Senior Database Manager

About this opportunity

Executive Manager – Database Resilience & Infrastructure Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Industry: Banking / Financial Services Position Overview We are recruiting for a Tier-1 Bank based in Abu Dhabi to appoint an Executive Manager – Database Resilience. Sitting within Group Business Services, this role leads the bank's database resilience and disaster recovery strategy across all primary and secondary core infrastructure. You will manage the execution of the Board-approved resilience roadmap, ensure high availability for critical banking applications, and align disaster recovery operations with CBUAE regulatory standards. Key Responsibilities Enterprise Resilience Strategy: Own and deliver the bank's technology resilience roadmap, covering core service dependencies, backup enhancements, and out-of-region recovery readiness. Database Platform Availability: Design and maintain recovery architectures (RPO/RTO) across core database platforms to ensure zero operational downtime during major incidents. Disaster Recovery Testing: Lead enterprise DR drills and failover testing across critical banking applications, identifying recovery gaps and reporting readiness levels to senior management. Regulatory & Threat Alignment: Update the bank's threat-scenario library and embed Central Bank (CBUAE) Operational Resilience Framework requirements into all recovery plans. Cross-Functional Governance: Work closely with Enterprise Architecture, Operational Risk, Network/Infra teams, and Oracle support vendors to maintain platform stability. Team Leadership: Manage a direct team of 3–5 engineers and DBAs (within an 8–12 person department), setting performance objectives and driving project delivery) Essential Requirements Experience: 8+ years in database resilience, disaster recovery, or technology business continuity within banking or financial institutions. Technical Background: Solid architectural and hands-on exposure to Oracle Exadata platforms, including Active Data Guard, RAC, and Oracle MAA patterns. Leadership: Proven experience managing technical teams (3+ direct reports) and running enterprise-wide DR programmes. Regulatory Understanding: Strong knowledge of CBUAE operational resilience frameworks or equivalent banking regulations. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, or related field. BCM certifications (MBCI, CBCP) or ITIL are preferred.