Palladium is looking for Informatics Technical Advisor
Company Overview:
Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits.
For the past 50 years, we have been making Positive Impact possible. With a team of more than 2,500 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of more than 35,000 technical experts, Palladium has improved – and is committed to continuing to improve – economies, societies and most importantly, people’s lives.
Palladium is a child-safe organisation, and screens applicants for suitability to work with children. We also provide equal employment to all participants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran or marital status.
Project Overview and Role:
The Data Informatics and Analytical Solutions (DIAS) Practice is seeking an Informatics Technical Advisor to provide support and coordination to selected projects among a global and diverse set of practice areas, including health, agriculture, and monitoring and evaluation. The DIAS Practice is a dynamic and innovative group with talented and passionate members working toward the goal of improving informed decision making and implementation efficiency of international development projects.
The Informatics Technical Advisor will provide project management and informatics expertise for global projects funded by USAID, CDC and other international donors. Additionally, the Informatics Technical Advisor is responsible for coordinating the system analysis and design of informatics’ projects, managing software development projects in the field. This is an office-based position in Washington, D.C and entails approximately 30% overseas travel.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
The Technical Advisor will manage and provide technical expertise to design, develop and implement digital solutions, in addition to overseeing software development, software project management, and software modelling for projects across a wide array of programmatic and thematic areas.
Technical Assistance in Digital Design and Implementation:
- Research of trends and identification of opportunities for improvement within the Practice, establishing the necessary processes to achieve this end.
- Work with project managers to support the analysis, design, development and implementation of various digital technologies and tools, including activities such as requirement analysis and information systems design, resource planning and recommending the required human and technical resources to engineer and program the information systems, stakeholder engagement, user acceptance testing, capacity building and documentation.
- Oversee software development teams to assure quality of applications before implementation, including conducting software testing, provide guidance and technical support on software frameworks, and components including databases and software packages and ensuring the completeness of software documentation.
- Identify, analyze, implement, experiment and advise on the use of technology platforms, especially global digital goods. This will require investigation of each platform’s software architecture, development framework, components and programming languages.
- Provide technical assistance to in-country counterparts in the analysis, design and implementation of enterprise architecture components, including transactional and strategic information systems.
- Conduct information system assessments to evaluate and audit its effectiveness and performance in order to make recommendations for system optimization. These assignments will require meeting with clients, stakeholders and users and testing software to analyze and document data flow, usability, source code efficiency, scalability, software engineer standards, database optimization, computer networks requirements and local context capabilities
Project Management and Implementation Support:
- Provide technical input into project work planning, resource planning, budgeting, progress and financial reporting
- Interface with clients and other project stakeholders to advise, plan, implement, review and report on projects as needed.
- Lead software development and information technology operations (DevOps) processes within the DIAS practice following the corporate Global ICT policies.
Business Development:
- Prepare capability statements/expressions of interest, and contribute to technical and financial proposals
- Support the development of new and maintenance of existing client relationships through interactions with clients at a technical level
- Formulate and manage technology partnerships and collaborations with vendors and partners.
- Represent Palladium at international meetings, global technical working groups and ministry level events, sharing information and updates.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
Reporting requirements
The role reports to the Digital Solutions Implementation Technical Advisor. Reporting requirements include:
- Attendance at all weekly and/or management team meetings
- Regular updates with manager
- Monthly submission of activity reports
- Quarterly updates to management on project’s performance and revenue as well as any other areas of concern
- Inputs into the Business Unit’s Quarterly reports as required
- Other reports requested by manager
Relationships
- The role will form part of the International Development portfolio, Americas Region
- The role will be required to liaise closely with Team Leaders, Senior Managers, other employees, Professional Service
- Providers and Donor Agencies.
Authority levels
- Compliance with corporate delegated authorities
- Appropriate consultation with manager regarding important decisions involving your areas of responsibility
- Formulation of sound, evidence-based recommendations relevant in your areas of responsibility to the Digital Solutions
- Implementation Technical Advisor and other staff.
Required Qualifications:
- Experience managing software development projects
- Experience working to apply digital solutions within in a developing country in education, economic growth or agriculture and other related international development areas.
- Knowledge of implementation of software development, diverse databases, software architecture and components required, knowledge of information systems used in the development sector and global goods a plus.
- Understanding of analytical tools and enterprise architecture components, such as data warehouses, interoperability layers, etc.
- Experience designing, developing, testing, and implementing digital technologies and tools, including mobile applications, transactional systems and business intelligence implementations.
- Experience managing software projects using tools to facilitate the DevOps process. Knowledge of Atlassian tools a plus.
- Possess technical writing skills and ability to review work products such as: Use Cases, Detailed Functional Requirements,
- Detailed Design Specifications, and Software Requirement Specifications.
- Knowledge and experience applying the Principles for Digital Development.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Willingness to travel and work abroad 30% of the time in developing countries and elsewhere
- Detail-oriented and deadline-driven with strong organizational skills
- Highly self-motivated and able to work independently as well as in team settings
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively as a member of a fast-moving and multicultural team while maintaining a client-centered focus
- Sound problem solving and decision-making skills
- Inquisitive mindset, creative, and desire to take initiative to learn new systems, technologies, and skills pertinent to the work of the DIAS Practice and other areas of Palladium.
Apply here