Services Infrastructure Manager

Services Infrastructure Manager

Role Purpose

The Services Infrastructure Manager is responsible for the leadership, availability, security, resilience and continual improvement of the organisation’s global Database and Application Services infrastructure.

The role leads a geographically distributed team of Database and Application Services Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Engineers responsible for the organisation’s database platforms, automation technologies, collaboration platforms, identity services, service-management platforms and internally developed applications and tools.

The manager provides both technical and operational leadership, ensuring services are secure, reliable, scalable, supportable and aligned with business requirements.

The role will work closely with Platform Infrastructure, Network Infrastructure, Solutions, Security, Service Management, and Monitoring teams to provide an integrated and highly automated service.

Key Responsibilities

1. Global Team Leadership

• Lead and develop a globally distributed team of Database and Application Services SMEs and Engineers.
• Establish clear technical ownership and accountability across database and application technology domains.
• Develop SMEs as recognised technical authorities within their respective areas.
• Establish skills, training and professional certification plans to continuously increase technical capability.
• Recruit, develop and retain high-quality technical talent.
• Define team objectives, KPIs and performance expectations aligned with business and IT objectives.
• Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across geographically distributed teams.
• Ensure effective technical documentation and cross-training.
• Provide leadership during major incidents, critical service events and technical escalations.
• Establish a strong technical culture focused on automation, standardisation and continual improvement.

2. Database Infrastructure Ownership

Provide overall management and technical governance for the organisation's database platforms.

PostgreSQL

• PostgreSQL database architecture and administration.
• Database availability and resilience.
• Database performance and capacity management.
• PostgreSQL backup and recovery.
• Replication and high-availability technologies.
• Database security and access controls.
• PostgreSQL patching and lifecycle management.
• Database monitoring and performance optimisation.
• PostgreSQL configuration standards.

MySQL

• MySQL database architecture and administration.
• Database availability and resilience.
• MySQL performance and capacity management.
• Backup and recovery.
• Replication and high-availability technologies.
• Database security and access controls.
• MySQL patching and lifecycle management.
• Database monitoring and performance optimisation.
• MySQL configuration standards.

Microsoft SQL Server

• SQL Server architecture and administration.
• Database availability and resilience.
• SQL Server performance and capacity management.
• Backup and recovery.
• High-availability and disaster-recovery technologies.
• Database security and access controls.
• SQL Server patching and lifecycle management.
• Database monitoring and performance optimisation.
• SQL Server configuration standards.

Database Operations

• Database provisioning and configuration.
• Database patching and upgrades.
• Database backup and recovery.
• Database capacity management.
• Database performance management.
• Database security and hardening.
• Database lifecycle management.
• Database documentation.
• Database disaster recovery.
• Database operational standards.
• Database integration with monitoring, security and infrastructure platforms.

3. Automation & Infrastructure-as-Code

The Services Infrastructure Manager will provide technical leadership for automation across the Database and Application Services environments.

Ansible

• Ansible architecture and administration.
• Configuration management.
• Infrastructure and application automation.
• Automated database administration.
• Automated application deployment and configuration.
• Automated patching and maintenance.
• Automated operational tasks and remediation.
• Development and management of Ansible playbooks.
• Ansible standards and best practices.

Terraform

• Terraform architecture and administration.
• Infrastructure-as-Code.
• Automated infrastructure provisioning.
• Infrastructure configuration management.
• Terraform modules and reusable configurations.
• Infrastructure lifecycle automation.
• Integration of Terraform with cloud and infrastructure platforms.
• Infrastructure configuration consistency and drift management.

Automation Strategy

• Establish automation standards across Database and Application Services.
• Identify repetitive operational tasks suitable for automation.
• Reduce manual administration and configuration.
• Promote Infrastructure-as-Code and Configuration-as-Code.
• Ensure automation is documented, version controlled and supportable.
• Establish appropriate testing and approval processes for automation.
• Promote API-driven management where appropriate.
• Work with AI Operations to identify opportunities for intelligent automation.

4. Application Services Ownership

Provide overall technical and operational ownership for the organisation's core application services.

