Title: Database Administration Manager #W1444

State Role Title: Info Technology Manager I

Hiring Range: $142,000 - $152,000 per year (salary commensurate with experience)

Pay Band: 6

Agency: Department of Social Services

Location: DSS HOME OFFICE

Agency Website: https://www.dss.virginia.gov/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

At the Virginia Department of Social Services, we put people at the center of everything we do. We believe that every Virginian can live a life of dignity and that all voices, ideas and experiences contribute greatly to our pursuit of excellence. Inspired by continuous improvement, we commit ourselves to listening, learning and cultivating environments of trust, respect and positive engagement. Together, we are mission-driven, eager to achieve, and passionate about bringing the best of who we are to those we serve.

We design and deliver high-quality human services that help Virginians achieve safety, independence and overall well-being. We are a $2 billion agency – one of the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia – partnering with 120 local departments of social services and 31 community action agencies, along with faith-based and non-profit organizations, to promote the well-being of children, adults, and families statewide. We proudly serve alongside 1,650 (state) and 12,200 (local) human services professionals throughout the Social Services System, who ensure that thousands of Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens have easy access to the services and benefits available to them.

The Database Administration Manager reports to the Infrastructure and Operations Director and leads a team of database administrators responsible for designing, supporting, securing, and modernizing VDSS database platforms across Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, PostgreSQL, and emerging cloud environments. The Manager drives the agency’s enterprise data strategy by overseeing database architecture, lifecycle management, governance, and security, while advancing DSS’s future state cloud direction, including planned migrations to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The Database Administration Manager provides operational and strategic oversight of Oracle E Business Suite databases, including support for FAAS and LASER applications, ensuring stability, performance, reliability, and secure integration across enterprise systems. This role fully owns database disaster recovery planning, documentation, and testing, collaborating with Infrastructure, Cloud, and Security teams to ensure coordinated restoration of services. The Manager ensures audit readiness, participates in audit activities, and oversees remediation of audit findings. The position emphasizes continuous process improvement, database modernization, and implementation of tools and practices that enhance efficiency, resilience, and data integrity across all platforms.

The Database Administration Manager develops and mentors DBA staff through coaching, training, and targeted skill advancement including cloud database competencies while fostering strong collaboration with Application Infrastructure, Application Support, other Technical Services Division departments, and business partners. The role delivers secure, stable, and scalable data services that support both operational priorities and long term strategic objectives for VDSS.

Minimum Qualifications

• Leadership experience in leading change, driving results, and leading people
• Experience leading IT infrastructure in a large enterprise, Cloud or service provider environment
• Extensive hands-on experience managing IT infrastructure in a large enterprise, Cloud or service provider environment
• Experience provisioning single and multi-tenant cloud environments
• Considerable professional experience in managing the analysis, design, development, testing and implementation of automated systems in multiple technologies
• Considerable professional experience in project management or project lead in an IT organization
• Experience in full life cycle development of Information Systems
• Experience with the Microsoft family of productivity tools

KSA’s and/or Competencies required to successfully perform the work:

