Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Job Type: Full-Time, Longterm
Job Summary:
The L1/L2 Database Support Manager is responsible for leading a team of database support analysts to ensure the stability, availability, and performance of critical database systems. This role requires a blend of strong technical expertise and proven leadership skills to manage day-to-day operations, drive continuous improvement, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional growth within the support team.
Key Responsibilities:
Leadership and Team Development:
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of L1 and L2 database support analysts to excel in their roles, fostering a positive and high-performance culture.
- Develop individual and team capabilities by providing technical guidance, coaching, and constructive feedback.
- Conduct regular performance evaluations, identify skills gaps, and organize training sessions to upskill the team.
- Build a collaborative and open environment where team members feel empowered to proactively address issues and suggest improvements.
- Operational Management and Strategic Oversight:
- Define, communicate, and uphold team goals, SLAs, and KPIs, aligning team efforts with the organization’s objectives.
- Proactively manage workload distribution and set clear priorities, ensuring a balanced approach to incident response, request handling, and project support.
- Establish and enforce support protocols, including escalation paths, documentation standards, and customer communication guidelines.
- Develop strategic plans for resource allocation, shift coverage, and on-call rotations to ensure 24/7 support readiness.
Incident and Problem Management:
• Oversee and ensure timely resolution of incidents and requests, taking ownership of high-priority issues and major incidents.
• Coordinate incident response with cross-functional teams and communicate effectively with stakeholders during critical situations.
• Lead and participate in post-incident reviews to identify root causes and drive preventive measures, reducing the occurrence of repeat issues.
• Process Optimization and Continuous Improvement:
• Identify opportunities to streamline support processes, improve response times, and enhance service quality.
• Lead initiatives to develop and refine documentation, knowledge bases, and training materials to facilitate efficient knowledge transfer and improve team productivity.
• Regularly assess team workflows, recommending and implementing process improvements to support scaling and adapting to organizational growth.
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Communication:
• Act as a liaison between the L1/L2 database support team, L3 support, application development, and infrastructure teams, ensuring alignment and effective collaboration.
• Communicate effectively with senior management and stakeholders, providing status updates, performance reports, and action plans for continuous improvement.
• Represent the database support team in leadership meetings and contribute to strategic discussions on IT operations and database management.
• Reporting, Analytics, and Leadership in Metrics:
• Develop and maintain dashboards and reports on team performance, incident trends, and SLA adherence, presenting insights to senior leadership.
• Analyze patterns in database issues and recommend proactive strategies for stability and performance enhancement.
• Lead efforts to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction by monitoring and improving end-user feedback metrics.
Qualifications:
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
Experience:
• 15+ years of experience in database support, with at least 8+ years in a team lead or managerial role.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and developing high-performance technical teams.
• Solid background in L1/L2 support processes, incident management, and resolution.
Leadership Skills:
• Proven track record of effective team management, mentorship, and career development.
• Ability to motivate and guide teams under pressure, managing high-priority incidents calmly and efficiently.
• Strong organizational and planning skills, with a focus on balancing technical problem-solving with team development.
Technical Skills:
• Proficiency with database management systems such as Terradata, Informatica
• Experience with database performance tuning, security practices, backup/recovery, and high availability setups.
• Familiarity with ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira) and monitoring tools (e.g., SolarWinds, Nagios).
Soft Skills:
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for stakeholder management and team coordination.
• Strong problem-solving skills and an analytical mindset.
• Ability to foster a collaborative, positive work environment.
Preferred Certifications:
• ITIL certification or other relevant management certifications.