Mattermost

• Mattermost infrastructure and platform administration.
• Mattermost availability and resilience.
• Integration with authentication services.
• Platform upgrades and lifecycle management.
• Backup and recovery.
• Performance and capacity management.
• Security and configuration management.
• Monitoring and operational support.

Confluence Wiki

• Confluence platform administration.
• Confluence availability and resilience.
• Configuration and platform management.
• Authentication and access integration.
• Upgrade and lifecycle management.
• Backup and recovery.
• Performance and capacity management.
• Platform security.
• Technical documentation and operational procedures.

Confluence / Jira

• Jira platform administration.
• Jira project and service configuration.
• Jira integration with Confluence.
• Authentication and access management.
• Platform upgrades and lifecycle management.
• Performance and capacity management.
• Backup and recovery.
• Integration with internal development and operational processes.
• Technical support for Jira-based workflows.

Keycloak

• Keycloak identity and authentication platform.
• Identity federation.
• Single Sign-On (SSO).
• Application authentication and authorisation.
• Identity integration with internal applications.
• Realm and client management.
• Access-control configuration.
• Keycloak security and lifecycle management.
• High availability and resilience.
• Monitoring and troubleshooting.

Password Manager Professional

• Password Manager Professional platform administration.
• Privileged credential management.
• Secure password storage and access.
• User and administrator access management.
• Integration with Active Directory and other authentication services.
• Platform security and configuration.
• Backup and recovery.
• Lifecycle and upgrade management.
• Audit and access reporting.

HaloPSA

• HaloPSA platform administration.
• IT Service Management platform configuration.
• Service desk workflows.
• Incident and request management configuration.
• Problem and change-management workflows.
• Automation and integrations.
• Service catalogue configuration.
• User and access management.
• Reporting and operational dashboards.
• Integration with infrastructure and application platforms.
• Continuous improvement of ITSM processes and automation.

Internal Tools

• Technical ownership of internally developed or managed applications and tools.
• Application availability and resilience.
• Application lifecycle management.
• Authentication and access integration.
• Application configuration and deployment.
• Performance and capacity management.
• Backup and recovery.
• Technical documentation.
• Integration with enterprise infrastructure and monitoring platforms.
• Technical debt management.
• Modernisation and replacement of legacy internal tools where appropriate.

5. Application & Database Architecture

• Maintain the strategic roadmap for Database and Application Services.
• Drive standardisation and consolidation of database and application platforms.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, automate and modernise services.
• Work with Solutions and Security to ensure application and database designs meet corporate standards.
• Ensure services are designed for availability, scalability, security, recoverability and operational supportability.
• Establish technical standards for PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Ansible, Terraform and application platforms.
• Maintain technology roadmaps and identify emerging technology requirements.
• Ensure applications have appropriate dependencies, integration points and operational ownership documented.
• Ensure database and application architectures align with wider infrastructure standards.

6. Service Reliability & Operational Excellence

• Ensure database and application services meet agreed availability, performance and capacity targets.
• Establish and monitor service KPIs, SLAs and operational metrics.
• Drive continual service improvement across Database and Application Services.
• Ensure effective monitoring, alerting and capacity management.
• Identify recurring service problems and drive permanent technical remediation.
• Ensure incidents are investigated to an appropriate technical depth.
• Provide technical leadership during Major Incidents and Priority Problems.
• Ensure SMEs take ownership of problems within their technology domains.
• Drive root-cause analysis and preventative actions.
• Reduce operational dependency on individual engineers through documentation, automation and cross-training.
• Ensure consistent operational standards across database, application and automation platforms.

7. Security, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure database and application platforms comply with corporate security policies and regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with Security teams to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
• Ensure appropriate security controls are applied to databases and applications.
• Ensure database access is appropriately controlled and audited.
• Ensure privileged application and database access is appropriately managed.
• Support vulnerability management, patching and configuration compliance.
• Ensure Keycloak authentication services are appropriately secured.
• Ensure Password Manager Professional is operated in accordance with corporate security requirements.
• Provide technical evidence and support for internal and external audits.
• Identify, document and actively manage application and database risks.
• Ensure security requirements are incorporated into new application and database designs.

