Manager, Data Systems and IT job at Spark MicroGrants

About Spark Microgrants

Spark Microgrants believes in a world where everyone lives with dignity and determines their own positive future. Decades of prescriptive aid have sidelined the poor from the very programs meant to uplift them. We believe in local solutions and catalyzing rural villages facing poverty into action.

At the heart of Spark’s model, the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), are ‘town-hall’ style weekly meetings, in which women, men, young, old, plan together for their community’s future. Each village elects a leadership committee, establishes a village savings account, and launches a project of their choice. Members receive training on financial management, transparency, leadership, village planning, and advocacy.

Spark trains partner organizations and works with governments to scale the FCAP as the model of choice to advance social and economic development, improve lives, and secure lasting change. Spark is now active in 500+ villages in 6 countries, improving the lives of over 500,000 people.

Overview of the position:

The Manager, Data Systems & IT will own our data and discover the information hidden within. Helping us make smarter business decisions that contribute to our continued growth and the delivery of even better products. He/she will be responsible for the design of data collection platforms, databases, and dashboards for data visualization. The role will also ensure effective IT operations, infrastructure, systems support, data governance, and cybersecurity across all countries where Spark has operations

Ownership of Sparks Impact Data:

• Ensure all technical systems (data collection, storage and visualization) are managed appropriately that presents the organization with a singular “version of the truth”
• Develop and maintain database structures that allow an efficient and innovative analysis of their contents as well as ensuring data protection from security breaches and data losses
• Develop and maintain data flows between platforms and systems
• Work closely with the program design team to incorporate new platforms, systems, and initiatives into our data ecosystem
• Manage, develop and retain the product team members and ensure that they have clear responsibility domains, deliverables, growth opportunities, and support to achieve their goals
• Ensure the security and integrity of our data systems through regular backups, updates, and security protocols in line with data protection regulations in the different countries where Spark works.

Enabling the organization to take Data-driven decisions

1. Responsibility for the setup and maintenance of core organizational dashboards
2. Contribute to a culture of data-driven decision-making by ensuring that the data collected meets program needs and are analyzed and disseminated in a format that inspires conversation
3. Leading on the data quality assurance of our monitoring data by ensuring robust data collection tool development and managing the continuous data quality improvement plans in liaison with the MEL team.

Leading product-related trainings

Working with the Product Officer- Engagement;

1. Evaluate user needs and system functionality, ensuring that our data systems meet these needs
2. Ensure that Spark system users have constant refreshers on our systems and set up a mechanisms for feedback collection and upgrading our systems to meet user needs
3. Create manuals that aid self-training on the Spark system by users

Organization wide IT Strategy

1. Lead the development and implementation of the organization's IT strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
2. Lead the assessment and adoption of appropriate technology solutions, including systems integration, digitalization, and process automation.
3. Provide strategic oversight of IT systems and ensure that technology investments deliver value, efficiency, and improved organizational performance.
4. Guide the IT Officer in the implementation, configuration, maintenance, and monitoring of IT systems and solutions.

IT infrastructure Security and Governance

1. Oversee the organization's IT infrastructure, technical support services, cybersecurity, data protection, and business continuity arrangements.
2. Establish and monitor IT policies, controls, service standards, SLAs, access  management, backup, and disaster recovery processes.
3. Provide guidance and oversight to the IT Officer in day-to-day infrastructure management, user support, system administration, security monitoring, and technical troubleshooting.
4. Manage key IT vendors and service providers and oversee software licensing, renewals, contracts, and compliance.
5. Lead the resolution of significant IT, security, infrastructure, and service-delivery issues, escalating or engaging external expertise where necessary.

 Management of staff

1. Supervise a team of product and IT officers in Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi and Ghana and ensure clear role separation among the officers

• Spark is a community. You will find thought partners, colleagues who challenge and push you to think further.
• You will have the freedom and autonomy to make your role your own. We want to hear your crazy ideas, your vision for the future and your critical questions and see you be a key leader in our organization
• You’ll never be bored - but we also respect and value work life balance and your need for down time, vacation and reflection.

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