Senior Database Administrator

Job summary

Senior Database Administrator

This is an exciting time to join the IPO as we’re undergoing a major transformation programme, and this is a unique opportunity for you join our database team as we make fundamental changes to our data and IT systems to modernise our platforms. We are beginning our Microsoft Azure and SQL PaaS journey to build resilient, reliable and robust systems for the future, while still maintaining a traditional SQL server estate for our current systems.

As a Senior SQL Server Database Administrator, you will be expected to support and contribute to the technical strategy for the IPO’s multi-terabyte on-premises SQL Server estate, whilst helping to drive our adoption of Azure SQL technologies. You will be an authority on best practice and correct use of database technology, providing innovative, yet practical solutions. You’ll provide support and guidance alongside Database Administrators ensuring the databases are available, maintained and supported.

The role is primarily focused on Microsoft SQL Server, supporting a large on-premises and growing Azure SQL estate, although there may be opportunities to work with MySQL and Azure Cosmos DB platforms.

Working Style

This role will be carried out in-line with IPO Hybrid working arrangements where staff are currently expected to spend at least 20% of their time working onsite from one of our offices. This role is based in our Newport Office.

The requirement for attendance at an office location can vary by role so we would encourage candidates to discuss working arrangements with the recruiting manager to agree a reasonable balance between working from home and the office.

The IPO holds a visa sponsor licence however; this role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. Candidates will therefore need to have an existing right to work in the UK at the time of application.

Job description

Main duties consist of but are not limited to:

• Proactively manage and maintain all aspects of the Microsoft SQL database estate.
• Act as a senior technical authority for database technologies, advising architects, project teams and stakeholders on database solutions, best practices and standards.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement through automation and standardisation.
• Represent the Database Administration team within cross-functional projects, ensuring database considerations are incorporated into solution designs and delivery.
• Define and maintain standards for monitoring, performance tuning, high availability, disaster recovery, backup and recovery across the database estate.
• Mentor and coach Database Administrators, sharing technical expertise, promoting a culture of continuous learning.
• Contribute to cloud migration, particularly in support of the organisation's adoption of Azure SQL
• An interest in ETL/ELT, Power BI, Fabric and other reporting technology would be advantageous.

For a full list of your roles and responsibilities as a Senior DBA, take a look at the role profile we have attached at the end of the advert.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• SQL Server Database Administration
• Ability to write T-SQL scripts and to validate/correct those produced by others
• Ability to install SQL Server Instances and to re-configure where appropriate
• Capable of recognising trends in a range of data and drawing conclusions
• ITIL V3 Foundation
• Strong database performance tuning and capacity management
• Technical problem solving
• Automation and scripting (Powershell including DBATools)
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, to convey crucial information on project development in a clear and engaging way
• Flexible interpersonal skills required to build effective relationships with colleagues within the team and across the business, including mentoring and knowledge sharing
• Capable of organising and prioritising work in an effective manner whilst working unsupervised to agreed timescales
• Supporting and instilling a continuous improvement environment
• Self-motivated and self-sufficient with a can-do attitude
• High level of organisation skills

How to Apply

Click the 'Applynow' button and complete the application form by providing the following:

Your CV

• Upload an anonymised copy of your current CV. Please remove all identifying markers such as name, title, education institution etc.
• Make sure it clearly shows how you meet the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.

For further information on the sift and interview stages of this recruitment campaign, please head to our 'Things you need to know' section below.

Please visit our Civil Service Careers page - IPO – Recruitment Support , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk

If you require job-specific information, please contact Alex Morgan
E-mail: Alex.Morgan@ipo.gov.uk
Telephone: 01633814514

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• We will assess you on the following Technical criteria at interview:Microsoft SQL Server

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,766, Intellectual Property Office contributes £13,837 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Unlimited Pluralsight video learning access
• Access to Microsoft’s ESI training suite
• Hybrid working with no core hours
• Substantial support for career progression
• 25 days annual leave moving to 30 days in annual increments
• You will also get 8 days public leave and 1 day privilege leave

For more information about what’s on offer at the Intellectual Property Office please review our IPO benefit pack attached to the bottom of this advert.

Please note that benefits may be subject to change.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Additional details on security and vetting

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check and if successful you must also hold, or be willing to obtain, a higher Security Clearance.

For meaningful checks to be carried out individuals will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, depending on the level of clearance, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. For this role the successful individual will need to have consistently lived in the UK for a minimum 5 years in order to meet the relevant security clearance.

Further information on the vetting process can be found at National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK

If you have questions regarding this or are unsure if you meet the eligibility criteria, please contact Recruitment@ipo.gov.uk

The assessment process will comprise of the following:

Stage 1 - Sift

An initial sift of applications will be carried out to create a shortlist. This will be based on the evidence provided for the following Success Profile elements:

Experience

Your CV will be used to assess your suitability for the role and will demonstrate your Experience against the listed person specification/essential criteria.

Stage 2 – Interviews

If invited to interview Behaviours, Experience and Technical based questioning will be used.

Specific information regarding the Success Profile elements that will be assessed at interview will be contained within the interview invitation.

Interviews for this role will be carried out virtually via Microsoft Teams (video).

This recruitment campaign will keep a reserve list for 12 months. If you meet the requirements for this role but aren't offered after passing the interview, you'll be placed on the reserve list. If a suitable position opens up during this time, we will reach out to individuals in merit order.

The Recruitment team operational hours are 09:00 to 17:00 Monday – Friday excluding bank holidays.

Applicants to note: CVs sent direct to the IPO will not be accepted.

There may be important information contained within the job role profile candidates may also wish to refer to. We recommend candidates download and save a copy of the role profile for reference.

This post is being advertised to Internal, acrossGovernment and external candidates at the same time.

Incomplete and/or late submissions will not be accepted or considered. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We do not routinely reimburse travel expenses for candidates, however if participating in the selection process would cause you undue financial hardship or if it restricts your ability to participate, please contact the recruitment team for more information.

In line with Government guidance, successfully appointed candidates will need to provide documents for our Right to Work checks. Information on this will be sent within the invite to interview text.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, then please let the recruitment team know viarecruitment@ipo.gov.uk

In the event of a high volume of applications, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) reserves the right to raise the minimum qualifying score at sift to manage volumes and ensure a proportionate and fair assessment process.

Please be aware that only one application per candidate is permitted for each recruitment campaign. Multiple applications, including those made using different accounts, may result in your application being withdrawn or rejected at any stage of the process.

For more information on the IPO’s terms and conditions, please review the attached IPO Modernised Terms and Conditions document attached at the bottom of this advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : IPO Recruitment team
• Email : recruitment@ipo.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ipo.gov.uk

Further information

Commissioners Statement
The Civil Service recruits by merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

Complaints Procedure:
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, please contact;
Penny Phillpotts
Intellectual Property Office,
Concept House,
Cardiff Road,
Newport,
NP10 8QQ.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

Attachments

Senior Infrastructure Engineer (Database) Role Profile Opens in new window (docx, 95kB)IPO Modernised Terms and Conditions Opens in new window (doc, 149kB)What's on offer at the IPO Opens in new window (pdf, 2034kB)