Johannesburg: Senior SQL DBA / SQL Server Database Administrator

An innovative ICT solutions group that delivers enterprise-grade infrastructure, analytics, and customer-engagement services. As an independent but collaborative alliance of companies, ethos is built on service excellence, creativity, and a commitment to long-term customer value. The company is growing and looking for a strong Senior SQL DBA to join our team in an office-based role. Role Overview As a Senior SQL DBA, you will be responsible for the design, implementation, support, and optimization of SQL databases that underpin critical infrastructure and business systems. Youll work alongside infrastructure engineers, application teams, and data analysts to ensure our database environment is performant, secure, resilient, and scalable. Key Responsibilities Design, deploy, and manage Microsoft SQL Server instances (on-premises and/or cloud) Perform database installation, configuration, upgrades, patching, and migrations Monitor, tune, and optimize database performance (queries, indexing, resource usage) Implement backup, restore, and recovery strategies, ensuring data integrity and high availability Set up and manage replication, clustering, and other high-availability solutions Ensure database security by managing permissions, roles, and encryption Design and enforce disaster recovery (DR) plans Work with development teams to design schema, stored procedures, and efficient queries Troubleshoot database issues (deadlocks, performance bottlenecks, locking, etc.) Automate DBA tasks using scripting (PowerShell, T-SQL, etc.) Conduct capacity planning, forecasting, and resource management Document database architecture, standards, and operational procedures Mentor junior DBAs/database engineers as needed Stay up to date with the latest SQL Server features, best practices, and industry trends Work Environment Office-based (on-prem) role Close collaboration with infrastructure and application teams Structured team environment that values continuous improvement and professional growth What We Offer Competitive salary and benefits package Career progression and opportunities for professional development A culture that values innovation, collaboration, and long-term thinking On-the-job mentoring and leadership opportunities Stable working environment within a well-established ICT company Matric with pure Mathematics essential (Matric Certificate required with application) Diploma/Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field Relevant Microsoft, etc. Certifications are advantageous 5 years of hands-on experience as a SQL Server DBA in a production environment Proficiency in Microsoft SQL Server Experience with high availability and disaster recovery architectures (Always On, clustering, replication) Deep understanding of performance tuning and query optimization Strong scripting skills (PowerShell, T-SQL, etc.) Experience with backup/recovery strategies, log shipping, and database mirroring Familiarity with capacity planning and resource forecasting Strong security knowledgemanaging roles, permissions, encryption, data masking, etc. Experience with database monitoring tools (e.g., SQL Sentry, SolarWinds, or native tools) Good problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot complex database issues Excellent documentation skills and a methodical, process-oriented mindset Good communication skillsable to collaborate with infrastructure, development, and data teams. Preferred / Nice-to-Have Experience with cloud-based SQL databases (Azure SQL, AWS RDS for SQL Server, etc.) Experience with database DevOps / CI/CD tooling (e.g., DACPAC, Redgate, Flyway) Knowledge of other database platforms (e.g., Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL) Experience in data warehousing / BI (data modeling, ETL processes) Exposure to containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes) or Virtualization