Database Specialist

The HALO Trust Afghanistan team is seeking a qualified and highly motivated Database Specialist to join the MEAL & Information Management team in Kabul.

Reporting to the Head of MEAL & Information Management, the Database Specialist will play a key technical role in maintaining, developing, and strengthening HALO’s databases, information management systems, and reporting processes. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring availability, accuracy, integrity, security, and effective use of organizational data to support operational planning, programme monitoring, donor reporting, and evidence-based decision-making.

The role will work closely with MEAL, PDR, operations, and other relevant teams to ensure that data is effectively captured, managed, analyzed, integrated, and transformed into reliable and actionable information.

Reporting & Work Relationships

• Reports to: Information Systems Manager
• Duty Station: KK Main Office, with travel to field locations at least each quarter.

Internal interactions

• Programme/Operations teams.
• MEAL and Partnerships and Donor Relations staff, Finance, HR, Logistics, and other support departments.
• Senior management when required.
• External interactions: As assigned by the Information Systems Manager.

Key Duties & Responsibilities.

• Develop and maintain complex SQL queries, views, stored procedures, triggers, and reports using PostgreSQL and MySQL to support operational and management information needs.
• Analyze and consolidate data from GOIMS and other organizational data sources to produce accurate, timely, and reliable management, operational, and donor reports.
• Support HALO data reporting in IMSMA Core, ensuring accurate, timely, and reliable data for operational and management reporting.
• Design, develop, and maintain interactive dashboards, charts, and data visualizations using Power BI to support data-driven decision-making.
• Monitor and improve data quality, integrity, and consistency through data validation, cleansing, transformation, reconciliation, and quality-control processes.
• Analyze and optimize SQL queries, database structures, and reporting processes to improve database performance, system efficiency, and reporting response times.
• Design, develop, deploy, and maintain desktop-based and web applications that support organizational operational and information management requirements.
• Maintain, enhance, and troubleshoot existing HALO business applications, including Payroll, HRMIS, Fleet, and Clinic systems, ensuring reliability and alignment with evolving business needs.
• Design, configure, and manage Survey123 data collection forms and workflows, integrating field-collected data with PostgreSQL databases and ArcGIS Enterprise.
• Develop and maintain advanced maps, feature layers, geospatial datasets, and spatial analyses using ArcGIS Pro to support operational planning, monitoring, and decision-making.
• Provide technical support for system integration, database and application troubleshooting, data-related issues, and system enhancements across relevant platforms.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including database structures, data workflows, system configurations, reporting processes, and user guidance.
• Identify opportunities for automation, process improvement, and system enhancement to strengthen data management, reporting efficiency, information quality, and organizational decision-making.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Data Science, Software Engineering, or another related field, and Master’s degree will be considered an asset.
• 5-7 years of relevant professional experience in database development, data analysis, MIS, software development or Data Science.
• Strong knowledge of SQL, particularly PostgreSQL and MySQL, with the ability to develop complex queries and optimize database performance.
• Strong understanding of RDBMS concepts, database design, relationships, normalization, indexing, and data integrity.
• Practical programming experience with technologies such as C#, ASP.NET MVC, PHP, Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, jQuery, ReactJS, or Next.js.
• Experience with Power BI for dashboard development, reporting, and data visualization.
• Experience with ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, Survey123, feature layers, and spatial analysis.
• Good knowledge of data quality, validation, transformation, system integration, and troubleshooting.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical documentation skills.

Behavioural Expectations

• Reliable, punctual, and collaborative.
• Committed to HALO values and confidentiality.
• Respectful and able to work under pressure.

Language Skills

• Excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken.
• Fluency in Dari and Pashto is desirable.

Core Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to coach, mentor, and motivate staff.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to improving systems and processes.
• Commitment to professional integrity, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel frequently to field and operational locations as required.
• Strong commitment to HALO’s mission, values, and quality standards.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Understanding of gender, diversity, and inclusion principles in conducting survey practices.

The HALO Trust is the world’s largest humanitarian mine clearance organisation. We save lives and restore communities threatened by landmines and other weapons of war, such as cluster bombs, stockpiles of small arms and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Born out of a desire to help the people of Afghanistan in 1988, we now have over 8,000 staff in 30 countries and territories, working to get vulnerable communities back on their feet following conflict. Millions of families have been able to return to their homes safely thanks to this work, but there is still much to do.

There are many challenges associated with delivering humanitarian work, but we are passionate in our commitment to create safe, secure communities but we do not shy away from working in countries where there are gaps in international support for clear humanitarian needs. As an advocate for the ‘forgotten’ in the world, we urgently wish to reach more countries where our skills and experience can accelerate recovery and provide the essential groundwork to help address the root cause of the current refugee crisis.

Demining remains our core purpose but in order to deal with the broader debris of war, we are strengthening our work in weapons and ammunition management. We help governments to manage stockpiles of weapons and dispose of weapons and ammunition.