Technical Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1. Comprehensive knowledge of enterprise database platforms, including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, PostgreSQL, and emerging cloud database technologies, with experience designing, deploying, maintaining, and optimizing databases across on prem and cloud environments such as Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
2. Strong knowledge of Oracle database technologies, including Oracle RAC clustering, ASM, RMAN, Data Guard, Oracle Enterprise Manager, and administration of Oracle E Business Suite databases supporting FAAS, LASER, and other VDSS applications.
3. Thorough understanding of database architecture principles, including scalability, replication, partitioning, clustering, high availability, load balancing, and performance tuning across diverse enterprise workloads.
4. Expertise in database lifecycle management, including provisioning, configuration, patching, platform upgrades, refresh processes, decommissioning, and long term modernization planning.
5. Strong knowledge of enterprise database security practices, including identity and access management, encryption (TDE and data in transit), auditing, secure configuration baselines, privileged access controls, and adherence to state and federal compliance requirements.
6. Understanding of firewall concepts, network access rules, secure communication paths, and how database connectivity and integration patterns are impacted by network segmentation and security zones.
7. Experience supporting database integration patterns, including APIs, stored procedures, ETL operations, cross platform data exchange, and middleware/database interaction with systems like WebSphere and other hosting frameworks.
8. Knowledge of scripting languages and automation frameworks commonly used in database administration (SQL, PL/SQL, Python, Bash, PowerShell), supporting automation of monitoring, deployments, refreshes, and lifecycle operations.
9. Expertise in monitoring and alerting tools for database platforms, including performance dashboards, resource utilization analysis, proactive alerting, log analytics, and automated issue detection.
10. Strong understanding of data governance practices, including data quality, cataloging, metadata standards, retention policies, regulatory compliance, and secure stewardship across enterprise data stores.
11. Extensive experience designing, documenting, and executing database disaster recovery strategies, including replication planning, failover testing, coordinated restoration, communication protocols, and alignment with enterprise continuity expectations.
12. Ability to diagnose and resolve complex database issues involving performance degradation, reliability/availability concerns, corruption events, integration failures, or application driven database disruptions.
13. Knowledge of database migration strategies and cloud readiness assessments, including schema conversion, data movement planning, hybrid deployments, re platforming, refactoring, and multi phase migration execution.
14. Familiarity with audit frameworks, audit participation, evidence preparation, mitigation of audit findings, and implementation of secure database configuration baselines to ensure audit compliance.
15. Understanding of enterprise change management, release management, and configuration management practices as they relate to database environments, ensuring controlled deployments and stable operations.
________________________________________
Management & Leadership Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
16. Experience leading and managing a team of database administrators, including assigning work, managing performance, overseeing complex technical initiatives, and ensuring accountability for operational and strategic outcomes.
17. Ability to build staff expertise through mentoring, coaching, targeted training, and development of cloud database competencies, modern administration skills, and advanced platform specialization.
18. Skill in designing and improving team workflows that enhance efficiency, consistency, automation, proactive monitoring, and high quality database support delivery.
19. Ability to collaborate effectively with Application Infrastructure, Application Support, Technical Operations, Security, Cloud teams, and business partners to ensure coordinated deployments, stable operations, and aligned enterprise data strategies.
20. Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex database concepts, architectural implications, cloud strategies, and performance considerations to both technical and non technical audiences.
21. Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain balance between operational responsibilities, strategic modernization initiatives, cloud migration planning, and long term enterprise data direction.
22. Demonstrated ability to identify areas for process improvement and implement solutions that strengthen automation, enhance resilience, improve performance, and support operational excellence.
23. Strong customer service orientation and ability to maintain productive working relationships with business partners, technical staff, and leadership stakeholders who rely on enterprise data services.
24. Ability to lead change related to database modernization, cloud adoption, new data tools, platform upgrades, and evolving database operational practices across DSS.
25. Ability to manage high impact database issues, coordinate multi team response, make timely and informed decisions, escalate when appropriate, and ensure clear communication through resolution.
26. Comprehensive knowledge of IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) practices and state of the art IT service procedures.

Additional Considerations

• Certifications in Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), or NIST Cyber Security Framework preferred
• Certified in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
• Experience in knowledge of the Full Life Cycle Development of Information Technology Services

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Selected candidate(s) must successfully pass a fingerprint-based criminal history background check. A record of criminal history does not automatically bar an applicant from consideration. Employment verification will be conducted to include current/previous supervisory employment reference checks.

VDSS will record information from each new employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) into the Federal E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

To be considered for this position, you must submit a Commonwealth of Virginia application or resume through the on-line “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site no later than 11:55 p.m. on the closing date listed. Each application is reviewed for documentation that shows the applicant meets the minimum and additional considerations as stated in the job announcement. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided. Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment within 90 days of the closing date.

In addition to a rewarding work experience, VDSS offers excellent health and life insurance benefits, pre-tax spending accounts, state funded Short and Long Term Disability, paid holidays, vacation, tuition assistance, free wellness programs, and a state retirement plan with options for tax-deferred retirement savings including employer matching – Employee Benefits.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity within its workforce.

VDSS does not provide sponsorship.

This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Teleworking policy.

VDSS is an official certified state agency that values the service and experience of our Veterans. As such, Veterans are encouraged to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni also are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants, if requested, during the application and/or interview process.

If you have been affected by Policy 1.30 Layoff as a state employee and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Form) or a Preferential Hiring Card (Blue Card), you must submit this document through the “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site when you apply.

Contact Information

Name: VDSS – Division of Human Resources

Phone: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

Email: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.