Mainframe IMS DBA

Barclays UK; Knutsford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Knutsford is seeking a Mainframe IMS DBA to enhance database performance and ensure system reliability. Responsibilities include developing infrastructure solutions, monitoring system performance, and implementing automation practices. Candidates should have extensive experience with IMS databases and relevant programming skills. This role is crucial to maintaining a robust mainframe infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience with IMS databases including Fastpath and Full Function.
• Demonstrable experience with relevant toolsets and scripting.
• Solid enterprise-level experience in programming.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain high-quality infrastructure solutions.
• Monitor and resolve IT infrastructure performance issues.
• Implement automation to improve efficiency.

Skills

IMS database experience

Programming in Assembler or COBOL

Troubleshooting infrastructure issues

Tools

BMC and IBM toolsets

JCL scripting

TWS scheduling

RACF security

Job description

Overview

Join us as a Mainframe IMS DBA to support the stability of our mainframe infrastructure. You will enhance IMS database performance and availability across business-critical systems. This role involves collaboration with technical teams and contribution to long-term platform improvements.

Responsibilities

This role covers the following accountabilities:

• Build Engineering: Development, delivery, and maintenance of high-quality infrastructure solutions to fulfil business requirements ensuring measurable reliability, performance, availability, and ease of use. Including the identification of the appropriate technologies and solutions to meet business, optimisation, and resourcing requirements.
• Incident Management: Monitoring of IT infrastructure and system performance to measure, identify, address, and resolve any potential issues, vulnerabilities, or outages. Use of data to drive down mean time to resolution.
• Automation: Development and implementation of automated tasks and processes to improve efficiency and reduce manual intervention, utilising software scripting/coding disciplines.
• Security: Implementation of a secure configuration and measures to protect infrastructure against cyber-attacks, vulnerabilities, and other security threats, including protection of hardware, software, and data from unauthorised access.
• Teamwork: Cross-functional collaboration with product managers, architects, and other engineers to define IT Infrastructure requirements, devise solutions, and ensure seamless integration and alignment with business objectives via a data driven approach.
• Learning: Stay informed of industry technology trends and innovations, and actively contribute to the organization's technology communities to foster a culture of technical excellence and growth.

Qualifications and Skills

To be successful as a Mainframe IMS DBA, you should have:

• Extensive experience with IMS databases (Fastpath and Full Function), PSB/PCB configuration, and IMSv15;
• Demonstrable experience with BMC and IBM toolsets, JCL scripting, TWS scheduling, and RACF security;
• Solid experience in Programming in Assembler or COBOL within enterprise environments.

Some other highly valued skills may include:

• Troubleshooting infrastructure issues and supporting live production systems.
• Understanding mainframe architecture and IMS to Db2 migration processes.
• Supporting change, transformation, and modernization across legacy platforms.

Role Details

This role is based in Knutsford.

Purpose of the role

To build and maintain infrastructure platforms and products that support applications and data systems, using hardware, software, networks, and cloud computing platforms as required with the aim of ensuring that the infrastructure is reliable, scalable, and secure. Ensure the reliability, availability, and scalability of the systems, platforms, and technology through the application of software engineering techniques, automation, and best practices in incident response.

Executive and Leadership Expectations

Assistant Vice President Expectations

• To advise and influence decision making, contribute to policy development and take responsibility for operational effectiveness. Collaborate closely with other functions/ business divisions.
• Lead a team performing complex tasks, using well developed professional knowledge and skills to deliver on work that impacts the whole business function. Set objectives and coach employees in pursuit of those objectives, appraisal of performance relative to objectives and determination of reward outcomes
• If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.
• OR for an individual contributor, they will lead collaborative assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will identify new directions for assignments and/ or projects, identifying a combination of cross functional methodologies or practices to meet required outcomes.
• Consult on complex issues; providing advice to People Leaders to support the resolution of escalated issues.
• Identify ways to mitigate risk and developing new policies/procedures in support of the control and governance agenda.
• Take ownership for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work done.
• Perform work that is closely related to that of other areas, which requires understanding of how areas coordinate and contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the organisation sub-function.
• Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategy.
• Engage in complex analysis of data from multiple sources of information, internal and external sources such as procedures and practises (in other areas, teams, companies, etc).to solve problems creatively and effectively.
• Communicate complex information. 'Complex' information could include sensitive information or information that is difficult to communicate because of its content or its audience.
• Influence or convince stakeholders to achieve outcomes.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.