Director, Agricultural Information Systems (MIS/IT 7)

JOB PURPOSE

Under the direct supervision of the Principal Director, Agricultural Marketing & Information & Incentives (GMG/SEG 6), the Director, Agricultural Information Systems (MIS/IT 7), is responsible for developing, enhancing, and implementing information applications in accordance with the mandate of the Agricultural Marketing Information & Incentives Branch, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and its Agencies. 

KEY OUTPUTS

• Requirements and specification documents 
• Documents and data capture formats 
• User and technical manuals. 
• Guidelines, standards and procedure documents for application development implemented
• Satisfied clients / users 
• Competent application development professionals. 
• Information application developed and maintained 
• Reports produced 
• Web page content monitored 
• Web pages interpreted and formatted 
• Statistical analysis and summaries 
• Current database of agricultural stakeholders and agricultural data 
• Annual/Quarterly/Monthly performance reports prepared 
• Strategic/Corporate/Operational Plans and Budget 
• Individual work plans developed 
• Staff coached and appraisals conducted 
• Competent and productive staff 

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Management/Administrative Responsibilities 

• Coordinates the development and maintenance of information and statistical applications, and statistical data analyses and reporting, in accordance with the requirements of the Divisions and stakeholders. 
• Coordinates the design and development of websites and intranets for the collection and dissemination of agricultural data 
• Coordinates the role of the Agricultural Information Systems Section with the Ministry’s IT Department and other Agencies 
• Leads and manages the applications development staff and activities of the section
• Represents the Ministry at meetings. Conferences, and workshops locally and internationally
• Develops conceptual and physical designs that reflects the requirements of a modern 
• agricultural marketing information system to disseminate real time prices and availability information 
• Develop and maintain an improved system for collecting, analyzing and disseminating marketing and economic information on the Jamaica Agricultural Sector as well as sector related international economic and trade information. 
• Oversees the interpretation, formatting and dissemination of information on web pages
• Participates in the development of the Branch’s strategic and operational plans and budget. 

Develops the Sections’ Operational Plans and Budget. 

• Monitors project schedules and targets to ensure that objectives and goals are met and to, when necessary, institute corrective measures in a timely manner. 
• Monitors work allocation of project activities to ensure optimum use and development of officers and other resources 
• Develops and facilitate professional programmes to ensure officers are equipped to perform at the level assigned. 
• Reviews work assignments of staff for adherence to policies, procedures, guidelines, standards, and quality requirements specified by the Ministry. 

Technical/Professional Responsibilities 

• Directs the requirement definition phase and prepares procedural manuals 
• Prepares requirement definition manuals 
• Develops the conceptual design of applications to reflect/support users requirements
• Participates in the development of automated information applications by defining systems input, output, interfaces, and processing requirements to describe the data processing environment and make recommendations regarding the technology to be employed.
• Provides clarifications on issues related to design processes 
• Assists in the development of conversion, training and implementation plans by;
  • assisting in developing user and technical manuals 
  • supervising the program development testing, training of users, implementation, and evaluation of applications 
• Conducts periodic reviews to identify opportunities for improvement 
• Participates in peer and team reviews of projects, effect the necessary action on recommendations emerging from review process 
• Ensures currency of established policies, standard and methodologies with respect to work being performed 
• Maintains existing information applications by developing new modules and enhancing existing modules/database structures 
• Participates in the selection and assessment of software packages by; 
  • developing specifications for application software required 
  • developing requests for proposal, evaluating proposal, and determining the most suitable options. 
• Evaluates and makes recommendations to the Director on selected software packages related to collection, analyses and dissemination of agricultural data 
• Provides training for users/user support staff 
• Designs and develops formats and procedures for the dissemination of reports and summaries to end users utilizing web-based and other methods 
• Coordinates, develops and implements the standards and procedures necessary to create the proper framework for the development and maintenance of information applications, websites and intranets 
• Defines and informs of standards and procedures for websites and intranet and other disseminations mechanism 
• Keeps abreast of trends and developments in standards and procedures for automated application, website and intranet development 
• Keeps abreast with national and international trends in statistical and marketing data collection
• Produces reports in the development of the agricultural sector and makes recommendations to improve systems 
• Oversees the process of web page maintenance 

Human Resource Management Responsibilities 

• Monitors and evaluates the performance of direct reports, prepares performance appraisal and recommend and/or initiates corrective action where necessary to improve performance and/or attaining established personal and/ or organizational goals 
• Participates in the recruitment of staff for the Unit and recommends transfer, promotion, termination and leave in accordance with established human resource policies and procedures
• In collaboration with the Human Resource Division, develops and implements a succession planning programme for the Division/Unit to facilitate continuity and the availability of required skills and competencies to meet the needs of the Division 
• Provides leadership and guidance to direct report through effective planning, delegation, communication, training, mentoring and coaching. 
• Ensures the welfare and developmental needs of staff in the Unit are clearly identified and addressed 
• Establishes and maintains a system that fosters a culture of teamwork, employee empowerment and commitment to the Division’s and organization’s goals. 

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Any other related duties assigned by the Principal Director, CTD/Permanent Secretary.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Computerized information applications to support decision-making in accordance with users’ requirements. 
• Secure, timely, user-friendly websites and intranets. 
• Secure accurately maintained databases. 
• Accurate and timely reports from surveys and censuses. 
• User-friendly information applications. 
• Information applications coordinated, developed, and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the Divisions and stakeholders. 
• Reports are comprehensive and accurate and produced within the agreed timeframe
• Applications developed are competent and in keeping with the required standards
• Manuals/Documents are in keeping with required standards in place 
• Specified applications implemented with due regard to adequate output and user friendliness.
• Strategic, Operational Plans and Budgets developed and submitted within the specified timeframe and format. 
• Staff performance assessed and appraised in keeping with the GOJ/ PMAS
• Staff needs identified and addressed within the specified timeframe 
• Recommendations made within the specified timeframe 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• B. Sc. in Computer Science or related field or equivalent 
• At least four (4) years’ experience as a Programmer/Analyst 
• Supervisory Management training 
• A background of working in Agriculture and/or training in Agriculture or Biological systems would be an asset. 
• Experience in working with Statistical Programmes and Databases 

COMPETENCIES

Core 

• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills 
• Excellent analytical thinking skills 
• Good planning and organizing skills 
• Excellent leadership and people management skills 
• Excellent teamwork and cooperation skills 
• Good interpersonal skills 
• Good project management skills 
• Goal results oriented 
• Good customer and quality focus skills 
• Excellent oral, written and presentation communication skills 

Technical 

• Statistical software including but not exclusive to SPSS 
• Structured software design and programming 
• Relational database management
• Microsoft SQL Server/MySQL 
• Web Programming 
• Integration of multi-vendor application software 
• Web Development Tools (SharePoint Designer, ASP.Net Core/ASP.NET MVC, HTML, JAVA Programming Languages). 
• Current technological trends 

SPECIAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOB

• Required to travel locally. 
• Critical deadlines to be met. 

AUTHORITY

• Specifies scope or boundary of the proposed information system 
• States techniques / method to be employed in the information gathering and analysis phases.
• Recommends conceptual design of the system, and conceptual and physical designs of websites and intranets. 
• Recommends standards and procedures. 
• Recommends the recruitment and training of team members. 
• Recommends vacation/departmental leaves 

Please note that we thank all for responding, but only short-listed applicants will be contacted.