Senior Database Administrator at AzamPay Tanzania

Company: AzamPay
Reports To: Director of Information Technology

ROLE OVERVIEW

AzamPay is looking for a Senior Database Administrator to own the availability, performance, security, and recoverability of the databases behind its payment and mobile money platforms.

You will run a multi-engine estate consisting of:

• Oracle
• MySQL
• MongoDB
• PostgreSQL

These databases operate across:

• Production environments
• Disaster Recovery (DR) environments
• Test environments
• On-premise infrastructure
• Cloud infrastructure

You will lead upgrades, run disaster recovery drills, and hold third-party database teams to high standards.

This is a hands-on senior role. You will be the go-to expert on database risk and will report directly to the Director of Information Technology.

REQUIRED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

Oracle Database 19c - Expert

• RMAN backup and recovery
• Data Pump
• Performance tuning using AWR/ASH
• High availability and disaster recovery
• Patching and upgrades

MySQL 8.0 - Expert

• Replication
• InnoDB Cluster / MySQL Router
• Percona XtraBackup
• Performance tuning
• Version upgrades

Linux Systems - Strong

• Red Hat
• Oracle Linux
• Ubuntu

Scripting - Strong

• Bash
• Python or Perl for automation

SQL & PL/SQL - Advanced

• Complex querying
• Reading application queries
• Optimizing application queries

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

MongoDB - Solid

• Replica sets
• Backup and restore
• Monitoring
• Version upgrades

PostgreSQL - Solid

• Streaming replication
• Backup and restore
• Tuning
• Major version upgrades

Virtualisation & Backup

• VMware
• Enterprise backup tools such as Veeam

Cloud Infrastructure

• Running databases on AWS, including:
  • EC2
  • RDS

Monitoring Systems

Experience with tools such as:

• Zabbix
• Oracle Enterprise Manager
• Percona PMM
• Or similar systems

NICE-TO-HAVE COMPETENCIES

Microsoft SQL Server

• Basic administration
• Backups

MariaDB

• Familiarity with data warehouse workloads

Containers

• Awareness of Kubernetes
• Awareness of database connections

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Database Operation

• Install, configure, administer, and maintain:
  • Oracle databases
  • MySQL databases
  • MongoDB databases
  • PostgreSQL databases
• Manage databases across:
  • Production
  • Disaster Recovery
  • Test environments
• Monitor:
  • Database health
  • Capacity
  • Storage growth
  • Scheduled jobs
• Resolve issues before they affect customers.
• Manage:
  • Clustering
  • Replication
  • High-availability setups
  • Failover
  • Virtual IP configuration

2. Backup, Recovery & Disaster Recovery

• Design, run, and regularly test backup and restore procedures for every database engine.
• Own the database side of disaster recovery drills end-to-end.
• Conduct data consistency checks between:
  • Primary environments
  • Disaster Recovery environments

3. Performance & Capacity

• Tune:
  • Queries
  • Indexes
  • Memory
  • Storage
• Ensure high-volume transaction systems remain fast.
• Forecast capacity needs.
• Advise on:
  • Hardware
  • Storage
  • Licensing

4. Upgrades, Patching & Migrations

• Lead major version upgrades across all database engines.
• Lead security patching across all database engines.
• Maintain tested rollback plans.
• Keep the database estate on supported and secure versions.

5. Security & Compliance

• Manage database:
  • Users
  • Roles
  • Privileges
• Apply the principle of least privilege.
• Conduct regular access reviews.
• Work with the security team on:
  • Vulnerability findings
  • Privileged access controls

6. Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Oversee and review database work carried out by third-party vendors and technology partners.
• Hold third-party vendors and technology partners to agreed standards.
• Work closely with:
  • Infrastructure
  • NOC
  • DevOps
  • Development
  • Data teams
• Collaborate on:
  • Changes
  • Incidents
  • Releases
• Follow change management processes for all production database changes.

7. Documentation & Automation

• Maintain up-to-date:
  • Runbooks
  • Architecture diagrams
  • Configuration records
  • Database inventory
• Automate routine tasks using scripts to reduce:
  • Manual work
  • Errors
• Recommend tools and practices that improve:
  • Reliability
  • Monitoring
  • Security

QUALIFICATIONS & TRACK RECORD

• Bachelor’s Degree in:
  • Computer Science
  • IT
  • Engineering
  • Telecommunications
  • Or a related field
• Total Experience: 5 to 8 years of hands-on DBA experience.
• At least 2 years of experience in:
  • Fintech
  • Banking
  • Telecom
  • High-availability transaction environments
• Experience planning and running at least one major production database migration or version upgrade.
• Experience running or participating in:
  • Disaster recovery drills
  • Failovers
• Hands-on experience with clustering/high-availability setups, such as:
  • Pacemaker
  • Oracle Data Guard

HOW TO APPLY

Send your CV and a short cover letter describing one production database migration or recovery you led, including:

• Database engine
• Data size
• Outcome