VP, Database Architecture and Engineering

bswift is a leading benefits administration company that specializes in providing tailored solutions for clients. They are seeking a Vice President of Database Architecture & Engineering to define and drive the vision, architecture, and engineering practices for their enterprise database platform, ensuring scalability, reliability, security, and performance across all database environments.

Responsibilities:

• Define and execute the enterprise Database Platform Engineering strategy aligned with product, cloud transformation, and business goals
• Drive modernization initiatives for tooling, automation, and developer experience
• Establish standards for SQL Server deployments, reliability, performance optimization, capacity management, and disaster recovery
• Lead modernization across all database platforms, including transitions toward cloud-native and managed database services
• Partner with application teams to ensure database designs meet scalability, observability, security, and compliance requirements
• Own reference architectures for SQL Server and related data platforms
• Establish best practices for performance, scalability, security, and cost efficiency in AWS
• Own and manage HA/DR architectures including Always On Availability Groups, clustering, and replication
• Standardize database-as-code practices using Terraform, CloudFormation, or similar tools
• Introduce automation for patching, backups, schema migrations, and performance tuning
• Ensure 99.95%+ availability for Tier-1 database services
• Implement and optimize observability capabilities including monitoring, logging, alerting, and proactive incident response
• Drive capacity planning, cost optimization, and FinOps practices for database platforms
• Introduce and scale modern engineering practices including IaC, CI/CD for database changes, and advanced observability tooling
• Evaluate emerging cloud-native database technologies and make recommendations for adoption
• Enforce enterprise-grade security controls such as encryption at rest/in transit, least-privilege access, data masking, and auditing
• Ensure database platforms remain compliant with SOC, HIPAA, HITRUST, and other regulatory frameworks
• Partner with the CISO on data protection, vulnerability management, and modernization of security practices
• Collaborate with Product Engineering leadership to deliver database solutions optimized for developer speed, reliability, and flexibility
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives on database strategy, architecture, modernization, and risk
• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of database architects and engineers
• Foster a culture of innovation, automation, operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience (required)
• Expert-level experience with Microsoft SQL Server (performance tuning, indexing, partitioning, query optimization)
• Deep expertise with Always On AGs, clustering, replication, and HA/DR architectures
• Strong understanding of database security (TDE, RLS, Always Encrypted, auditing)
• Strong experience with AWS database services (RDS for SQL Server, Aurora, DynamoDB familiarity)
• Hands-on experience with automation and IaC tools (Terraform, CloudFormation, PowerShell)
• Proficiency with observability and performance tools (CloudWatch, Idera, Redgate, AppD, Performance Insights, SQL Profiler, Extended Events)
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale modernization or cloud migration initiatives
• Strong leadership experience managing architecture and engineering teams
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
• Experience with additional cloud providers or multi-cloud strategies
• Familiarity with NoSQL, caching technologies, or event-driven architectures
• Experience in a regulated industry (healthcare, insurance, financial services)