SME - AzureMSSQL DBA, Microsoft Azure

We are seeking an experienced Senior SQL Server Engineer to join our team in London. This role requires a seasoned professional who can combine deep technical database expertise with formidable team management capabilities. The ideal candidate can work independently, help drive database strategy, optimization, and administration., Technical Core Requirements Database Management Systems (Required) o Expert-level proficiency in Microsoft SQL Server including distributed always on expertise. * Expert-level proficiency in at least one of the following open-source RDBMS platforms o MySQL o Postgres * Deep understanding of database architecture, performance tuning, and optimization * Firsthand experience with database design, implementation, and maintenance * Strong knowledge of backup/recovery strategies, high availability, disaster recovery. Cloud Database Expertise (Required) * Multiple years of production experience with AWS cloud database services: o Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service) o Amazon Redshift or Snowflake (Data Warehousing) o Amazon DynamoDB/Document DB * Experience with cloud database migration, scaling, and optimization * Understanding of AWS security best practices and compliance frameworks * Familiarity with cloud cost optimization and resource management

Automation & Scripting (Required) * Ability to implement software written in: o Python - for database automation, monitoring, and tooling o PowerShell - for Windows-based database management and automation o Ansible * Experience building automated deployment pipelines and infrastructure-as-code. * Ability to develop monitoring solutions and operational dashboards. Leadership & Management Responsibilities Team Leadership * Mentor a team of Offshore Database Administrators * Provide technical guidance and best practice recommendations. * Foster a collaborative, learning-focused team environment. Strategic Execution * Define and execute database strategy aligned with business objectives. * Establish standards, procedures, and operational documentation. * Drive continuous improvement initiatives. Stakeholder Management * Partner with development teams, architects, and infrastructure teams globally * Communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. * Participate in capacity planning and architectural reviews. Off-hours production support * All database administrators must participate in a rotation of one weekend every 8 weeks. * However, major events require all-hands support where the whole team is involved. Required Qualifications Experience * 8+ years of firsthand database administration experience with 2 out of 3 relational databases (SQL, MYSQL and or Postgres) * 3+ years in a client facing leadership or team lead capacity. * 3+ years working with AWS cloud database services (RDS (MYSQL, Postgres), Redshift or Snowflake) * Proven history managing large mission-critical production databases. Technical Skills * Advanced SQL programming and query optimization * Experienced in Partitioning and compression. * Database security, access control, auditing, and compliance * Firsthand experience with active/passive clusters, always on clusters for SQL Server * Knowledge of Azure Database is a plus. * Performance monitoring and troubleshooting * Data modeling and schema design * Version control systems (Bitbucket) Soft Skills * Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities * Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking * Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities. * Collaborative mindset with cross-functional teams * Strategic thinking with attention to operational detail Preferred Qualifications * Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field * AWS Certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Database - Specialty, Solutions Architect) * Database vendor certifications (Microsoft, Oracle, MySQL, Postgres) * Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices * Experience with monitoring tools (CloudWatch, Datadog, Grafana) * Knowledge of containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) * Exposure to data warehousing concepts and ETL processes What We Offer * Opportunity to lead and shape database strategy for a growing organization. * Work with innovative cloud technologies and modern database platforms. * Collaborative, innovative team environment