SQL Database Administrator

SUMMARY:
SQL Database Administrator | Microsoft SQL Server | Permanent | Financial Services/ Insurance Industry | Johannesburg North | On-site

POSITION INFO:
Join our client as a SQL Server Database Administrator and take ownership of critical database environments where performance, security and reliability are essential to business operations. Our client is one of South Africa's established diversified financial services groups, with more than 30 years of experience helping South Africans achieve greater financial security and wellbeing. The organisation has built a strong reputation for innovation, offering a broad range of insurance, investment, rewards and value-added solutions through several trusted brands. It has also been recognised for its innovative approach to insurance, including being one of the first in South Africa to distribute life insurance products through direct marketing. We are looking for a technically strong SQL Server DBA who can operate as an escalation point, take ownership of complex production issues and drive problems through investigation, root-cause analysis and resolution. If you enjoy working with enterprise databases, solving performance challenges and continuously improving database reliability, this could be the opportunity for you. If you are interested in this role, send your CV to Duties: Administer and maintain SQL Server databases across production, UAT, development and DR environments. Monitor and optimise database performance, availability, capacity and health. Troubleshoot and resolve complex production incidents, performance issues, blocking and deadlocks. Implement and maintain High Availability and Disaster Recovery solutions, including Always On Availability Groups. Manage backup, restore and recovery processes and conduct regular recovery testing. Perform query tuning, execution-plan analysis, indexing and stored-procedure optimisation. Manage database security, permissions, encryption and privileged access. Develop T-SQL and PowerShell automation to improve database administration and operational efficiency. Support developers and infrastructure teams with complex database and performance issues. Maintain database documentation, standards and recovery procedures. Act as a technical escalation point and provide guidance to junior team members. Job Experience & Skills Required: Qualifications: Matric (Grade 12) Bachelors degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or a related field. Microsoft SQL Server or Azure Database certification would be advantageous. ITIL Foundation certification would be advantageous. Experience: 6+ years' experience administering Microsoft SQL Server in enterprise\/production environments. Strong experience in SQL Server performance tuning and optimisation. Hands-on experience with High Availability and Disaster Recovery, particularly Always On Availability Groups. Strong experience with backup, restore and disaster recovery strategies. Experience with T-SQL, query optimisation, indexing and stored procedures. Strong knowledge of SQL Server security, permissions, encryption and TDE. Experience troubleshooting complex production incidents, blocking, deadlocks and performance issues. Experience with SQL Server partitioning and large\/high-growth databases. Experience with PowerShell\/T-SQL automation. Skills & Competencies: Strong SQL Server administration, troubleshooting and performance optimisation skills, with the ability to resolve complex database and production issues. Strong knowledge of High Availability, Disaster Recovery, backup, restore and recovery processes. Proficient in T-SQL and PowerShell, with the ability to use scripting and automation to improve database efficiency and stability. Strong understanding of database security, encryption and access controls, with a focus on maintaining secure and reliable environments. Excellent analytical, problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills, with a strong sense of ownership from investigation through to resolution. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively with technical teams, management, vendors and non-technical stakeholders. Proactive, detail-oriented and solutions-focused, with a commitment to continuous improvement, automation and service stability. Ability to mentor colleagues, share technical knowledge and contribute effectively as part of a collaborative team. If you have not had any response in two weeks, please consider the vacancy application unsuccessful. Your profile will be kept on our database for any other suitable roles \/ positions.