Job Description

Department of Personnel Management

Designation : Executive Manager-HR/Payroll System Database & Application Support (Code- DPM 14-36)

Job Description / Responsibilities:

  1. IDENTIFICATION

AGENCY:

Department of Personnel Management

SYSTEM POSITION# (10-Digits):

 

REF#:

DPM14-36

OFFICE:

Office of the Public Service HR/Payroll Services

DESIGNATION/CLASSIFICATION:

Executive Manager/Grade 18

DIVISION:

Ascender Pay IHRP System - HR/Payroll System Database & Application Support

LOCAL DESIGNATION:

Executive Manager - HR/Payroll System Database & Application Support

BRANCH:

 

REPORTING TO:

Director

SYS POS# (10-Digits):

 

REF#:

DPM14-1

SECTION:

 

LOCATION:

Central Government Office, Level 3, Waigani, NCD
       

HISTORY OF POSITION

 

 

FILE REFERENCE

DATE OF VARIATION

DETAILS

AGENCY REFERENCE/FILE NO:

Structure Approved Date:

27th March 2025

2.     PURPOSE:

The position of Executive Manager - HR/Payroll System Database and Application Support exists to provide strategic oversight and technical leadership for the operational management, maintenance, and continuous optimization of the Ascender Pay Integrated HR/Payroll System database and application layer. This includes overseeing system configuration, user access governance, and ensuring the system operates securely, reliably, and efficiently to support the timely delivery of public service payroll and HR management functions.

  • This position supports the national objective of a well-governed, digitized HR and payroll system to ensure timely, accurate, and accountable management of public service personnel expenditure.
  • It contributes directly to system performance, security, data integrity, and availability - critical to achieving continuity in payroll processing and HR transactions.
  • Without this position, technical oversight of the Ascender Pay system - including database integrity, configuration accuracy, and access governance - would be weakened, increasing the risk of payroll failures, data corruption, and compliance breaches.
  • The role is necessary to ensure optimal system uptime, effective user access controls, and the application of consistent system configurations aligned with General Orders, HR policy, and financial accountability frameworks.

3.     DIMENSIONS:

Financial Accountability: Indirectly supports the administration of the entire Government of Papua New Guinea's public service payroll, exceeding K6 billion annually.

Staff Supervision: Manages a technical team of approximately 25 officers, including database administrators, application analysts, and systems support staff.

System Scope: Supports the HR/Payroll system used by over 146,000 public servants across 120+ government agencies.

Resources Managed: Oracle 10g database infrastructure, Red Hat Linux OS servers, staging/test environments, configuration tools, user access logs, and business rules engines.

4.     PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  1. Ensure stable and optimal performance of the Ascender Pay IHRP System database through ongoing maintenance, tuning, backup, and recovery operations.
  2. Lead and manage the configuration of payroll business rules, workflows, allowances, and formulas to reflect approved HR policies and General Orders.
  3. Oversee the administration and control of user access to maintain system security and enforce role-based access protocols.
  4. Coordinate system patching, change management, and upgrade schedules in collaboration with ICT service providers and vendors.
  5. Monitor database and application performance metrics and resolve system incidents in a timely manner.
  6. Provide leadership in developing and implementing system governance frameworks, documentation, and configuration baselines.
  7. Report regularly on system health, risks, usage trends, and resource requirements to executive management.
  8. Provide coaching and mentoring to technical officers in database and application support areas.

5. MAJOR DUTIES:

  1. Supervise the configuration and ongoing adjustments to the Ascender Pay IHRP system to align with evolving policy and business requirements.
  2. Administer and maintain the Oracle 10g database, including performance tuning, indexing, log review, and routine optimization tasks.
  3. Manage user creation, modification, and revocation processes to enforce proper segregation of duties.
  4. Perform and monitor daily system backups and ensure rapid recovery in case of system failure or data loss.
  5. Lead the investigation and resolution of system errors, data anomalies, and configuration failures.
  6. Coordinate with Department of ICT and hosting provider (e.g., DataCo) for infrastructure and connectivity matters.
  7. Maintain detailed technical documentation for all configurations, system patches, and data structure changes.
  8. Participate in system integration and testing, especially after configuration changes or upgrades.
  9. Represent DPM in technical inter-agency working groups and vendor discussions related to HR/payroll system functionality.

6. NATURE AND SCOPE:

This position is located within the Whole-of-Government Pay Office. It reports to the Director, and interacts closely with the HR/Payroll System Governance Oversight and Policy Units. It provides critical leadership across system infrastructure, database administration, and application configuration to ensure the continued operational success of the Government’s digital HR/Payroll system.

The Executive Manager acts as the technical custodian of the system and is the lead decision-maker on matters related to its configuration, performance, and operational integrity.

6.1 Working Relationship:

(a) Internal:

  • Directors - Directorates and Sector Teams
  • Payroll Monitoring Branch
  • ICT Officers and Payroll Officers
  • Data Governance and Reform Teams

(b) External:

  • Agency ICT/HR End-User focal points
  • Department of ICT (hosting oversight and standards)
  • External vendors and system integrators
  • Auditor General’s Office (for system audits)

6.2 Work Environment:

This is a specialist technical role that requires high-level understanding of payroll applications, enterprise systems architecture, and government HR/payroll operations. The position operates in a hybrid environment - handling application configuration, database management, user access governance, and system-level technical support. It combines strategic oversight with operational execution in a critical national platform.

7. CONSTRAINTS FRAMEWORK AND BOUNDARIES:

Rules/Procedures: Guided by General Orders, Public Service Management Act, ICT Policy, Data Governance Policy, Change Control and Audit Protocols.

Decision-Making Authority: Has authority to make technical decisions on system configuration, user access management, backup protocols, and data recovery strategies within established policies.

Recommendations: Recommends major system upgrades, capacity planning, budgetary inputs for hardware/software, and improvements to digital governance practices.

8. CHALLENGES:

The greatest challenge in this position is maintaining high system uptime and data integrity while managing increasing user demands, security risks, and evolving policy requirements. The incumbent must balance technical complexity with operational continuity and must anticipate and mitigate risks in system failures, access breaches, and misconfigurations that could jeopardize payroll execution and public sector credibility.

9. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS:

(a) Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field.
  • Postgraduate qualifications in ICT governance, systems engineering, or database management are desirable.

(b) Knowledge

  • Deep understanding of Oracle 10g database environments, Linux OS, and enterprise application architecture.
  • Familiarity with HR/Payroll systems (preferably Ascender Pay IHRP).
  • Knowledge of public service payroll policies, General Orders, and digital governance frameworks.

(c) Skills

  • Advanced skills in database and application configuration, scripting, and system administration.
  • High-level problem-solving, system analysis, and troubleshooting skills.
  • Ability to lead and mentor technical teams.
  • Strong communication and stakeholder coordination skills.

(d) Work Experience

  • Minimum of 7-10 years in enterprise systems management, including at least 5 years in a senior role in payroll or HRIS systems.
  • Demonstrated experience managing technical teams, coordinating system upgrades, and overseeing critical business applications.

Job Type:

Full Time

Language Requirements:

English

Salary(per annum):

K73138.00

Job Location:

Waigani

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