Jobs at Sokoine University of Agriculture , NOV 2015

Applications are invited from suitably qualified Tanzanians to fill the following vacant
positions at Sokoine University of Agriculture at the Centre for Information and
Communication Technology, under the funding of Innovative Agricultural Research
Initiative (iAGRI) project.

POSITION: Online Communications Specialist (Public Relation Officer II)

Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania, is seeking a full-time
Online Communications Specialist. An Online Communications Specialist or Web Designer
is responsible for the written and visual communication aspects a new website for SUA.
The Online Communications Specialist will manage the creation of content, design the
user interface, edit content and ensure a positive customer experience. This includes
overall navigation flow, layout of specific pages, and the knowledge and use of the
website.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:
(a) Training, organizing, and supporting SUA staff as they create and edit web content;
(b) Collecting and preparing content for the website;
(c) Ensuring content on the SUA website communicates clearly, effectively, and
consistently;
(d) Designing a maintenance mechanism for all pages on the SUA web site;
(e) Providing technical and user training and manuals to SUA staff;
(f) Working with the university-wide website committee on style and approach for the
project;
(g) Providing design elements, comps, templates, and finished solutions;
(h) Testing new content before move to production;
(i) Creating and maintaining metadata and other inputs in the system to optimize
search engine results;
(j) Performing image manipulation tasks such as creating thumbnails, image resize,
file format conversion and simple image edits;
(k) Creating and maintaining multimedia, including photo galleries, slideshows, and
videos embedded in Web pages;
(l) Improving the website information architecture to provide easier navigation and
accessibility of the site to stakeholders;
(m) Participating in efforts to improve quality of SUA web pages as required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
(a) Online communications specialist;
(b) Superior English writing, editing, and proofreading skills
(c) Creative, dynamic and forward thinking individual;
(d) Innovative - able to identify new opportunities and make them happen;
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(e) Experience managing websites, including management of design and developer
staff;
(f) Comfort with cross-cultural interaction across language barriers;
(g) Team player who can work independently;
(h) Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and work with minimal supervision in a team
environment;
(i) Strong organization skills with emphasis on being conscientious and detail-oriented;
(j) Excellent computer skills and proficiency with image editing, desktop publishing,
word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software;
(k) Conversant in web basics;
(l) Knowledge of multimedia/creative: e.g., interactive/web content, digital
graphics/optimization.
Required Qualifications/Experience
(a) Advanced diploma or Degree in Communications or related field and/or a
satisfactory combination of experience and training which demonstrates ability to
perform the duties above. Bachelors preferred;
(b) Minimum 2 years as a web content specialist, preferably in a university setting or
similar environment, with content development and maintenance responsibilities;
(c) Excellent oral and written communication skills;
(d) Experience editing various types of web content ranging from general text content
to specialized digital content;
(e) Graphics experience with image editing and desktop publishing software required;
(f) Experience in coaching, training and mentoring staff;
(g) Working knowledge of software such as operating systems, desktop publishing,
word processing, and presentation software, as well as experience with social
networking websites;
(h) Experience with WordPress, Drupal, Joomla or other open source CMS, including
template development and customization;
(i) English language fluency is required.

POSITION: WEBMASTER (Senior Computer Programmer III)

Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania, is seeking a full-time
developer/webmaster to redevelop and maintain SUA’s website. The Web
Developer/Administrator will provide technical and management expertise to a team that is
responsible for delivering a new website for SUA. The Web Developer will manage the
design process, maintenance and share ownership of the delivery and success of the new
site.
The Web Developer will lead the functional and technical design, development, testing,
integration, and training for ongoing support of the SUA website. He or she will work with
the Centre for ICT to direct aspects of the development lifecycle. The primary responsibility
of this position is to clearly define, manage and maintain priorities. The developer will work
closely with the fellow staffs of the Centre for ICT to implement a website that fulfills the
needs of the university while using technology appropriate for the area and available
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resources. A large component of this project will be to provide training to SUA staff on
website design, planning and maintenance.
The successful candidate will be responsible for:
(a) Defining and implementing technical direction for the website;
(b) Selecting and implementing a CMS software solution including, but not limited to,
template creation, security and approval levels, WYSIWYG content editor,
versioning, content scheduling, etc.
(c) Performing and reviewing systems analysis, design, programming, testing,
debugging, and documentation for all projects;
(d) Providing technical and user training and manuals to SUA staff;
(e) Leading process improvement;
(f) Providing technical leadership to team and department members, leading through
example, mentoring/ influencing others and effectively working with peers, team
members, and other departments;
(g) Creating mechanisms to enable members of staff to create and maintain online
profiles;
(h) Creating templates for content storage;
(i) Implementing website archiving strategies.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
(a) Creative, dynamic, and forward thinking individual;
(b) Innovative - able to identify new opportunities and make them happen;
(c) Experience, managing websites, including management of design and developer
staff;
(d) Extensive Web User Interface Design (UI), Debugging and Cross-Browser
Compatible Development Experience;
(e) Knowledge of online Security Principles;
(f) Knowledge of automatic backup and mirroring;
(g) Intermediate or expert knowledge of HTML5, CSS, PHP, Javascript, jQuery,
XML,CSS, SOAP and RESTful APIs implementation;
(h) Knowledge of web multimedia technologies a plus;
(i) Analytical capabilities to measure performance and weigh tradeoffs;
(j) Problem solving and project management skills, with ability to balance competing
project and resource demands;
(k) Comfort with cross-cultural interaction across language barriers;
(l) Team player who can work independently.
(m) Ensuring that all design elements, templates and finished solutions work within a
variety of browser types and screen settings;
Required Qualifications/Experience
(a) Degree or Advanced Diploma in Computer Science/Engineering, Information
Technology, Web Development or related field and/or equivalent work experience.
Masters is a plus;
(b) Experience managing the development of a complex website;
(c) At least 2 years of experience related to the Webmaster position;
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(d) Experience with open source content management systems like Joomla, Drupal or
WordPress;
(e) Experience in coaching, training and mentoring staff;
(f) Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
(g) English language fluency required;

How to Apply

Qualified candidates should send their applications by 18th December 2015. To apply for
either opportunity, please send a cover letter referencing the position you are applying for,
CV or resume, and at least two samples/links of your previous website related work to:
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration and Finance)
Sokoine University of Agriculture
P. O. Box 3000
Morogoro
Tanzania
A copy of the application dossier must be sent by email to: dircc@suanet.ac.tz