8. Monitoring & Observability

• Establish comprehensive monitoring of database and application services.
• Work closely with the Monitoring & Observability function to ensure appropriate telemetry is available.
• Monitor database availability, performance, capacity and health.
• Monitor application availability, performance and dependencies.
• Monitor authentication and identity services.
• Monitor all Applications and Services as outlined in the CorpIT Service Portfolio.
• Establish appropriate alerting thresholds and event correlation.
• Use telemetry to identify trends, degradation and potential failures.
• Ensure monitoring supports proactive rather than reactive operations.
• Provide database and application telemetry to AI Operations initiatives.

9. Automation Operations

• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive database and application operations.
• Promote automation using Ansible, Terraform and appropriate APIs.
• Automate provisioning, configuration, deployment, patching and compliance activities where practical.
• Promote Infrastructure-as-Code and Configuration-as-Code.
• Use service telemetry and operational data to identify trends and potential failures.
• Support the development of AI-assisted operations and predictive monitoring.
• Ensure Database and Application SMEs contribute technical knowledge to AI Operations use cases.
• Automate routine health checks and remediation activities where practical.
• Establish a culture of automation rather than manual administration.
• Reduce configuration drift through automation and compliance monitoring.
• Ensure automation is version controlled, tested and appropriately governed.

10. Change, Projects & Service Transition

• Provide Database and Application Services leadership for major IT projects and transformation programmes.
• Ensure database and application requirements are identified during project design.
• Review and approve database and application designs and implementation plans.
• Ensure new services are designed with operational supportability in mind.
• Work with Solutions, Service Design and Project teams to ensure effective transition into Operations.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, monitoring, support procedures and ownership are established before services enter production.
• Manage service-related changes in accordance with the organisation's change- management processes.
• Ensure major database and application changes are appropriately planned, tested and implemented.
• Ensure SMEs are involved at the appropriate stages of project delivery.
• Ensure new services meet defined operational and technical standards before entering production.

11. Incident & Problem Management

• Provide senior technical leadership during critical database and application incidents.
• Ensure the appropriate SME is engaged during Priority 1 and Priority 2 incidents.
• Ensure technical teams focus on restoration of service while maintaining appropriate communication with Service Management.
• Ensure significant incidents result in meaningful technical root-cause analysis.
• Assign technical ownership of Problems to the appropriate SME.
• Ensure corrective and preventative actions are tracked through to completion.
• Identify systemic issues rather than treating recurring incidents individually.
• Maintain technical Problem Management within the Services Infrastructure function.
• Ensure database and application SMEs lead the technical investigation of problems within their domains.

12. Capacity, Lifecycle & Vendor Management

• Own capacity planning across database and application platforms.
• Develop database and application lifecycle and technology refresh strategies.
• Identify platforms approaching end-of-life or end-of-support.
• Develop investment requirements and technology roadmaps.
• Manage application and database software lifecycle planning.
• Manage PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Ansible, Terraform and application platform lifecycles.
• Work with Procurement and vendors to manage technology contracts and support agreements.
• Manage relationships with key technology vendors.
• Ensure vendor performance meets contractual and operational requirements.
• Support budgeting and forecasting.
• Identify opportunities to optimise application, database and software licensing costs.

13. Technical SME Ownership Model

The Services Infrastructure Manager will establish clear technical ownership through dedicated Database and Application Services SMEs.

SMEs will act as technical owners and escalation points, rather than simply being senior engineers.

They will be responsible for:

• Defining technical standards.
• Maintaining technical documentation.
• Mentoring engineers.
• Leading complex technical problems.
• Reviewing proposed changes.
• Identifying technology improvements.
• Maintaining technical roadmaps.
• Providing technical input to projects.
• Defining monitoring and operational requirements.
• Participating in major incidents.
• Driving Problem Management within their technical domain.
• Maintaining relevant professional certifications and technical expertise.
• Identifying opportunities for automation and service improvement.

14. Leadership & Collaboration

The Services Infrastructure Manager will work closely with:

• Head of Infrastructure
• Platform Infrastructure Manager
• Network Infrastructure Manager
• CorpIT Solutions
• Information Security
• Monitoring & Observability
• Service Desk
• Service Management
• Project / Programme Management
• Procurement
• External technology vendors

The role is expected to establish a single global Infrastructure & Services community, encouraging collaboration, standardisation, automation and knowledge sharing across regions.

