HostZion seeks to recruit two suitably qualified IT Support Assistants to fill the two vacant positions available at the Iganga Field Office
Job Function
The IT Support Assistant will play a multifaceted role in assisting clients with website design, development, and web hosting-related technical issues.
Specific Roles and Responsibilities
In the execution of their roles, the IT Support Assistants will bridge the gap between design and technical support. The specific roles and responsibilities for the IT Support Assistants will include:
- Technical Support: Provide technical assistance to clients regarding web hosting issues, server configurations, and general troubleshooting.
- Security Management: Implement and maintain security protocols to safeguard servers and client websites from potential threats.
- Backup and Recovery: Regularly back up website data and develop recovery plans to minimize downtime in case of server failures.
- Domain Management: Assist clients with domain registration, transfers, configuration, and DNS settings.
- Email Support: Configuring and troubleshooting email services, including email client setup and spam filtering.
- Content Management Systems (CMS): Guiding clients in using popular CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress, Joomla, Drupal) and troubleshooting CMS-related issues.
- Performance Optimization: Implement strategies to optimize website and server performance, such as caching mechanisms.
- Database Administration: Assist in managing and optimizing databases associated with hosted websites.
- E-commerce Support: Provide support for e-commerce platforms, ensuring secure transactions and resolving payment gateway issues.
- Social Media Content: Develop content for social media platforms to complement website content and engage a wider audience.
- Email Marketing Content: Create compelling content for email marketing campaigns, newsletters, and promotional materials.
- Design Conceptualization: Collaborate with clients to understand their vision and requirements for website design.
- UI/UX Design: Create user-friendly and visually appealing interfaces, focusing on intuitive navigation and positive user experiences.
- Responsive Design: Ensure websites are optimized for various devices and screen sizes through responsive design techniques.
- Graphics and Multimedia Integration: Incorporate graphics, images, and multimedia elements to enhance the overall website design.
- Coding and Development: Utilize HTML, CSS, PHP, and potentially other coding languages to implement design concepts into functional websites.
- Accessibility: Ensure that website designs comply with accessibility standards, making them inclusive for users with disabilities.
- Brand Consistency: Maintain consistency in design elements across websites to strengthen brand identity.
- Team Collaboration: Work closely and coordinate with other team players to ensure the feasibility and proper implementation of design elements, and to ensure content seamlessly integrates with the overall website design and web hosting environment.
- Customer Feedback Analysis: Collect and analyze customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and enhance user satisfaction.
- Disaster Recovery Planning: Contribute to the development of disaster recovery plans to minimize the impact of potential disruptions.
- Cross-Training: Acquire a basic understanding of each role’s responsibilities within the team to facilitate collaboration and support during peak workloads.
- Customer Education: Provide information and guidance to customers about products or services, helping them make informed decisions.
- Client Onboarding: Assist in onboarding new clients, guiding them through the web hosting setup, and explaining the design and content creation processes.
- Client Training: Provide training sessions or documentation for clients on managing their website content, utilizing web hosting features and control panels, and basic troubleshooting steps.
- Documentation: Creating and maintaining knowledge base articles, tutorials, and guides for clients to resolve common issues independently.
- Security Education: Educate clients on best practices for website security and data protection.
- Security Audits: Conduct security audits on websites and servers, implementing measures to prevent cyber threats.
- Security Support: Addressing security concerns, such as malware detection and removal, SSL certificate installation, and firewall configuration.
- Troubleshooting: Identifying and resolving technical problems, including server outages, website downtime, and email issues.
- Innovation: Explore and implement new tools and techniques to enhance efficiency and stay ahead of industry advancements.
- Testing Procedures: Develop and implement quality assurance procedures to ensure the functionality and performance of websites across different browsers and devices.
- Testing and Debugging: Conduct thorough testing to identify and resolve any issues related to the website’s design and functionality.
- User Testing: Conduct usability testing to gather feedback and make iterative improvements to the website design.
- Content Strategy Planning: Develop and execute content strategies aligned with clients’ goals and target audiences, and work with marketing teams to align content creation with broader marketing strategies.
- Content Creation: Write and edit high-quality, engaging, and SEO-friendly content for websites, ensuring it aligns with the brand’s voice and message.
- Multilingual Content: If applicable, create content in multiple languages to cater to diverse audiences.
- Content Calendar Management: Develop and maintain a content calendar to schedule and organize content releases.
- Keyword Research: Conduct keyword research to optimize content for search engines and improve website visibility.
- SEO Audits: Conduct comprehensive SEO audits for websites, identifying areas for improvement in terms of on-page and off-page SEO.
