Advanced MS SQL Server Specialist

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will report to the Datacentre Manager, while working closely with the Infrastructure Architect and their respective teams. The role will also require that the individual develops good working relationships with the Service Management, IT Governance and IT Security roles. There will also be significant demands not only in terms of managing, scheduling and co-ordinating internal SQL Server focussed projects, but ones involving installation, upgrading and decommissioning of third party products in line with NUTH internal guidelines, IT Security and Information Governance requirements and general good practice.

Key requirements of the role will include;

Manage IM&T database projects. Plan, control and manage technical aspects of database implementations and interact with the vendor, user departments and other technical and governance roles on problems that may arise during the course of the implementation

Responsible for strategic planning of the SQL server estate

Ensure the security of MS SQL Server based systems and associated infrastructure by

• Ensuring strict adherence to good IT Security standards such as application of Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) to all system access
• Leverage knowledge of SQL Server security model, processes and components and windows security to harden both the SQL ServerDatabases and Instances and the infrastructure on which they reside
• Ensure timely and appropriate application of SQL Server security patches while minimising required working hours downtime

Provide specialist advice and feed into NUTH Standards and Good Practice requirements across a range of IM&T areas including: IT Security requirements and database design, database Maintenance, data warehousing, information interpretation, data analysis, information reporting and information governance.

Maintain professional relationships with vendors, outside consultants, other parties and peers. The ability to facilitate a productive dialogue relative to the success of the services provided is a critical requirement of the role. In many instances this will require sometimes challenging negotiations with third parties with regard to their systems, requiring highly effective interpersonal skills, some diplomacy and the ability to put across the value of fixes and adjustments to those who may not immediately recognise the value of, or understand the deeper technical aspects of, proposed remedial action to systems.

Investigate specialist and complex issues to determine the cause of database problems, arrive at solution and implement appropriate actions to correct.

Design, develop and adapt complex databases.

Install database software, upgrades, or new releases, utility software, and program temporary fixes, in a manner that will not cause major disruptions to the production environment.

Assist programming personnel and operations personnel with technical problems and their resolution.

Maintain and use appropriate technical manuals and documentation for the computer hardware and software installed at Information Services. Maintain current information on recent trends of computer hardware and software.

Write, debug test and document any specialised query, scripting and other programs as required by the role.

Provide support as required by the Trusts Disaster Recovery Plan.

Ensure performance considerations are designed into system configurations and maintain a formal methodology for reporting performance.

Provide on-call (non-business hours) at established times in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Information Services Division.

Perform other duties and undertake special projects as requested by line management.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Person Specification

Skill

Essential

• Good IT skills and accurate keyboard skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Communicates well with good oral and listening skills
• Good telephone manner and clear diction ability
• Ability to interact effectively with internal and external personnel
• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• The ability to handle difficult situations and ensure effective working by using a full range of interpersonal skills (e.g. tact, diplomacy, negotiation, influencing, assertiveness)
• Good time management skills
• Ability to perform well without supervision
• Good planning and problem solving skills
• Flexible approach to working hours and practices (to cover staff holidays and absence)

Experience

Essential

• Experience in a SQL Server Production DBA role commensurate with the experience and skills required of the post offered
• Have hands on experience of monitoring and tuning databases to optimise availability of service as well as internal and external MS SQL database security management
• Be able to carry out capacity planning to assist with hardware and short/ long-term storage provisioning
• Create backup and restore strategy, test disaster recovery scenarios and backup integrity
• Carry out performance tuning of SQL statements and database performance. Diagnosis locking/blocking issues and pro-actively alert
• Excellent T-SQL Skills. Capable of writing Secure, High Performance code
• Ability to converse fluently, logically and confidently with a wide range of levels of staff; possess good interpersonal and communication skills
• Effective organisational and coordination skills, combined with ability to work to deadlines under pressure
• Analytical skills including the ability to handle numerical data and statistics
• 2nd and 3rd line support for business critical applications and databases
• Technical knowledge and experience of database design
• Understanding of application development
• Technical knowledge and experience of Microsoft Reporting Services
• Excellent knowledge of database server architecture design

Desirable

• Understanding of NHS including recent reforms
• Experience with alternative database technologies
• Experience of .net Development
• Experience of basic network and server infrastructure
• Use of Powershell scripting for carrying out Monitoring, Management and routine tasks

Knowledge

Essential

• Post graduate level knowledge of MS SQL Server supported versions
• Effective organisational and coordination skills, combined with ability to work to deadlines under pressure
• Analytical skills including the ability to handle numerical data and statistics

Qualifications

Essential

• Possess a degree qualification including courses in computer programming, systems analysis, system development, or systems engineering OR has acquired core MS SQL Server DBA skills and knowledge via extensive practical experience

Desirable

• Project management experience
• Relevant cert in MS SQL Server Database Administrator

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Regent Point

317 Regent Point

NE3 3HD

Employer's website

https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)