Key Performance Indicators

Service Reliability

• Database availability
• Application availability
• Critical service incidents
• Mean Time to Restore Service (MTTR)
• Recurring incident reduction
• Database performance
• Application performance
• Service capacity utilisation

Technical Excellence

• Platform standardisation
• Technology lifecycle compliance
• Vulnerability and patch compliance
• Configuration compliance
• Technical documentation
• Automation adoption
• Technical debt reduction
• Service resilience

Security

• Database security compliance
• Application security compliance
• Privileged-access compliance
• Vulnerability remediation
• Authentication and access-control compliance
• Security incident remediation

Capacity & Financial Management

• Database capacity utilisation
• Application capacity utilisation
• Infrastructure forecasting accuracy
• Software lifecycle compliance
• Application and database licensing optimisation
• Vendor performance
• Service cost optimisation

Team Development

• SME certification levels
• Training completion
• Technical skills development
• Cross-training coverage
• Knowledge-sharing activity
• Employee engagement and retention

Continual Improvement

• Automation initiatives delivered
• Reduction in manual operational effort
• Priority Problems permanently resolved
• Database and application improvements delivered
• Reduction in recurring incidents
• Improvements in monitoring and observability
• Reduction in technical debt
• Reduction in configuration drift

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• Significant experience managing enterprise database and application service environments.
• Proven experience leading geographically distributed technical teams.
• Strong technical knowledge of enterprise database and application platforms.
• Extensive experience with PostgreSQL, MySQL and/or Microsoft SQL Server.
• Strong understanding of database availability, resilience, performance and disaster recovery.
• Experience with automation and Infrastructure-as-Code.
• Strong experience with Ansible and/or Terraform.
• Experience managing enterprise application platforms.
• Experience with identity and authentication platforms.
• Experience with IT Service Management platforms.
• Strong understanding of application and database security.
• Experience with Incident, Problem, Change and Service Management processes.
• Demonstrable experience leading technical transformation and continual improvement.

Desirable

• PostgreSQL certification or equivalent experience.
• MySQL certification or equivalent experience.
• Microsoft SQL Server certification or equivalent experience.
• Ansible certification or equivalent automation experience.
• Terraform certification or equivalent Infrastructure-as-Code experience.
• Keycloak experience or certification.
• ITIL certification.
• Experience with Mattermost, Confluence, Jira or HaloPSA.
• Experience with application APIs and integrations.
• Experience with Infrastructure-as-Code.
• Experience with AI Operations / AIOps.
• Experience implementing monitoring and observability platforms.
• Experience working within regulated or audited environments.

Leadership Competencies

Technical Leadership

Able to challenge, guide and develop senior database and application engineers and technical SMEs while maintaining sufficient technical understanding to make informed decisions.

Strategic Thinking

Able to translate business requirements into a practical Database and Application Services strategy and technology roadmap.

Operational Excellence

Focused on reliability, security, resilience, service quality and continual improvement.

People Development

Creates a strong technical culture and develops engineers into recognised technical SMEs.

Continuous Improvement

Constantly identifies opportunities to simplify, standardise, automate and modernise database and application operations.

Customer Focus

Understands database and application services as business-critical services and ensures technology decisions support business and customer requirements.

Collaboration

Breaks down technical and organisational silos and promotes global cooperation between application, database, infrastructure, security and service-management teams.

Decision Making

Makes evidence-based technical and operational decisions while balancing risk, cost, performance and business requirements.

Communication

Able to communicate complex database and application matters clearly to engineers, management, business stakeholders and non-technical audiences.

Role Outcome

The Services Infrastructure Manager will establish and maintain a globally consistent, secure, resilient and modern Database and Application Services platform, supported by strong technical SMEs and engineers.

The ultimate objective is to evolve the team from a primarily reactive database and application support function into a proactive, technically-led and increasingly automated Services Engineering organisation, where:

Technical Ownership → Reliability → Security → Monitoring → Automation → Continuous Improvement → Business Enablement

are embedded into the way services are designed, operated and improved.