Senior DBA

Job description / Role

Atkins is one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies. We build long-term trusted partnerships to create a world where lives are enriched through the implementation of our ideas.

Atkins have recently developed a “One Atkins 2020” strategy for the future. To support this initiative Atkins Group IS have defined an operating model for 2020 to revolutionise the way IS services are provided to the company, moving from a ‘Business as Usual’ focus to an organisation driven by Business Value. Key concepts include: transitioning to digital products, adopting agile delivery approaches across the organisation, leveraging cloud services, and applying focus to supporting Atkins project bids and delivery.

The purpose of this role is to deliver DBA as A Service within Technical Services providing DBA expertise, and 24x7 support to all Services leveraging database technologies.

The job holder will ensure the successful delivery of DBA As A Service as a coherent and proactive practice across all Atkins services, guaranteeing it is not considered as a ‘check box exercise’.

While interacting with both the Development and Operational Teams to help implement a continuous integration and deployment environment. You will be working in a Scrum Agile / Kanban environment and will deliver 24/7 availability across several critical services.

The Senior DBA is responsible for the following activities:
- Perform operational DBA duties. These will include: installations, database upgrades, patching, environment cloning, implementing backup/recovery and monitoring procedures, capacity planning, and performance tuning and site failover/switchover.
- Design, architect, and build Oracle, Microsoft SQL databases from determining business requirements to planning and deploying test and production systems.
- Interface with development, Unified Communications teams to resolve problems with application/database systems.
- Providing 24/7/365 operations in a business critical environment.
- Working with global teams.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Application development, Unified communication, and Service Desk
- Manage multiple applications or service areas and projects simultaneously to ensure on-time response, quality delivery and resolutions.
- Support continual service improvement through optimization of systems and processes for existing and new applications and services.

Requirements

- Extensive related experience in a similar role
- Significant experience in Cloud computing preferably IAAS or PAAS.
- Strong experience in automation with Chef or Puppet.
- Significant knowledge of SQL and Oracle; this will be your passion and you will be required to get under the bonnet of a live system, coming up with innovative solutions.
- Significant experience of working in a 24/7 environment before and will have worked alongside Agile teams including developers and other stakeholders.
- Significant experience as a full-time Oracle DBA or Microsoft SQL in 24x7 environments.
- Strong understanding of relational database architecture concepts
- Strong performance tuning and troubleshooting skills
- Possess and be able to demonstrate excellent communication skills
- Strong hands-on experience administering large, high volume 24/7 Oracle, Microsoft SQL
- Experience in implementing and managing databases in complex enterprise environments, with business application and third-party products, solutions and technologies.
- Ability to handle multiple deliverables, both scheduled and unscheduled, like deployments, builds, scheduled batch activities or jobs, issue/incident management, problem management, etc.
- Ability to communicate technical issues to business leaders as well as to communicate business drivers to engineers.
- Proficient working with Microsoft Lync, Microsoft Exchange, Solar Winds and Oracle DCN.
- Proven analytical abilities and using data/facts for decision-making.

Competencies specific for this role:
- Degree educated (or equivalent) in computer science or a related subject and/or equivalent work experience.
- Understanding of ITIL, Service Management.
- Possess the necessary formal presentation skills, and be able to demonstrate an excellent work ethic.
- Experience and understanding of risk management and risk mitigation activities.

Behavioural Competencies

We’re bold…
- We use our curiosity, innovation and creativity to solve problems in cool ways
- We’re confident in our knowledge and technical expertise

We’re proactive…
- We seek out opportunities, and really listen to our customers’ problems
- We work together in a dynamic and agile way to make change happen quickly

We’re experimenters …
- We’re not afraid to try different ways of doing things
- We’re champions for new ideas and tools

We're trusted…
- Building close, trusted partnerships really matters to us
- We solve problems together with the business, working openly and honestly
- We share our knowledge and work in a collaborative ways, joining together for the best results

About the Company

Atkins is one of the leading providers of professional, technology based consultancy and support services to the industry, commerce and governments in all of the worlds major economies. With over 17,000 staff operating in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas, Atkins has a broad range of skills and resources and provides Clients with a comprehensive service throughout the entire life cycle of the projects in the built environment.

We aim to be the international first choice supplier of technical and integrated services. Shaped by our customers' needs, our vision is to:

• focus on quality
• seek world class design and excellence
• strive to add value
• be flexible to the evolving needs of a changing society

Atkins first carried out design and supervision commissions in the Gulf area in 1967. From its regional head office in Dubai, U.A.E. Atkins Middle East now employs over 2000 staff located in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Oman (Muscat ), Qatar (Doha) Bahrain (Manama), Kuwait (Kuwait City) and India (Bangalore).