Mainframe Infrastructure Storage Engineer (hybrid or remote)

• About Us

   

  The world isn’t standing still, and neither is Allstate. We’re moving quickly, looking across our businesses and brands and taking bold steps to better serve customers’ evolving needs. That’s why now is an exciting time to join our team. You’ll have opportunities to take risks, challenge the status quo and shape the future for the greater good.

   

  You’ll do all this in an environment of excellence and the highest ethical standards – a place where values such as integrity, inclusive diversity and accountability are paramount. We empower every employee to lead, drive change and give back where they work and live. Our people are our greatest strength, and we work as one team in service of our customers and communities.

   

  Allstate operate a very flexible hybrid working policy that will allow you to design your working week in collaboration with your manager with a blend of remote and office working for NI based employees as well as condensed working patterns (4 day week/9 day fortnight). Employees based in GB will be employed on a permanent remote working contract.

   

  Join our team and you’ll find challenge and reward in a culture of innovation, support and balance. 

   

   

  Location

   

  Belfast/Derry-Londonderry/Strabane/ Remote GB

   

   

  Your role in the team

   

  Think that working in the insurance field can’t be exciting, rewarding, and challenging? Think again. You’ll help us reinvent protection and retirement to improve customers’ lives. We’ll help you make an impact with our training and mentoring offerings. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to expand and apply your skills in ways you never thought possible. And you’ll have fun doing it. Join a company of individuals with hopes, plans and passions, all using and developing our talents for good, at work and in life.

   

  Executing over 30 billion transactions a day worldwide IBM Z is critical to Allstate databases, transaction servers, and applications that require high reliability, scalability, compatibility, and security. Allstate's IBM Z (Mainframe) Storage Engineers developed technical solutions which enable our business partners, customers, agents, and employees to reach and exceed their goals.

   

  We’ll help you make an impact with our training and mentoring offerings. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to expand and apply your skills in ways you never thought possible. And you’ll have fun doing it. Join a company of individuals with hopes, plans and passions, all using and developing our talents for good, at work and in life.

   

  We’re looking for strategic, innovative thinkers who excel at providing fresh, creative solutions.

   

  • Provision and allocate storage in response to the needs and requests of application and technical support areas 
  • Monitor, support, maintain, and administer disk storage and virtual tape subsystem infrastructure and software
  •  Analyze production mainframe DASD space availability; find the cause of any issues and proactively address them
  •  Manage backups and data replication across all LPARs in multiple sysplexes and locations
  •  Customization and maintenance of SMS, RMM and HSM
  • Analyze, recommend and execute required SMS modifications and ACS Routines
  • Respond to and take appropriate action on mainframe storage related user inquiries, service requests and incident tickets
  • Engage in proactive maintenance activities to ensure optimal use and availability of mainframe storage resources
  • Assist Storage and z/OS Engineering teams with implementation and upgrades of mainframe DASD and virtual tape infrastructure and software
  • Participate in the development of manual and automated procedures to increase the efficiency of the storage administration
  • Actively contribute to the implementation of IBM’s Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex (GDPS) solution
  • Administration and execution of GDPS Metro/Global Mirror scripts
  • Analyze and administer management class constructs defining retention requirements for data sets
  • Review, investigate, and administer HSM parameter library members
  • Actively participate in and contribute to disaster recovery planning and exercises
  • Participate in an on-call rotation to provide 24x7 support; be available for project and maintenance activities outside normal working hours, as needed.

   

  So, what are the essential criteria to apply?

   

  • All candidates must evidence an existing right to work in the UK
  • Minimum of 3 years of experience managing a virtual tape environment
  • Experience working with SMS, HSM and ACS
  • Experience working with RMM or similar tape management system
  • Experience with JCL coding and IBM utilities (IDCAMS, IEBCOPY, ICEGENER, etc.)
  • Experience using TSO, ISPF, ISMF

   

   

  We also have some desirable criteria

   

  • Experience implementing and/or managing IBM Metro/Global Mirror replication environment
  • Experience administering and provisioning IBM DS8K storage hardware
  • Experience administering and provisioning IBM TS7700 virtual tape storage hardware
  • SAS and/or REXX programming experience
  • Experience supporting and maintaining OS catalogs
  • Self-motivated and self-directed
  • Ability to resolve problems and implement solutions after evaluating multiple alternative. 
  • Ability to access, understand and adhere to established standards and procedures
  • Strong interpersonal, collaboration and team skills
  • Strong oral and written communication

   

   

   

  What we offer

   

  As Digital DNA’s Workplace of the Year 2020 winners, we offer a generous benefits package that includes flexible annual leave entitlement, dental and healthcare insurance, an attractive pension package and discounts on gym memberships, public transport and parking.

   

  Allstate invests heavily in your development, as an employee you will have access to multiple world-class learning platforms and courses from our award-winning in-house Learning & Development team.

   

  We pride ourselves in providing clear career paths and opportunities for internal mobility allowing you to further develop within the organisation.

   

  We encourage a better work life balance and you’ll have the opportunity to apply for various flexible working arrangements.

   

  Apply Here: https://bit.ly/3IHDqGq 

   

  Statement on Fair Employment and Equal Opportunities

   

  Allstate NI wishes to ensure equal opportunity is given to all job applicants.  This company will not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender (including gender reassignment status), sexual orientation, religious belief, political opinion, marital status, age or disability.

   

  We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. However, as women are currently under-represented in our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from women. All appointments will be made on merit.

   

  Applicants should note Allstate NI complete AccessNI background checks on all candidates offered a position.

   

   

  The closing date for receipt of applications is Sunday 20^th March 2022