Title: Director of Database and Middleware

Travel + Leisure Co.•Orlando, FL

52d

About The Position

Travel + Leisure Co. is the world's leading vacation ownership and travel membership company, with a dynamic and growing portfolio of resort, travel club, and lifestyle travel brands. Our dedicated associates help the company achieve its mission to put the world on vacation. Innovation and growth keep our work interesting and fun. Every day is a chance to learn something new and turn vacation inspiration into exceptional experiences for millions of travelers worldwide. The Director of Database & Middleware is responsible for the strategic direction, delivery, performance, reliability, and roadmap of enterprise database and middleware platforms. This role manages a team of Database Administrators, Middleware Engineers, and Consultants who provide architecture, engineering, operational support, and administration. The Director ensures robust, scalable, and secure technical solutions are designed and delivered, leveraging deep knowledge of databases and middleware architectures and best practices. This leader collaborates with IT peers and business stakeholders to formulate technology strategies and priorities, aligning platform capabilities with evolving business needs. The position requires a proactive, highly motivated individual with a track record of building and managing mission-critical data and middleware environments.

Requirements

BS in Computer Science, Information Systems Management, Engineering or related field
Leadership & Team Building: Demonstrated ability to inspire, guide, and manage teams effectively.
Strategic & Operational Excellence: Strong skills in strategic planning, goal setting, roadmap development, and process improvement, with experience in operational support (especially with managed service providers).
Problem Solving & Decision Making: Exceptional analytical skills for identifying issues, analyzing problems, and developing effective solutions.
Communication & Influence: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
Organization & Multitasking: Proficient at managing multiple initiatives simultaneously, with strong organizational and prioritization abilities.
Relationship Building: Skilled at quickly establishing trust and respect across the organization.
Customer Focus: Strong commitment to customer satisfaction, with experience managing customer relationships and expectations.
Enterprise Platforms & Middleware: Extensive experience with major database platforms (Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL) and middleware technologies (WebLogic, IBM WebSphere, Apache Tomcat, Microsoft IIS).
Administration & Optimization: Skilled in database & middleware administration, performance tuning, backup/recovery, and security.
Solution Design & Integration: Proven ability to design, implement, and support complex database and middleware solutions, including custom integrations and workflow automation.
Cloud & Infrastructure: Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), hybrid architecture, and a strong understanding of infrastructure, networking, and security technologies.
Programming & APIs: Proficient in programming languages (SQL, PL/SQL, Python, Shell scripting) and integrating databases/middleware with enterprise systems using APIs and connectors.
ITSM & Best Practices: Deep understanding of IT service management (ITSM) processes and industry best practices.
7+ years of experience in database/middleware leadership role.
Minimum of 5 years' leading teams and people management experience.
Minimum of 2 years budget accountability & responsibility

Nice To Haves

Relevant certifications preferred (Oracle Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator, Red Hat Certified Specialist in Middleware Administration).
Experience leading cross-functional teams across multiple geographic regions preferred.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership: Define and execute product vision and strategic roadmaps for database and middleware platforms, supporting new business initiatives and optimizing existing systems. Serve as the primary liaison between technical teams and business stakeholders, ensuring effective communication, requirements gathering, and collaboration across IT and project management.
Platform Development, Enhancement, & Governance: Oversee the implementation of new features, upgrades, and integrations; maintain a prioritized backlog and roadmap; drive continuous improvement based on user feedback and performance metrics. Monitor and analyze platform performance, usage, and feedback to ensure ongoing optimization and reliability. Facilitate platform governance discussions and stay current with industry trends to maximize platform value.
Training, Support & Advocacy: Provide training and support to users and stakeholders, champion platform capabilities, and develop end-user materials to promote successful adoption.
Vendor & Budget Management: Manage relationships with service providers and vendors, oversee and optimize budgets, and ensure cost-effective delivery of services.
Integration & Technical Solution Design: Identify and execute strategic integrations between enterprise IT processes and platforms, ensuring solutions are well-designed to minimize technical debt.

Benefits

Medical
Dental
Vision
Flexible spending accounts
Life and accident coverage
Disability
Depending on position, paid time off, parental leave and holidays (speak to your recruiter for additional information)
Wish day paid time to volunteer at an approved organization of your choice
401k with employer match (subject to eligibility requirements, including tenure - speak to your recruiter for additional information)
Legal and identify theft plan
Voluntary income protection benefits
Wellness program (subject to provider availability)
Employee Assistance Program