Systems & Database Engineering Manager

Location: Verona, NY (Central NY)

Department: Information Technology

Reports To: Director of IT Infrastructure & Engineering

About the Role

As Manager, Systems & Database Engineering, you'll lead a high-performing team dedicated to delivering reliable, secure, and efficient IT infrastructure and database solutions. You'll shape a positive and collaborative work environment, inspire technical excellence, and set the standard for professionalism and dedication.

In this role, you'll manage the day-to-day performance of your teams, guide technical strategy, and work closely with colleagues across the organization to deliver robust technology solutions. Your leadership will be instrumental in mentoring staff, optimizing processes, and supporting critical business systems in a fast-paced, growth-oriented setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, schedule, and assign work to Systems Engineering and Database team members; monitor team performance and ensure proper training and development.
• Oversee administration, maintenance, and proactive monitoring of all servers, operating systems, and virtualization platforms (VMware, Nutanix, Azure).
• Independently review, plan, and evaluate operating systems and database administration; provide assistance and support to team members.
• Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of database structures, including backup, recovery, security, and performance tuning.
• Develop and maintain database frameworks for all applications, including the Enterprise Data Warehouse; coordinate database integration and support for IT projects.
• Prepare proposals and implement upgrades to maintain a stable, available, and reliable operating environment.
• Ensure high availability and reliability of critical business systems, including primary revenue-generating platforms.
• Lead and enforce change management and development life cycle processes.
• Promote and ensure accurate documentation, project tracking, and management reporting; review and approve documentation from team members.
• Foster strong teamwork and collaboration with IT, Applications, and other technical teams to implement changes, upgrades, and enhancements.
• Provide 24/7 on-call support for responsible systems, including troubleshooting, escalation, and vendor coordination; make judgment calls on resource allocation and escalation to executive management.
• Analyze workflow, assign and schedule work to meet priorities and goals; provide management with status updates and accomplishments within the database and systems functions.
• Ensure compliance with organizational standards, policies, and procedures for systems and database management.
• Assist in developing IT strategies, philosophies, and policies to support business objectives.
• Mentor and provide performance feedback to team members; promote a culture of continuous improvement and customer service.
• Coordinate ongoing maintenance and proactive monitoring of servers, operating systems, and databases.
• Partner with Applications Group to develop a clear understanding of systems philosophies and strategies to support the IT mission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Hands-on experience with systems engineering, server/OS administration, virtualization (VMware, Nutanix), and cloud services (Azure).
• Proven expertise in database management: design, administration, backup/recovery, and performance tuning.
• Familiarity with Active Directory, SAN/disk technologies, networking, and gaming/hospitality systems (a plus).
• Excellent organizational, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams and perform well under pressure.
• Availability for 24/7 on-call support, including remote and on-site response as needed.

Why Join Us?

• Lead a high-impact team supporting mission-critical systems.
• Collaborate with forward-thinking IT professionals.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• A workplace culture that is friendly, respectful, skillful, passionate, and values integrity.