Overview
We’re Howden, the people first insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. From launching with just three employees in 1994, we’ve grown to 20,000 people around the globe. Together, our expertise span the full spectrum of insurance: broking, reinsurance, underwriting, risk consultancy and employee benefits.
Key Responsibilities
- Database Administration: Install, configure, and maintain SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL databases in on-premise and cloud environments.
- Performance Optimization: Monitor and optimize database performance, identifying and resolving bottlenecks through tuning and proactive maintenance.
- Backup & Disaster Recovery: Implement and manage database backup strategies, high availability solutions (e.g., clustering, mirroring, AlwaysOn), and disaster recovery plans.
- Security & Compliance: Apply security patches, monitor user access, and enforce database security policies to ensure data integrity and compliance with regulatory standards.
- Incident & Problem Management: Respond to alerts, conduct root cause analysis of database incidents, and implement long-term solutions to improve system stability.
- Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with developers, system administrators, and network engineers to ensure seamless database integration and performance.
- Support & Maintenance: Provide escalation support to the IT Service Desk, ensuring timely resolution of database-related issues.
- Documentation & Best Practices: Maintain up-to-date documentation, develop standards, and implement best practices for database management.
- Cloud & Automation: Support cloud-based database services, including Azure SQL Database, Azure Data Factory, and Microsoft Fabric. Utilize scripting and automation tools such as PowerShell and T-SQL to improve efficiency.
- Continuous Improvement: Stay updated with emerging database technologies and implement improvements to enhance infrastructure reliability and performance.
Person Specification
- Proven experience as a DBA, supporting SQL Server and/or MySQL/PostgreSQL in enterprise environments.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze complex issues and implement effective solutions.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with stakeholders and provide technical guidance.
- Ability to multitask and manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong collaboration skills, working effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners.
- Attention to detail and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving potential issues.
- Experience in financial services or insurance is highly desirable.
- A ‘Can-Do’ attitude, demonstrating initiative and commitment to continuous improvement.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- Microsoft certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate) are desirable.
- Experience with cloud technologies, particularly Azure SQL Database, Azure Data Factory, Microsoft Fabric, and Azure Blob Storage.
- Familiarity with scripting languages such as PowerShell, C#, and T-SQL.
- Knowledge of Data Lake technologies is a plus.
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