Senior Manager - Database Engineering

Zelis; Morristown (NJ); Hybrid; USD 139,000 - 177,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k with match

Paid time off

Holidays

Parental leave

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Health benefits

Job summary

Zelis is seeking a Sr Manager, Database Engineering to lead a distributed team responsible for reliability, performance, security, and modernization of enterprise databases across Azure, AWS, and on‑prem environments. You will translate strategy into executable roadmaps, set engineering standards, and drive improvements with architecture, security, and infra partners.

The role requires deep hands-on leadership with the ability to coach senior engineers, guide complex design reviews, and own

Qualifications

• 10+ years of enterprise database engineering experience
• 3+ years leading database engineers or similar teams
• Strong SQL Server knowledge: HA, DR, security, upgrades
• Practical PostgreSQL and cloud DB experience (Aurora/RDS)
• Experience migrating and modernizing complex databases
• Guide architecture decisions and support escalations
• Observability, automation, IaC, Git-based workflows, CI/CD experience
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive reporting
• Bachelor’s or equivalent; cloud/db certifications preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead a distributed team of Database Engineers across onshore and offshore locations
• Own operational accountability for the enterprise database estate across on‑prem, Azure, and AWS
• Translate the modernization strategy into a 2–3 year roadmap and milestones
• Provide technical direction across SQL Server, Azure SQL, RDS, PostgreSQL, and Aurora PostgreSQL
• Partner with application, architecture, security, and infrastructure teams to plan migrations
• Review database architecture and support high-severity incidents when needed
• Manage migration and re-platforming projects from discovery to post‑migration stabilization
• Maintain database lifecycle plans for upgrades and debt reduction
• Establish telemetry, monitoring, capacity thresholds, and dashboards for health
• Ensure 24x7 support coverage, on-call readiness, and incident management across teams
• Promote automation and IaC for provisioning, deployment, and maintenance across clouds

Skills

Leadership

Distributed teams

Strategy & roadmap

Architecture guidance

Stakeholder management

Automation

Observability

AI-assisted engineering

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IT/Engineering

Tools

Microsoft SQL Server

Azure SQL

Amazon RDS

PostgreSQL

Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL

Git

GitHub

Infrastructure as Code

Job description

At Zelis, we Get Stuff Done. So, let’s get to it!

A Little About Us

Zelis is modernizing the healthcare financial experience across payers, providers, and healthcare consumers. We serve more than 750 payers, including the top five national health plans, regional health plans, TPAs and millions of healthcare providers and consumers across our platform of solutions. Zelis sees across the system to identify, optimize, and solve problems holistically with technology built by healthcare experts – driving real, measurable results for clients.

At Zelis, AI is woven into the fabric of how we work. Every associate is expected - and empowered - to partner with AI to challenge the status quo, accelerate innovation, and amplify their impact. This is a place for builders with a growth mindset who act with agility, embrace change, and use modern technology to shape smarter solutions, exceptional experiences, and the future of our industry for our clients, customers, and our culture.

A Little About You

You bring a unique blend of personality and professional expertise to your work, inspiring others with your passion and dedication. Your career is a testament to your diverse experiences, community involvement, and the valuable lessons you've learned along the way. You are more than just your resume; you are a reflection of your achievements, the knowledge you've gained, and the personal interests that shape who you are.

Position Overview

Sr Manager, Database Engineering

Job Summary: As the Sr Manager of Database Engineering at Zelis, you will lead a distributed engineering team responsible for the reliability, performance, security, modernization, and lifecycle management of enterprise database platforms across Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and on-premises environments. You will translate database strategy into executable roadmaps, establish clear operational ownership and engineering standards, and partner with application, architecture, security, and infrastructure teams to deliver measurable improvements in platform resilience, automation, and modernization.

This is a people-leadership role that requires sufficient technical depth to guide architecture and engineering decisions, coach engineers, resolve escalated issues, and ensure sound operating practices. The Sr Manager will remain engaged in complex troubleshooting and design reviews while enabling senior engineers to own day-to-day technical execution.

