DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR
Lets Write Africa’s Story Together!
Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.
Job Description
JOB PURPOSE STATEMENT
The role will be responsible for managing, maintaining, and securing the bank’s database systems to ensure high availability, performance, and data integrity. This role requires strong technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and the ability to support critical banking operations through reliable and efficient database management. The DBA will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to deliver secure and scalable database solutions.
KEY MEASURABLE GOALS
- Database Uptime: Achieve 99.9% database uptime.
- Backup Success Rate: Ensure 100% successful backups of critical databases.
- Query Performance: Reduce average query execution time by 10% year-over-year.
- Security Compliance: Ensure 100% compliance with security policies and standards.
- Incident Resolution: Resolve 90% of database incidents within 2 hours.
- Data Integrity: Maintain 100% data integrity with no corruption or loss.
- User Satisfaction: Achieve a user satisfaction score of 90% or higher.
- Patch Management: Apply 100% of critical database patches within 7 days of release
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Database Management & Maintenance:
- Install, configure, and maintain database management systems (DBMS) such as Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL.
- Monitor database performance, optimize queries, and ensure high availability.
- Perform regular backups, restores, and disaster recovery drills.
Database Security:
- Implement and enforce database security policies to protect sensitive financial data.
- Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.
- Ensure compliance with banking regulations and standards (e.g., PCI DSS, GDPR).
Database Design & Optimization:
- Design and implement database schemas, tables, indexes, and stored procedures.
- Optimize database performance through indexing, partitioning, and query tuning.
- Manage database replication, clustering, and high-availability configurations.
Data Integrity & Quality:
- Ensure data integrity through validation, constraints, and regular data cleansing.
- Monitor and resolve data inconsistencies or corruption issues.
- Implement data archiving and purging strategies.
User Support & Training:
- Provide technical support to developers and end-users for database-related issues.
- Conduct training sessions for staff on database best practices and security.
Documentation & Reporting:
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation of database configurations, processes, and policies.
- Generate regular reports on database performance, usage, and security.
Collaboration & Innovation:
- Work closely with application developers, system administrators, and business analysts to support database needs.
- Stay updated with emerging database technologies and propose innovative solutions.
Anti-money Laundering (AML) expectation
- The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring adherence to, implementation of, and adoption of Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and Sanctions-related policies, procedures, and process requirements within Old Mutual and its subsidiaries. This includes execution of customer due diligence processes, ensuring compliance with Know-Your-Customer (KYC) standards, conducting ongoing and enhanced due diligence, and maintaining data quality. Additionally, the role involves identifying and monitoring potential AML, Sanctions, or Compliance breaches and unusual activities, and escalating these concerns to the Risk and Compliance Office for further action.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology or Equivalent qualification.
Knowledge and Skills
- Proficiency in database management systems (e.g., Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL).
- Strong knowledge of database design, optimization, and security.
- Experience with backup, recovery, and disaster recovery strategies.
- Familiarity with cloud databases and automation tools.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality work
Experience
- 3+ years of experience in database administration, preferably in the banking or financial services industry.
- Proven experience in managing large-scale, high-availability database systems.
- Database Systems: Proficiency in Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or similar DBMS.
- Database Design: Strong knowledge of database design, normalization, and optimization.
- Performance Tuning: Experience with query optimization, indexing, and partitioning.
- Backup & Recovery: Expertise in database backup, restore, and disaster recovery strategies.
- Security Tools: Familiarity with database encryption, access controls, and auditing tools.
- Cloud Databases: Experience with cloud-based databases (e.g., AWS RDS, Azure SQL Database).
- Scripting & Automation: Proficiency in SQL, PL/SQL, T-SQL, Python, or PowerShell for automation
Personal Attributes
- Leadership and Decision making
- Team Player
- Tech Savvy and Business awareness
- Ownership
- A person of high integrity, dependable and with technical knowledge
- Flexible to work during odd hours
- Self-starter with ability to go an extra mile and deliver within agreed timelines
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Building relationships
- Aligning Performance for success
- Ability to work with minimal supervision
Maintains, analyses, test, troubleshoot, and evaluates existing network systems.
Responsibilities
Infrastructure and Network Development and Maintenance
Complete operational tasks, data management, incident logging, reporting, systems monitoring, systems testing, and disaster recovery to support the day-to-day infrastructure and networks.
Continuous Improvement
Contribute to reviewing existing operations in own area of work, and support in generating new ideas to assist in identifying continuous improvements.
Continuous Integration
Provide operational support by performing prescribed continuous integration activities (sharing, testing and building) using existing systems and protocols.
Faults Diagnosis and Correction
Provide initial fault isolation and propose resolution for approval by more senior colleagues to limit and address issues promptly.
Testing Information Technology (IT) Performance
Perform routine website/applications software tests and respond to user emails to monitor, diagnose, and correct performance issues.
Applications Software Maintenance
Monitor and identify software defects and suggest corrections for approval by more senior colleagues to maintain fully functioning applications software.
Personal Capability Building
Develop own capabilities by participating in assessment and development planning activities as well as formal and informal training and coaching. Develop and maintain an understanding of relevant technology, external regulation, and industry best practices through ongoing education, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.
Skills
Action Planning, Adaptive Thinking, Backlog Management, Cloud Computing, Cloud Infrastructure Management, Data Compilation, Data Management, Information Technology (IT) Support, IT Installations, Local Area Network (LAN) Management, Network Monitoring, Software Testing, Test Case Management, WAN Networking, Web Platform Development Software
