Global Database Manager

About the role

The Global Database Manager is responsible for leading and developing a geographically dispersed team supporting the organization's global database platforms and services. This role provides strategic direction, operational oversight, and governance for enterprise database environments, ensuring reliability, security, scalability, and compliance across the global technology landscape.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction for a global database administration team supporting enterprise database platforms and services.
• Establish and maintain operational standards that ensure high availability, recoverability, performance, and security across database environments.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on automation, operational efficiency, capacity planning, and service reliability.
• Oversee database backup, recovery, disaster recovery testing, and business continuity processes.
• Ensure database platforms remain compliant with security, licensing, audit, governance, and organizational standards.
• Develop and execute database modernization strategies, including upgrades, patching activities, and technical debt reduction initiatives.
• Partner with application, infrastructure, security, and architecture teams to support business initiatives and resolve complex cross-platform issues.
• Guide performance monitoring, capacity management, and proactive risk mitigation activities across the global database landscape.
• Ensure operational processes, standards, and technical documentation remain accurate, current, and aligned with best practices.
• Manage staffing, resource allocation, workload balancing, and succession planning for the global database team.
• Support budget planning, forecasting, and financial management activities related to database operations and services.
• Conduct performance management activities, including employee development, coaching, and annual performance reviews.
• Manage strategic relationships with database vendors and service providers, including quarterly business reviews and service performance evaluations.
• Oversee 24x7 support operations and on-call coverage to ensure effective response to critical incidents and service interruptions.
• Communicate database strategy, operational performance, risks, and recommendations to executive and technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field required; 20+ years of database administration and technology leadership experience.
• Experience leading global teams and supporting enterprise-scale database environments.
• Experience managing complex technology initiatives, operational support functions, and cross-functional stakeholder relationships.
• Experience with resource planning, budgeting, vendor management, and personnel development.
• Thorough knowledge of database architecture, installation, upgrades, patching, configuration management, and change control processes.
• Deep understanding of database backup and recovery, high availability, disaster recovery, replication, monitoring, and performance optimization.
• Experience supporting enterprise database platforms, including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and other open-source database technologies.
• Strong understanding of database security, compliance, licensing, governance, and audit requirements.
• Experience driving database modernization, platform optimization, and technical debt reduction initiatives.

Leadership & Core Competencies

• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical concepts to executive audiences.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across technical teams, business stakeholders, vendors, and senior leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining operational excellence and service reliability.