Principal, Infra Mainframe Storage

Responsibilities

• Lead IBM Z storage architecture across DASD, flash, tape, SAN, and replication services.
• Define enterprise storage standards, naming conventions, capacity models, and resilience policies.
• Serve as design authority for Mainframe storage upgrades, refreshes, change implementation, and DR testing.
• Design and maintain GDPS Metro and XRC replication architecture, topology, and failover processes.
• Own SMS policy design aligned to data lifecycle, retention, resilience, and capacity requirements.
• Define HSM migration, backup, and recall policies to optimise cost, recovery, and performance.
• Design zFS layouts for z/OS UNIX workloads, including zCX where needed.
• Evaluate new storage technologies for fit, risk, compliance, and enterprise adoption.
• Advise vendors on storage roadmaps, capacity, and refresh planning.
• Maintain clear storage architecture documents, design records, and as-built diagrams.
• Configure, validate, tune, and troubleshoot DS8000 storage platforms and copy services.
• Maintain GDPS scripts and validate configurations after every hardware change.
• Own IODF/HCD storage definitions and validate paths before IPLs and hardware changes.
• Troubleshoot storage path, channel, and IOS issues during changes and incidents.
• Lead storage capacity planning using RMF, SMF 42, and DS8000 performance metrics.
• Validate tape subsystem connectivity, paths, definitions, and cabling.
• Provide executive reporting on storage health, capacity, replication, and risk.
• Review MSP design documents, diagrams, reports, plans, RCAs, and changes.
• Monitor MSP stability and use incident trends, repeat changes, and drift to drive service improvements.
• Lead MSP service reviews for technical standards and delivery quality on Mainframe Storage.
• Experience and Qualifications
• 15+ years of experience in IBM Z environments, including 10+ years in senior storage architecture, engineering, or infrastructure roles.
• Expertise in IBM DS8000 and DS8900, including volume management, copy services, microcode lifecycle, and performance optimisation.
• Proven experience with GDPS Metro and/or XRC in regulated production environments.
• Strong DFSMS expertise, including ACS routines, storage groups, class design, and SMS-managed tape.
• Strong DFSMShsm expertise in migration, backup, recall, CDS management, and tiered storage.
• Working knowledge of IBM TS7700 and TS4500 tape subsystems, including grid, library, and encryption concepts.
• Experience in storage performance analysis, monitoring, and reporting using RMF, SMF type 42, and DS8000 metrics.
• Experience supporting major hardware refreshes, including path migration, fabric re-zoning, and GDPS revalidation.
• Technical Skills - Must Have
• Domain
• Required knowledge
• DASD
• DS8000/DS8900, FlashSystem, volume management, copy services, PAV/HyperPAV
• Replication
• GDPS Metro/XRC, Metro Mirror, Global Mirror, consistency groups
• SMS
• ACS routines, storage groups, management/data/storage classes, SMS

Benefits

Additional Information

About Northern Trust: Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889. Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world's most successful individuals, families, and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world's most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service. About Northern Trust: Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889. Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world's most successful individuals, families and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world's most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service. We are seeking a Principal Mainframe Storage Architect to lead IBM Z storage design, resilience, and governance across production, DR, and test platforms. You will lead storage architecture standards, change governance, upgrades, performance, risk, and compliance across storage, sysprog, infrastructure, and operations teams. . The role includes governing the Managed Service Provider, reviewing designs and changes, setting engineering standards, validating deliverables, and driving quality across production, DR, and test environments. The role supports a mission-critical banking platform with a focus on availability, DR, stability, audit readiness and service resilience. Key Skills and Expertise Key skills include IBM Z storage, DS8000/DS8900, GDPS, DFSMS, DFSMShsm, FICON, SAN, TS7700, TS4500, z/OS, disaster recovery, capacity planning, performance tuning, and compliance.

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