- SEO Strategy: Develop and implement SEO strategies to enhance website visibility and search engine rankings.
- Link Building: Execute effective link-building strategies to improve the website’s authority and credibility.
- Analytics and Reporting: Monitor SEO performance using analytics tools and provide regular reports with insights and recommendations.
- Social Media Strategy: Develop and execute social media strategies to promote websites and engage with the target audience.
- Content Sharing: Create and share website-related content on social media platforms to increase brand awareness and drive traffic.
- Community Engagement: Actively participate in online communities related to the industry and engage with users to build a strong online presence.
- Content Updates: Regularly update and refresh website content to keep it current, relevant, and in line with industry trends.
- Performance Metrics: Track, monitor and analyze various website metrics, such as traffic, conversion rates, user behavior, and content performance using analytics tools, making data-driven decisions to enhance content effectiveness.
- Data Analysis: Utilize customer data to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences to improve services and products.
- Project Management: Manage multiple tasks simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery of projects and meeting client expectations.
- Reporting: Generate regular reports on website performance and present insights to clients or internal stakeholders.
- Customer Communication and Engagement: Maintain effective communication with clients to understand their needs and concerns, and provide assistance or solutions as necessary.
- Issue Resolution: Address client concerns promptly and effectively, ensuring a positive client experience.
- Complaint Escalation: Manage and escalate unresolved customer issues to higher management when necessary.
- Vendor Liaison: Communicating with third-party vendors to address technical issues or service enhancements.
- Legal Compliance: Ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, and security standards governing the web hosting industry and business operations.
- Training and Professional Development: Stay updated on the latest and emerging technologies, design trends, tools, and industry best practices in web hosting, design, and content creation through continuous learning and professional development to bring fresh and innovative ideas to projects.
- Other Duties: Any other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time.
Personal Specifications and Skills
The IT Support Assistants at HostZion typically require a combination of technical and creative skills to excel in this role. Here are the essential skills that will be required of this position:
Technical Skills:
- Web Design Tools: Proficiency in web design software and tools.
- HTML/CSS: Strong understanding of HTML and CSS for creating and customizing web page layouts and styles.
- Responsive Design: Knowledge of responsive web design principles to ensure websites work well on various devices and screen sizes.
- Web Development: Basic understanding of web development languages (JavaScript, PHP) and frameworks (e.g., Bootstrap) shall be beneficial.
- Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience with popular CMS platforms like WordPress and the ability to customize and manage websites using these systems.
- Graphic Design: Skills in graphic design, including creating or editing images, logos, and other visual content for websites.
- Web Hosting: Familiarity with web hosting platforms and control panels (e.g., cPanel, Plesk) for managing hosting accounts.
- Domain Management: Knowledge of domain registration, DNS configuration, and domain transfers.
- Troubleshooting: Strong technical problem-solving skills to address web hosting and website-related issues effectively.
- Security: Awareness of website security practices, including SSL certificate installation, firewall configuration, and malware detection.
Customer Support Skills:
- Customer Service: Excellent customer service and communication skills for assisting clients, understanding their requirements, and providing support.
- Documentation: Ability to create user guides and documentation for clients to help them manage their websites and hosting accounts.
- Technical Support: Experience in providing technical support to clients, addressing hosting and website-related issues.
- Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills to convey technical information clearly to non-technical clients.
Additional Skills:
- Time Management: Efficient time management to meet project deadlines and handle client requests promptly.
- Self-Motivation: Self-discipline and motivation to work independently and continuously improve your skills.
- Teamwork: Collaboration skills to work effectively with other team members and departments.
- Business Acumen: Understanding of business concepts and goals to align web design and hosting support with clients’ objectives.
These skills and qualifications are valuable for the IT Support Assistant, as the role involves a mix of technical expertise and customer-oriented tasks. The ability to balance creative design with technical support is essential in providing a comprehensive service to clients.
Minimum Academic Qualifications
A Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Web Design or a related field.
Application Procedure
Candidates interested in the IT Support Assistant job should apply using the form below and attach their cover letters, up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) and copies of academic documents, all as a single pdf before Wednesday, November 22, 2023, 05:00 PM East African Time.
The cover letters should be addressed to:
The Managing Director,
HostZion,
Room 31, 2nd Floor, Kubonaku Plaza,
Plot 96, Main Streat, Iganga, Uganda (E.A)
NOTE:
The up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) should include contacts of at least three referees (preferably former employers, supervisors or workmates where possible) clearly stating their relationship with the candidate. As part of the content of the CV, a list of all social media platforms where the candidate is active should be included.