A primary focus over the next two to three years will be executing the re-platforming and modernization of appropriate applications away from Microsoft SQL Server and expanding strategic platforms including PostgreSQL and Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The Sr Manager will coordinate workload assessments, migration planning, delivery priorities, risk management, and stakeholder alignment while ensuring the existing SQL Server estate remains reliable throughout the transition.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a distributed team of Database Engineers across onshore and offshore locations, establishing clear ownership, performance expectations, engineering standards, career development plans, and succession coverage.
• Manage operational accountability for the enterprise database estate across on-premises, Azure, and AWS environments, ensuring availability, reliability, performance, security, scalability, backup and recovery, disaster recovery, and platform health.
• Translate the database modernization strategy into a prioritized two-to-three-year roadmap, delivery plans, milestones, resource needs, dependencies, risks, and measurable outcomes.
• Provide technical direction across Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL, Amazon RDS, PostgreSQL, and Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, using senior engineers and architects to drive detailed design and implementation.
• Partner with application engineering, architecture, security, infrastructure, and business stakeholders to assess workloads, define target platforms, sequence migrations, and resolve cross-team delivery constraints.
• Review and challenge database architecture, schema, performance, resiliency, and migration decisions; provide hands‑on support for high‑severity incidents or complex technical escalations when needed.
• Manage database migration and re-platforming initiatives through discovery, planning, remediation, testing, cutover readiness, execution, validation, rollback planning, and post‑migration stabilization.
• Maintain database lifecycle plans for upgrades, patching, end‑of‑support remediation, platform currency, standardization, and technical debt reduction.
• Establish service-level measures, telemetry, monitoring, alerting, capacity thresholds, and operational dashboards that provide actionable visibility into database health, performance, recovery readiness, and risk.
• Ensure effective 24x7 support coverage, on‑call readiness, incident response, escalation, problem management, maintenance, and recovery practices across onshore and offshore teams.
• Ensure high availability, backup and restore, disaster recovery, resiliency, and business continuity capabilities are documented, tested, and continuously improved.
• Prioritize automation and Infrastructure as Code for database provisioning, configuration, deployment, maintenance, monitoring, upgrades, and lifecycle management across Azure and AWS.
• Promote modern engineering practices using Git, GitHub, CI/CD, peer review, version control, and approved AI‑assisted engineering tools to improve quality, consistency, productivity, and documentation.
• Manage team priorities, staffing, vendor or partner contributions, delivery commitments, and operating metrics; communicate progress, risks, decisions, and tradeoffs to senior technology leadership.
• Maintain current engineering standards, runbooks, architecture decisions, and operational documentation within Confluence, enterprise wikis, or equivalent platforms.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in enterprise database engineering, administration, platform operations, or related infrastructure disciplines, including 3+ years leading database engineers or comparable technical teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing distributed onshore and offshore teams, developing technical talent, setting priorities, and delivering through senior engineers and individual contributors.
• Strong technical knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server architecture, administration, performance tuning, high availability, disaster recovery, backup and recovery, security, upgrades, and lifecycle management.
• Practical experience with PostgreSQL and cloud database platforms, preferably Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL, Azure SQL Database, or Azure SQL Managed Instance.
• Experience planning or leading database migrations, cloud adoption, platform modernization, lifecycle remediation, or re‑platforming initiatives in complex enterprise environments.
• Ability to guide architecture and engineering decisions, evaluate technical tradeoffs, and support escalated troubleshooting without serving as the primary hands‑on engineer for routine work.
• Experience with database observability, performance management, automation, Infrastructure as Code, Git‑based workflows, CI/CD, and enterprise operational controls.
• Strong stakeholder management, written communication, prioritization, risk management, and executive reporting skills, with the ability to align delivery across application, architecture, security, and infrastructure teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience; relevant cloud or database certifications are preferred.

Please note at this time we are unable to proceed with candidates who require visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Location and Workplace Flexibility

Zelis is headquartered in the U.S., with multiple locations across the country and in Hyderabad, India. Check out our locations to learn more about our offices. All employee work locations are based on the needs of the position and are determined by the Leadership team. In‑office work and activities vary based on work and team objectives in accordance with Company policies.

While location expectations vary by role, candidates within approximately 50 miles of a U.S. office are generally preferred to support collaboration when needed. Our hybrid approach is flexible, and in‑office presence is guided by team and business needs rather than a fixed weekly schedule.

Base Salary Range

$139,000.00 - $176,700.00

At Zelis we are committed to providing fair and equitable compensation packages. The base salary range allows us to make an offer that considers multiple individualized factors, including experience, education, qualifications, as well as job‑related and industry‑related knowledge and skills, etc. Base pay is just one part of our Total Rewards package, which may also include discretionary bonus plans, commissions, or other incentives depending on the role.

Zelis’ full‑time associates are eligible for a highly competitive benefits package as well, which demonstrates our commitment to our employees’ health, well‑being, and financial protection. The US‑based benefits include a 401k plan with employer match, flexible paid time off, holidays, parental leaves, life and disability insurance, and health benefits including medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Zelis is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications for the role. We believe in the value of diverse perspectives and experiences and are committed to building an inclusive workplace for all.

Accessibility Support

We are dedicated to ensuring our application process is accessible to all candidates. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require a reasonable accommodation with any part of the application and/or interview process, please email [e-mail].

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities, duties, and skills from time to time.