Lead Systems Architect (Database Services)

Overview

Lead Systems Architect

Database Architecture & Strategy

• Define and maintain enterprise database architecture standards and roadmaps for on-premises, Azure, and GCP environments.
• Design secure, scalable, and highly available database architectures for mission-critical systems.
• Conduct architectural reviews and ensure alignment with enterprise standards.

Technical Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop senior database engineers and DBAs.
• Allocate resources, set technical direction, and enforce operational best practices.
• Foster a culture of reliability, automation, documentation, and continuous improvement.

Database Project Lifecycle Management

• Lead end-to-end database projects, from requirements and design through build, migration, go-live, and support.
• Manage hybrid and multi-cloud database migrations and modernization initiatives.
• Deliver solutions within defined scope, schedule, and quality standards.

Platform & Technology Management

• Manage and operate SQL and NoSQL platforms across on-premises, Azure, and GCP.
• Oversee native cloud database services including Azure SQL, Azure Managed Instance, Azure Fabric, and Google Cloud database offerings.
• Administer complex, high-scale, and performance-intensive SQL environments.

High Availability, Disaster Recovery & Integration

• Design and operate highly available, disaster-resilient database architectures in hybrid and multi-cloud setups.
• Ensure seamless integration across applications, data platforms, and analytics systems.
• Define and test backup, recovery, replication, and failover strategies.

Data Warehouse & Data Leak Management

• Manage, enhance, and operate enterprise data warehouses and data leaks.
• Ensure platforms are highly available, optimized, and aligned with analytics and reporting needs.
• Drive performance tuning, capacity planning, and cost optimization.

Operations, Monitoring & Performance

• Ensure 24x7 reliability through proactive monitoring and management of all database environments.
• Define KPIs, SLAs, and operational dashboards for performance, availability, and capacity.
• Lead root cause analysis and continuous service improvement initiatives.

Security, Risk & Compliance

• Define and enforce database security standards, access controls, encryption, and auditing.
• Ensure compliance with organizational security, privacy, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead vulnerability management, patching, and security hardening efforts.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Communication

• Serve as the primary technical interface for application teams, architects, vendors, and business users.
• Translate business requirements into robust, scalable database solutions.
• Provide clear technical guidance, documentation, presentations, and executive-level communication as needed.

Experience

• 10+ years in database engineering, architecture, and operations within large-scale enterprise environments.
• Proven experience leading senior database engineers/DBAs in mission-critical settings.
• Strong hands-on and architectural expertise with on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud platforms (Azure & GCP).
• Demonstrated success leading end-to-end database projects, including migrations and modernization efforts.
• Extensive background in high availability, disaster recovery, performance tuning, and large-scale SQL environments.
• Solid experience with data warehouse and data lake platforms and operations.

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Relevant professional certifications are highly desirable, such as:
• \~ Microsoft Azure Database/Data/Architect certifications
• \~ Google Cloud Professional Database Engineer or Architect
• \~ ITIL or equivalent service management certification

Technical Expertise

• Advanced proficiency in SQL Server and enterprise-grade SQL platforms.
• Strong experience with Azure SQL, Azure Managed Instance, Azure Fabric, and related Azure data services.
• Hands-on experience with Google Cloud database services.
• Deep knowledge of database security, encryption, auditing, and compliance controls.
• Proven skills in monitoring, automation, performance tuning, and capacity management.
• Strong understanding of integration patterns, analytics platforms, and data pipelines.
• Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.