Senior Database Administrator

London Business School; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

USS pension

Gym & pool on site

Professional development

Cycle to work

Wellbeing programme

Job summary

London Business School seeks a Senior Database Administrator to lead the ongoing management, optimisation and modernisation of the database estate, with a strong focus on Microsoft SQL Server and Azure-based data services.

You will provide deep technical expertise across database operations, migration planning, performance tuning, security and service improvement, working with Technology colleagues, project teams, suppliers and business stakeholders to support teaching, research and reporting

Qualifications

• Extensive experience administering Microsoft SQL Server and related technologies.
• Experience working in cloud environments, ideally Microsoft Azure.
• Strong understanding of DevOps practices and infrastructure as code.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and delivery of database upgrades, migrations and decommissioning.
• Manage day-to-day operational support for Microsoft SQL Server and Azure data services.
• Monitor, tune and continuously improve database performance, availability, capacity and resilience.
• Troubleshoot and resolve database integrity, performance, replication, connectivity and security issues.
• Design and implement automation for database administration, monitoring, deployment and maintenance activities.
• Build strong relationships with technical and business stakeholders to support agile delivery.

Skills

Microsoft SQL Server

Azure

DevOps practices

Infrastructure as code

SQL performance tuning

Tools

SSIS

SSRS

Power BI

Azure SQL

Job description

Power world‑class learning through world‑class data platforms

The Role

London Business School are seeking an experienced Senior Database Administrator to lead the ongoing management, optimisation and modernisation of London Business School’s database estate. This role has a strong focus on Microsoft SQL Server and Azure‑based data services and will play a critical part in our migration to Microsoft Azure.

You will provide deep technical expertise across database operations, migration planning, performance tuning, security and service improvement. Working closely with Technology colleagues, project teams, suppliers and business stakeholders, you will ensure our database platforms are secure, resilient, well‑governed and able to support the School’s teaching, research, operational and reporting needs.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and delivery of database upgrades, migrations and decommissioning activities, including resource and dependency planning.
• Manage day to day operational support for Microsoft SQL Server and related Azure data services.
• Monitor, tune and continuously improve database performance, availability, capacity and resilience.
• Troubleshoot and resolve database integrity, performance, replication, connectivity and security issues.
• Respond to alerts, failed jobs and incidents, ensuring timely resolution and robust root cause analysis.
• Design and implement automation for database administration, monitoring, deployment and maintenance activities.
• Manage production releases, patching, upgrades, backup, restore and maintenance processes.
• Maintain accurate database, application and licensing inventories and documentation.
• Contribute to DevOps practices, including infrastructure as code and automated deployment pipelines.
• Define and implement best practice for database security, access control, data retention, backup, recovery and compliance.
• Develop and maintain SSIS packages and support reporting requirements using SSRS, Power BI and other approved platforms.
• Build strong relationships with technical and business stakeholders and support agile delivery and continuous improvement across Technology.

Who We Are Looking For

• Extensive experience administering Microsoft SQL Server and related technologies.
• Experience working in cloud environments, ideally Microsoft Azure.
• Strong understanding of DevOps practices and infrastructure as code.
• Proven experience across the full engineering lifecycle, from design through to testing and deployment.
• Excellent analytical, problem solving and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Sound knowledge of data security, policies, regulations and legislation, particularly around data retention and security

Benefits You Can Enjoy

• Generous annual leave of 27 days plus extra days between Christmas and New Year
• USS pension, 14.5% employer contribution (in return for employee enrolment and contribution)
• Free onsite gym and swimming pool
• Amazing range of professional development to support your career path
• Enhanced cycle to work scheme
• Wellbeing offering to support your physical, mental and financial health

At London Business School, we support Smart Working - a hybrid approach designed to help you achieve a healthy work-life balance while delivering the best outcomes for your role and the needs of our customers. All roles require a minimum of two days on campus each week to foster a vibrant, collaborative community.

For this role specifically, you will be expected to be on campus 2 days per week.

We operate with ‘core hours’ – 10:00-15:00 – to maximise opportunities for connection and collaboration across teams during the working day. Outside of these hours, you may still be required for meetings or collaboration based on your role and customer needs. Additionally, we offer Protected Time - a flexible, one-hour slot, within the working week dedicated to your learning and development, wellbeing, or focused, quiet work

Why London Business School?

London Business School; a global and vibrant business community based in three of the world’s most dynamic cities, London, Dubai and Riyadh. It’s where extraordinary minds and diverse perspectives connect, to have a profound impact on the way the world does business and the way business impacts the world. We offer best in class hybrid learning to our students and participants, whilst creating a flexible, supportive and dynamic working environment for our people to excel in, whatever their location.

Our commitment to driving inclusion and belonging

We are a globally reaching institution, committed to creating tangible and sustainable change in driving inclusion & belonging within our School, education and society at large. We are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone in our community feels they belong and thrive. This is a key school priority, and we want everyone who joins LBS to feel respected, welcomed, and heard.

Candidates needing sponsorship should assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship by evaluating their circumstances against the relevant criteria before applying.

View Job Description

View London Business School Benefits

Competitive Salary dependent upon experience

Closing date: 7th October 2026