Technical Lead Windows & SQL Server

NN Group; Den Haag; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

NN Group's Managed IaaS division seeks a Tech Lead for Windows & SQL Server to guide a ten-person team, set direction, and translate strategy into practical solutions. You will bridge engineers, Product Owners, and Architects while staying technically hands-on.

You will drive automation, improve stability, security, and performance, contribute to ADRs, and ensure quality through reviews. Fluent English required; Dutch is a plus.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as Senior/Lead Engineer or SQL Server Administrator.
• Deep knowledge of Windows Server environments and SQL Server.
• Experience with automation, scripting and standardization.
• Able to coach and guide engineers and communicate technical decisions clearly.
• Experience with Azure DevOps, CI/CD, or Infrastructure-as-Code is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Define the technical direction and roadmap for Windows and SQL Server services.
• Translate architectural decisions into practical solutions for the team.
• Support architecture decisions with technical insights and ADRs.
• Drive automation, standardization, and continuous improvement.
• Improve operational stability, security, and performance of Windows/SQL Server environments.

Skills

Windows Server

SQL Server

Automation

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in IT/CS

Tools

PowerShell

Ansible

Python

YAML

Azure DevOps

Job description

Are you an experienced technical leader who thrives in complex infrastructure environments, automation, and guiding engineering teams? We are looking for a Tech Lead for our Windows & SQL Product Team within Managed IaaS, someone who combines technical vision with hands‑on expertise, decisiveness, and strong collaboration skills.

In this role, you will be the technical driver of the team. You will help define the technical direction, ensure clear architectural decisions, and translate strategic objectives into practical solutions. You will act as the link between engineers, Product Owners, Domain Architects, and other Tech Leads. At the same time, you will remain sufficiently involved in the technical details to maintain technical credibility, effectiveness, and expertise.

What you are going to do

As a Tech Lead Windows & SQL Server, you will provide technical direction for the development, management, and ongoing modernization of our Windows Server and SQL Server platforms. You will ensure that solutions are robust, secure, scalable, and future‑proof.

Key responsibilities:

• Define the technical direction and roadmap for Windows and SQL Server services within Managed IaaS together with the team
• Translate architectural decisions into practical and executable solutions for the engineering team
• Support the Domain Architect with the technical insights required to make well-founded architectural decisions
• Take ownership of technical decision‑making within your domain and prevent unnecessary project delays caused by uncertainty
• Contribute to Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), Solution Intents, and other technical documentation
• Safeguard technical quality through reviews, standards, and best practices
• Support engineers in resolving complex technical challenges without taking ownership away from the team
• Drive automation, standardization, and continuous improvement
• Help improve operational stability, security, performance, and lifecycle management of Windows and SQL Server environments
• Represent the team in technical forums and ensure clear communication back to the engineers

Technical focus areas

In this role, you will operate at the intersection of Windows Server, SQL Server, automation, and enterprise infrastructure. Areas of focus include:

• Windows Server administration, lifecycle management, hardening, and troubleshooting
• SQL Server administration, performance tuning, security, backup & recovery, and High Availability
• Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and related Microsoft infrastructure components
• Automation using PowerShell, Ansible, YAML, and where relevant, Python
• Desired State Configuration (DSC), standardization, and security baselines
• CI/CD, Azure DevOps, and Infrastructure‑as‑Code principles
• Monitoring, performance optimization, and incident/problem management
• Collaboration with application teams, infrastructure teams, security specialists, architects, and operations teams

Who you are

We are looking for someone who is technically strong and able to inspire and guide others. You do not need to solve every problem yourself, but you know how to challenge, coach, and provide direction to engineers. You create clarity, bring structure, and help the team make timely, well‑founded technical decisions.

You:

• Have extensive experience as a Senior Engineer, Lead Engineer, SQL Server Administrator, Windows Engineer, or a comparable role
• Possess deep knowledge of Windows Server environments and solid knowledge of SQL Server
• Understand enterprise infrastructure and are comfortable working in complex IT landscapes
• Have experience with automation, scripting, and standardization
• Can clearly explain technical decisions to engineers, architects, and stakeholders alike
• Are decisive and know when to dive deeper, align with others, or provide direction
• Encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective ownership
• Have a strong focus on security, compliance stability, and operational excellence
• Communicate effectively in English; Dutch is considered a plus for collaboration within the Dutch business context
• Bachelor’s or Master’s level working and thinking ability, preferably in IT, Computer Science, or a comparable technical field
• Several years of experience managing Windows Server and/or SQL Server environments in an enterprise setting
• Strong knowledge of PowerShell; experience with Ansible, Python, YAML, or other automation tooling is an advantage
• Experience with Azure DevOps, CI/CD, or Infrastructure‑as‑Code is an advantage
• Knowledge of ITIL processes and experience working within controlled enterprise environments
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Experience with coaching, mentoring, or technical leadership within an engineering team

As a Tech Lead, you will ensure that the Windows & SQL Server team not only delivers stable services today but is also prepared for the future. You will bring technical clarity, accelerate decision‑making, and help the team grow in quality, autonomy, and ownership.

In doing so, you will play a key role in further professionalizing, automating, and modernizing our Managed IaaS services.

Who you will work with

You will join our MIaaS department and will be part of the MIaaS Windows & SQL team. A team of ten passionate Windows and SQL specialists who enjoy solving technical challenges and helping each other succeed. Whether it's maintaining critical services, improving automation, or working on new technologies, you'll be surrounded by experienced colleagues who are happy to share their knowledge. The team consists of engineers working from NN's main office in The Hague and digital Hub in Prague.