Al’s hiring again:
I wanted to ask for your help again in getting the word out about a high-responsibility (short-term) ICT4D role with TechnoServe’s East African dairy program. It’s a technical job that would involve interesting travel and work on a cutting-edge development project.
Note: Do not email me (Cyrus)! Please follow the instructions below.
TechnoServe: Database Process Design, Development, and Implementation
East Africa Dairy Development Program (EADD)
REPORTS TO: EADD Regional Manager or his designee
POSITION LOCATION & TRAVEL POTENTIAL: Nairobi, Kenya, with potential travel to field offices in Rift Valley (Kenya), Kampala (Uganda) and Nyagatare (Rwanda)
START DATE: July 2009
JOB DURATION: Three to four months (minimum)
CONTACT INFORMATION: Please submit application to volcon@tns.org as described here: http://www.technoserve.org/take-action/become-a-volunteer.html
GENERAL COMPANY INFORMATION
TechnoServe, Inc. is an international nonprofit development organization founded in 1968. Its mission is to help entrepreneurial men and women in poor rural areas of the developing world to build businesses that create jobs, income and economic opportunity for their families, their communities and their countries.
1.PRIMARY PROJECT PURPOSE:
TechnoServe is working with Heifer International and the International Livestock Research Institute to implement the East Africa Dairy Development Project (EADD) in targeted districts in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. EADD will move smallholder, women and men farmers out of poverty by improving their participation in the dairy value chain. The vision of success for the EADD is that the lives of 179,000 families—or approximately one million people—are transformed by doubling household dairy income by 2018 through integrated interventions in dairy production, market-access and knowledge application.
TechnoServe is working with selected farmer groups/cooperatives to set up chilling plants that will increase farmers’ participation in the dairy value chain, boost farmer revenues and create opportunities for the development of additional services around the chilling plant hub.
A critical element of any project is collecting data on the impacts/effects of the projects activities. In particular, TechnoServe needs to create a data collection process in which the organization can effectively collect information from farmer-owned chilling plants across three countries. The collected data needs to be easily accessed to allow for analysis and reporting to all stakeholders, including:
TechnoServe (the organization)
EADD’s Monitoring and Evaluation Team (the project)
The chilling plant management and Boards of Directors (the clients)
An initial analysis (given budgetary constraints) has indicated that TechnoServe intends to use Microsoft SQL Server for database creation and management, Apache Tomcat and Orbeon Forms for web forms, and Pentaho for web-based reporting and analytics.
2.SCOPE OF WORK
The consultant will design the database, data input mechanisms, and data reporting templates (with the guidance of field staff). The consultant will work closely with the Regional Business Analyst to identify the needs for the database, and the constraints of the environment.
Key Activities:
1.Develop database structure
a.Assess needs of the stakeholders (all three mentioned above)
b.Design data model.
c.Implement and deploy the database.
d.Train Regional Business Analyst and Regional Manager on database structure, pros/cons and limitations
2.Develop web-based input forms to populate database using Orbeon Forms / Apache Tomcat.
a.Assess inputs required and field staff needs/limitations
b.Install and configure Apache Tomcat and Orbeon Forms in a development environment.
c.Design, develop and test the web forms.
d.Train Regional Business Analyst and Regional Manager on design of forms
e.Deploy Apache Tomcat, Orbeon Forms and the customized web forms on a production server.
f.Field test the web forms.
g.Roll out form to field staff, including training
3.Develop web-based reporting and analytics using Pentaho
a.Work with Regional Business Analyst to design types of reports and analytics needed for each group of stakeholders
b.Install and configure Apache Tomcat and Pentaho BI server in a development environment.
c.Design and develop and test report templates / dashboards to be web-accessed by stakeholders
d.Train Regional Business Analyst and Regional Manager on report and dashboard usage.
e.Deploy Apache Tomcat, Pentaho BI Server and the developed reports on a production server.
f.Roll-out the reporting solution and process
4.Document entire database design, data collection (input) and data analysis (reporting), to enable future training and/or reference.
a.Document database development, input mechanisms, and reporting mechanisms for future reference
b.Documentation objective is to minimize reliance on technical/programming expertise in the future.
3.AREA OF COVERAGE
This work will be conducted at the TechnoServe Kenya offices in Nairobi with potential visits to the field.
4.TASKS AND DELIVERABLES
Timing dependent on total duration of the consultant’s engagement; other deliverables to be determined as the need arises
Approved Work plan (Week 1)
Research on program needs and data requirements (Week 3)
Database design (Week 4)
Initial Database built (week 5)
Design, development and unit test of web forms (Week 7)
Design and development and unit test of reporting templates (Week 9)
Production server deployment and end-to-end testing of the system. (Week 11)
Roll out of entire process and train staff; finalize documentation (Week 12)
5.QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Required skills include:
Functional requirements definition.
Translating functional requirements into technical designs and identifying the optimal user interface layouts.
A deep understanding of data modeling, and the creation and debugging of Structured Query Language queries.
Installation, configuration and tuning of Microsoft SQL Server 2005.
Developing JSP / Apache Tomcat web applications.
The ability to translate technical language to non-technical business users.
The ability to structure and manage complex tasks.
Strong interpersonal communication and information-gathering skills.
Resourcefulness.
Critical and creative thinking.
Strong coaching and people development skills.
The following, more specific skills, would be highly advantageous:
An understanding of optimizing applications for low-bandwidth environments
Installing and configuring the various components of the Pentaho Business Intelligence Suite (Data Integration, Report Designer, CDF Dashboards)
XForms development (e.g Orbeon Forms).
6.IMPACT
These deliverables are critical to the effective evaluation, impact assessment, business management and business development aspects of EADD. Specifically, accurate and efficient data management and reporting will equip Business Advisors with critical tools to use in advising clients (chilling plant managers) on the performance and health of their businesses, as well as allow for TechnoServe to measure the impacts of the program.
7.FEES & EXPENSES
As this is a volunteer position, TechnoServe will not provide fees for the services completed. However, TNS will cover travel-related costs including airfare, accommodation, vaccinations, per diems, and emergency evacuation insurance.
TechnoServe, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
