Senior Specialist: Data/Information Architect at The South African Revenue Service (SARS)

Job Purpose

To provide expertise, advice and support in practice formulation and associated best practice improvement tactics, by providing the development and execution of architectures, policies, practices and procedures that properly manage the full data lifecycle needs of the enterprise, in order to ensure its coherence, availability, accuracy and security so that the information needs of the organisation can be met, thereby enabling tactical translation and operational implementation.

Responsible for the data domain as a key domain within the overall enterprise architecture, specifically responsible for the design, creation, deployment and management of the organisation's data architecture and for defining and modelling the manner in which data is to be stored, consumed, integrated and managed by different data entities, IT systems and applications.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

Bachelor’s degree: Information Tech & Computer Science AND 8-10 years' experience in Data Architecture environment, of which 3-4 years ideally at operational specialist level.

OR

Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND IT Qualification (s) / Certification (s), and 8-10 years’ experience in Data Architecture environment AND additional requirements specified in Min Functional requirements, where applicable.

#Alternative

Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND 15 years’ experience Data Architecture.

Minimum Functional Requirements

• At least 5 years’ experience in a Data Architecture discipline.  Experience and knowledge Enterprise Architecture frameworks, Toolsets and MS Office.  Relevant Architecture Certification (Togaf).  Modelling and mapping technical skills.

Job Outputs:

Process

• Conduct audits to ensure compliance with data security and quality requirements.
• Define data and information standards, catalogues, policies, capabilities, future states etc. for approval via the appropriate governance structures i.e. Architecture Review Board and/or Solution Review Board. Through multiple initiatives, drive the rationalization of the data environment for optimised strategic delivery.
• To define and manage baseline data architecture landscape (AS IS)
• Definition and Management of Future State Data Architecture To define and manage  target data architecture landscape (To be)
• Determine and maintain an enterprise data architecture framework including the enterprise data model, information value chain analysis, logical and physical data models, and give input to business analysts on new or changed systems requirements.
• Develop and maintain a metadata architecture including standards, integration, storage, sharing, queries, reporting, managing glossaries, dictionaries and directories, and metadata repositories.
• Develop and maintain the data strategy, estimating value of data, data management costs and justify the data management strategy.
• Develop and maintain the enterprise data model, including the logical and the physical data models, review data models and database designs.
• Ensure that Database Administration and Data Security Management staff are properly trained and adhere to standards, policies and procedures.
• Ensure that there are clear engagement models with all stakeholders, and continually and carefully manage relationships with stakeholders.
• Establish and co-ordinate the activities of a data governance committee.
• Formulate standards, policies, etc. that are in line with data strategy, assess data technology evolution and recommend best fit data solutions, and plan the introduction and roadmap of such evolving technologies.
• Produce, implement and monitor data integration / privacy standards, policies and procedures.
• Produce, implement and monitor data quality requirements.
• Produce, implement and monitor data security standards, policies and procedures including access views, access permissions, password standards and user authentication.
• To analyse the gaps between the Baseline and Target Data Architectures. And do a recommendation to the stakeholder
• To develop roadmaps for the realisation of Future State Data Architectures. And do a recommendation to the stakeholder
• Validate models of data produced by systems developers ensuring consistency with a corporate data model.
• Analyse and make recommendations about improvements to specialist systems, procedures and associated area's practice.
• Contribute to the optimum utilisation of org. resources, advising on effective planning and development of area of specialisation resource plans.
• Develop a single practice area in alignment with operational activity and procedural frameworks and ensure tactical implementation.
• Draw on own technical or professional expertise, knowledge & experience to identify & recommend tactical solutions to defined problems in practices.
• Integrate business information, compare, analyse & produce reports to identify trends, discrepancies & inconsistencies for decision making purposes.
• Optimise goal achievement through tactical strategy implementation and optimisation of practises, processes & systems across an internal value chain.
• Plan for value-added, continuous practice & system improvements to deliver on objectives to enhance tactical implementation and excellence.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives; best practice implementation solutions.
• Recommend changes to optimise processes, systems, practice area and associated procedures and execute the implementation of change and innovation.
• Translate top down policy in relation to own practice area and communicate impact to relevant stakeholders.

Governance

• Develop and/or align governance and compliance policies for own practice area to identify and manage risk exposure liability.

People

• Integrate new knowledge and transfer skills attained through formal and informal learning opportunities in the execution of your job.
• Provide specialist know-how, support, advice and practice thought leadership in area of expertise.

Finance

• Implement and monitor financial control, management of costs and corporate governance in area of specialisation.

Client

• Develop & ensure implementation of a practice that builds service delivery excellence & encourage others to provide exceptional stakeholder service.
• Participate in the specialist practice community and contribute positively to organisation knowledge management.
• Provide authoritative, specialist expertise and advice to internal and external stakeholders.

Behavioural competencies

• Fairness and Transparency
• Analytical Thinking
• Accountability
• Conceptual Ability
• Honesty and Integrity 
• Trust
• Respect
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Honesty and Integrity 
• Attention to Details
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Building Sustainability

Technical competencies

• Customer Relationship Management
• Verbal Communication
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Written Communication
• Business Knowledge
• Efficiency improvement
• Application Development and Maintenance
• IT Project Management
• IT Knowledge
• Computer Literacy

Compliance Competency

• GOC Confidential
• Database Architecture (IT)
• Enterprise Architecture (IT)