Our client, Health Research Operations Kenya Limited (HROKL), the operating entity for the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, a world class health research Programme based in Kenya, conducting multi-disciplinary research that spans infectious diseases, vaccines, maternal child and neonatal health, health systems, and emerging health threats. The Programme’s research leverages an integrated platform that includes bioscience laboratories, a clinical trials facility and clinical team, the clinical information network, the Kilifi demographic and health surveillance site, and robust community engagement, generating evidence that informs local and global health policy.

HROKL is looking to recruit a technically proficient and agile Senior Software Developer to lead the software development lifecycle, mentor developers, and drive innovation.

JOB PURPOSE:

The individual will design, develop and maintain reliable and scalable enterprise software systems that support research and operational needs, ensuring system performance, data integrity and continuity of service while providing technical guidance and mentorship within the development team.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Software Development & Systems Engineering (30% of time)

• Design and develop enterprise applications across backend and frontend systems
• Analyse existing systems and recommend improvements to enhance performance and maintainability.
• Review code and technical specifications to maintain quality and development standards
• Investigate and resolve complex application defects and system support requests.

Business Process Automation (15% of time)

• Identify manual and inefficient business processes suitable for digital automation.
• Design and maintain automated workflows, approval processes and notification systems
• Develop and maintain digital forms to replace paper-based and manual processes.
• Support end-users in adopting automation solutions through training and ongoing assistance.

Cloud Adoption & Systems Modernisation (12% of time)

• Support the adoption of cloud-hosted environments for organisational applications and workloads.
• Maintain source control repositories and software delivery pipelines on cloud-based platforms
• Administer and optimise cloud-hosted applications to sustain performance and availability targets
• Review server environments periodically to retire underused resources and manage infrastructure costs

Applications Security, Risk & Compliance (10% of time)

• Administer access control and privileged account management across organizational systems
• Monitor systems for security vulnerabilities and ensure identified risks are remediated within agreed timeframes
• Maintain the validity of digital security certificates across all web platforms
• Enforce adherence to information security policies and data protection standards across all development activities

Digital Platforms & Website Management (12% of time)

• Maintain and improve organisational websites to meet performance and uptime standards.
• Provide ongoing technical support for clinical data collection platforms and web properties.
• Oversee domain configurations, hosting environments and platform analytics.
• Collaborate with content owners to implement website improvements and keep platform documentation current.

IT Projects, Support & Service Delivery (10% of time)

• Contribute to the planning, development and delivery of IT projects within agreed timelines and standards
• Evaluate proposed system changes for technical risk and compliance through Change Advisory Board participation
• Research emerging technologies and recommend applicable innovations to improve service delivery
• Monitor and support critical enterprise applications to maintain continuous and reliable service to users

Documentation, Mentorship & Technical Advisory (6% of time)

• Develop and maintain technical documentation including system architecture, procedures and user guides
• Mentor junior technical staff on development standards, best practices and professional growth
• Facilitate regular training sessions and knowledge-sharing workshops for IT staff and end-users
• Advise management on development standards, technology decisions and process improvement opportunities

Change, Incident & Database Management (5% of time)

• Manage the logging, prioritisation and resolution of service requests within agreed SLA timeframes
• Apply Change Control, Incident and Configuration Management processes across all operational activities
• Administer organisational databases through performance monitoring, capacity planning and routine optimization
• Produce regular performance reports and post-incident analyses to improve service stability over time

Key Performance Indicators

• Effectiveness of enterprise application development and enhancement (measured through system functionality, user feedback, and successful deployment of new features).
• Quality of software code and system architecture (measured through code review outcomes, defect rates, and adherence to development standards).
• Timeliness of incident resolution and support service delivery (measured through turnaround times, SLA adherence, and user satisfaction feedback).
• Effectiveness of business process automation initiatives (measured through adoption rates, reduction in manual processes, and user efficiency improvements).
• Reliability and performance of cloud-hosted systems and digital platforms (measured through system availability, performance monitoring reports, and incident frequency).
• Effectiveness of application security and compliance management (measured through vulnerability resolution records, audit outcomes, and adherence to security policies)

Job Dimensions:

• Development servers, test environments, web servers, cloud infrastructure resources, personal computers, source code repositories, application databases, system configuration files, SSL certificates, IT SOPs and policy documentation, user access logs, REDCap clinical data, website content, analytics data, software licences, CMS platforms, Power Platform subscriptions, third-party integrations, and organisational SharePoint repositories.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Programmer certification is desirable but not mandatory, including MCSD, ZEND PHP, Microsoft Power Platform certification, or Mobile Apps Development certification from an authorised testing body such as Pearson VUE or Prometric.
• Membership to a relevant professional body is desirable, including Computer Society of Kenya or ISACA.
• 5 years of progressive software development experience, with demonstrated proficiency in PHP or Microsoft .NET and related open-source technologies.

Desired Additional Skills

• Agile/Scrum methodology, Microsoft Power Platform, cloud platforms including Azure and SharePoint Online, API design and integration, database administration, CMS website development and management, and DevSecOps practices.

Technical Competencies (job related)

• Full-stack software development in PHP and/or .NET frameworks.
• Expert knowledge of software engineering best practices, design patterns, data structures, algorithms, version control, and release management.
• Database design and administration, REST/SOAP API design, cloud platform configuration, CMS website development, and Power Platform capability.
• IT service management competencies including Change Control, Incident Management, Configuration Management, and cybersecurity awareness.

Behavioural Competencies (personality)

• Autonomy and self-management, with ability to work independently with limited supervision at SFIA Level 4.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to decompose complex technical challenges and deliver pragmatic solutions.
• Collaborative team player, effective at cross-functional working with DBAs, system administrators, researchers, and non-technical business owners.
• Communication and advisory skills, with ability to translate technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders and prepare strong documentation.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Primarily office-based and indoor at Kilifi Campus, with constant computer-based work and mental concentration. The role may occasionally involve exposure to clinical or laboratory hazards and extreme temperatures in line with the working environment.
• Standard working hours, with frequent odd or long hours where required to support system availability, critical incidents, maintenance, cloud migration, security response, or service continuity requirements.
• Exposure to potential information security risks, including handling sensitive research and clinical data, managing live production systems susceptible to cyber threats, and responding to system incidents that may require extended working hours and sustained high levels of concentration.

You can join our WhatsApp Talent Community with the following link to see our open positions: QAZI by Flexi Personnel.

All applicants are advised to adhere to the application guidelines for consideration. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

NB: Flexi Personnel does not charge candidates for job placement.