbal communication skills to: discuss and confirm client requirements; lead discussion of systems development options and technical processes among project team; making a variety of technical analyses, limitations and considerations clear in non-technical terms while also communicating advantages and disadvantages of various options and their impact on client's program/service delivery.
- Job requires writing skills to: prepare project reports; explain analyses/recommendations; develop data models and their descriptions, recommend approach to database acquisition of technology/services; prepare technical systems documentations and manuals.
- Job requires interpersonal skills to: explain/illustrate alternate solutions to client's systems development requirements; discuss and develop client's support for recommended approach, by outlining analyses of cost/benefits, impact on client's service delivery and achievement of business goals.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working within: IT Cluster policies and guidelines for delivery of information management systems, consulting services; and IT Cluster and government policies and directives for information technology development and acquisition.
Job exercises latitude in decision-making by: determining how best to define and characterize client needs: identifying options and deciding on database structures and overall data design, recommending information technology approach for project; developing project plan, schedule and budget; determining necessary
adjustments to development process during course of project to ensure quality of product, and that timeliness and sometimes changing client requirements are met. This senior level work is performed and rarely reviewed, approvals only at major milestones by management and clients; general updated on project status and achievement of objectives are provided to management.
Job refers to management/executive only when significant issues require attention such as: major business changes, need for organizational enhancements; and significant changes to project timing and direction.