Database Consultant

Senior SQL Database Consultant (Data Compliance / Legacy Systems) – 6 Month Contract – Birmingham / Hybrid – Outside IR35 £500 – £600 per day About the job Our client is looking for an experienced Senior SQL Database Consultant to lead a critical data compliance project across a complex legacy SQL Server environment. This is a true consultancy engagement where you'll assess an undocumented database landscape, identify compliance-related data, design a robust deletion strategy and implement a sustainable solution that can be used by the business going forward. The environment consists of legacy systems that have evolved over more than 15 years, with bespoke applications sitting over the SQL database. As no existing documentation or established deletion process exists, you'll play a key role in understanding the underlying data structures, ensuring data integrity and delivering a compliant, repeatable approach to data removal. This is an Outside IR35 contract with occasional travel to the client's Birmingham office (approximately one or two visits during the engagement). Key Responsibilities • Analyse complex legacy SQL Server databases to understand data structures, relationships and dependencies. • Reverse engineer undocumented database schemas and identify where compliance-related data resides. • Design and implement a robust, repeatable data deletion strategy aligned with the client's compliance requirements. • Develop, test and execute advanced T-SQL scripts for identifying, validating and securely deleting data. • Ensure referential integrity and minimise risk throughout all deletion activities. • Carry out impact analysis to understand the effect of data removal across interconnected systems. • Produce technical documentation covering database structures, deletion logic, dependencies and operational processes. • Implement appropriate validation, reconciliation and audit processes to evidence successful data removal. • Work collaboratively with business stakeholders and technical teams to translate compliance requirements into practical technical solutions. • Leave behind a documented framework and repeatable process that enables future compliance requests to be managed efficiently. Skills & Experience Essential • Extensive commercial experience working with Microsoft SQL Server. • Advanced T-SQL development and scripting skills. • Proven experience working with complex legacy database environments. • Experience reverse engineering undocumented databases. • Strong understanding of relational database design and referential integrity. • Experience delivering data remediation, data cleansing or compliance-related database projects. • Ability to analyse complex data relationships and assess the impact of data changes. • Experience creating technical documentation and operational procedures. • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. • Strong stakeholder communication skills with the ability to work independently. Desirable • Experience delivering GDPR or wider data compliance initiatives. • SQL Server performance tuning and database administration experience. • Experience working with bespoke or highly customised legacy business systems. • Knowledge of data governance, retention policies and information lifecycle management. • Experience working within regulated industries. The Ideal Consultant You'll be an experienced SQL consultant who enjoys solving complex technical challenges within legacy environments. You'll be comfortable working with minimal documentation, quickly understanding existing database structures and designing practical solutions that balance compliance requirements with operational risk. This role requires someone who can combine deep SQL expertise with a consultancy mindset, someone capable of defining the approach, delivering the technical solution and leaving behind a sustainable process for the business to adopt. If you're an experienced SQL Database Consultant with a background in legacy systems, data remediation and compliance-driven projects, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today with your latest CV and I'll be in touch to discuss the opportunity in more detail.