Lead: Data Product at AfroCentric Group

About the job
Position Purpose

• The Data Product Lead at AfroCentric is a strategic leadership role responsible for establishing and managing a portfolio of well governed, high quality, and accessible data products. The role ensures that data products are designed, delivered, and maintained to enable seamless data consumption for analytics, operational processes, and decision making across the AfroCentric Group. This role plays a pivotal role in AfroCentric’s transformation into a data centric organization by driving the alignment of data products with business objectives and strategic priorities. By optimizing data usability and reducing time spent on data preparation, the Data Product Lead ensures that actuaries, analysts, data scientists, and other stakeholders can focus on delivering insights and value. Reporting to the Head: Data and Analytics, this role ensures that AfroCentric’s data product strategy supports the organization’s growth and aligns with Sanlam Group initiatives.

Experience

• 12 years' experience including:
• Minimum 7 years' experience in a senior leadership or executive role within data management and analytics.
• 5 Plus years in the financial services industry (health insurance is preferable)
• Experience with modern data platforms and tooling, data engineering & pipeline implementation, data product management, and a proven track record
• of implementing data productisation strategies.

Qualifications

• Degree in computer science, data science, management information systems, statistics, analytics, or related STEM field. Master's degree essential. 

Job Description

Accountabilities:

• Drive customercentricity: Maintain a high level of interdepartmental cooperation in order to ensure professional excellence 
• Continuously review client and stakeholder needs, satisfaction and service delivery, through review of reports and participating in and/or conducting client and stakeholder forums 
• Build and maintain an established network of internal (peers and executives) and external expert resources and partners (through professional bodies and forums) 
• Represent the brand in professional networks

Financial Efficiencies:

• Ensure all improvements made to the division or organisation support the organisation to increase profit, maintain quality and/or reduce risks 
• Where appropriate, compare allocated budgets with actuals and highlight variances 
• Continuously review cost / benefit and ROI

Knowledge management:

• Create and maintain best practice policies, approved by Executive, for area of specialisation 
• Implement appropriate communication methods (such as reporting) to ensure understanding of implemented changes and sharing of business information with staff and executives 
• Track, document and display best practice efficiency 
• Provide advice and / or training in area of specialisation as required

Maintain expertise level:

• Be a member of and make regular contributions to professional bodies, including publication of articles and research findings 
• Ensure CPD (continual professional development) or similar accreditation requirements are met annually to ensure maintained specialist accreditation

Own improvement activities within operational model of division:

• Ensure and maintain total understanding of the operational model 
• Ensure and maintain comprehensive knowledge of potential benefits and constraints in area of specialisation and compare operational performance with principles, theory and practice to enable best practice 
• Compare operational performance with principles, theory and practice in area of specialisation 
• Continuously review the integrated model with reports and experts to identify issues and solutions 
• Provide expert opinion in area of specialisation 
• Document any specialist models, improvement plans and activities intended for implementation in the division or organisation to obtain Executive support 
• Ensure that standards are implemented, and design and development work are completed within organisational guidelines 
• Continue practical work in area of specialisation

Position Specific Outputs 

• Provide a portfolio of high quality, well governed, and accessible data products.
• Ensure reduced time to insight for analysts, actuaries, and data scientists through optimized data usability.
• Provide a centralized and well documented repository for data products, enabling consistent and reliable data access.
• Ensure Governance and quality frameworks are integrated into all data products.
• Deliver scalable and innovative data products designed to support AfroCentric’s growth objectives.
• Ensure data product provisioning leveraging the Data Platform technologies.

Competencies:

• Leadership: The ability to lead and inspire a large team to achieve data and analytics objectives.
• Data Strategy: Proficiency in developing and executing data strategies that align with business goals.
• Innovation and Strategic Vision: Ability to identify and integrate cutting edge data management and DataOps technologies that drive strategic value
• and keep the organization at the forefront of data driven innovations.
• Data Engineering and Design: Strong knowledge of data engineering and data design techniques and trends.
• Balancing Commercial Acumen and Technical Judgement: Depth of understanding of the operations of the business, emerging risks coupled with relevant
• laws, rules, and regulations. A track record of leveraging expertise and judgment to create value.
• Navigating Organisational Scale and Complexity: Demonstrable experience of navigating a complex, highly matrixed organisation that comprises multiple
• business units and lines of business. Can demonstrate excellence in cross enterprise engagement, driving outcomes, delivering for their function
• and for the Group.
• Data Governance: Expertise in establishing and maintaining data governance frameworks and implementing supporting tooling and best practices.
• In particular, knowledge and experience of DataOps and Data Governance automation trends.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Effective communication and collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
• Risk Management: Understanding of data related risks and compliance requirements.
• Technology Proficiency: Familiarity with cloud data platforms, data management and governance tooling, specifically with Data Lakehouse
• technologies and related architectures.

Knowledge:

• A deep understanding of health insurance, financial services and related regulatory environments.
• Knowledge of emerging trends and best practices in data management practices.
• Familiarity with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, POPIA, AML).
• Proficiency in data related technologies and tools (e.g., data lakes, data warehouses, data visualization, machine learning).
• Business acumen and financial literacy.
• Competency Requirements

Knowledge:

• Knowledge, application and compliance to relevant legislation and regulations
• Financial and Business Acumen
• Health Care Industry