Application SME (BCDR & DR Automation)

About the role

The Application SME ensures that applications and databases are ready for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) with a strong emphasis on automation. Acting as the bridge between application teams and the DR Automation function, the role drives strategy, execution, and documentation for seamless failover and failback.

Key responsibilities

• Own the application and database DR strategy, defining RTO, startup/shutdown sequencing, and data integrity requirements.
• Collaborate with owners, system administrators, and DBAs to design and implement automated failover/failback processes across all database technologies.
• Validate automated workflows, ensuring correct sequencing, dependency handling, and alignment with runbooks.
• Maintain accurate mapping of application, database, and infrastructure dependencies and keep DR plans aligned with automation designs.
• Lead technical workshops, discovery sessions, and tabletop exercises to validate DR designs.
• Support and validate DR testing activities, analyzing results to identify gaps and improvement opportunities.
• Own the end‑to‑end DR documentation framework, including standards, version control, DR plans, automation workflows, and operational guides.

Required profile

• Proven experience designing and managing application‑level DR strategies.
• Hands‑on experience automating failover and failback for applications and databases.
• Strong collaboration skills with application owners, system administrators, and DBAs.
• Experience leading technical workshops and DR testing exercises.
• Ability to produce and maintain comprehensive DR documentation.

Required skills

• Application Disaster Recovery (DR) strategy and planning
• Database DR strategy across multiple DB technologies
• Automation of failover/failback processes
• DR testing, validation, and gap analysis
• Documentation standards, version control, and runbook creation