Senior SQL Developer & Tech Lead

Candour Solutions; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

35 days holiday

Family leave

Death in service cover

Employee Assistance Programme

Recognition schemes

Job summary

Candour Solutions in the United Kingdom seeks a Senior SQL Developer to own the SQL Server environment, lead design and development, and deliver scalable, high-performance database solutions.

You will mentor teammates, drive best practices, and partner with developers and analysts to implement robust data systems and strategy. This role blends hands-on SQL with technical leadership in a collaborative team.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience developing and administering Microsoft SQL Server database solutions.
• Expert knowledge of T-SQL, including stored procedures, functions, views and performance optimisation.
• Strong experience with relational database design, ETL processes (SSIS or equivalent) and high-volume transactional databases.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot and optimise SQL performance, including query tuning, execution plans, locking and deadlocks.
• Experience with SQL Server backup, recovery, disaster recovery and High Availability technologies (Always On Availability Groups, Log Shipping and Replication).
• Experience with Azure SQL Database and/or Azure SQL Managed Instance.
• Familiarity with Git, Azure DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, PowerShell and SQL monitoring tools is advantageous.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder communication skills.
• Previous experience mentoring or coaching junior developers and helping to drive development best practices.
• Experience providing technical leadership and contributing to technical strategy and solution design.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the design, development and ongoing enhancement of SQL Server database solutions.
• Serve as the technical expert for the SQL Server environment, driving best practices and providing guidance across the team.
• Maintain and optimise business-critical databases to ensure high levels of performance, security and availability.
• Develop and enhance complex stored procedures, functions, views, triggers and database integrations.
• Monitor database health and identify opportunities to improve performance, scalability and reliability.
• Investigate and resolve complex database issues, including performance bottlenecks, locking, blocking and data integrity challenges.
• Oversee database backup, recovery and disaster recovery strategies to ensure business continuity.
• Work closely with developers, analysts and key stakeholders to deliver robust technical solutions.
• Review code, uphold development standards and champion best practices across the team.
• Support project delivery through technical input, solution design and accurate effort estimation.
• Keep up to date with emerging technologies and recommend improvements to database architecture and development processes.

Skills

SQL Server expertise

T-SQL

Problem-solving

Stakeholder communication

Mentoring juniors

Technical leadership

Tools

SSIS

Azure DevOps

Git

PowerShell

Azure SQL Database

Azure SQL Managed Instance

Job description

Candour Solutions in the United Kingdom seeks a Senior SQL Developer to own the SQL Server environment, lead design and development, and deliver scalable, high-performance database solutions.

You will mentor teammates, drive best practices, and partner with developers and analysts to implement robust data systems and strategy. This role blends hands-on SQL with technical leadership in a collaborative team.