Specialist: Data Analytics (Data Engineer) (X2) at The South African Revenue Service (SARS)

Job Purpose

• The purpose of the Specialist: Data Analytics (Data Engineer) role is to analyse data and prepare it in such a way to achieve business objectives. This involves monitoring data integrity, identifying deficiencies, and recommending improvements. The role requires integrating business information, producing reports, and developing tactical solutions to enhance processes and systems. The specialist will also conduct research, benchmark best practices, and translate policies to ensure continuous improvement and effective decision-making.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

• Relevant Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) preferably in Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science or related qualification AND 8 - 10 years' experience within a Data Analytics environment of which 3 - 4 years at a junior specialist level.

Alternative

• Senior Certificate (NQF 4) with 15 years of related experience within a Data Analytics environement.

Minimum Functional Requirements

• Advanced experience in Data Engineering / Business Data Intelligence
• Expert technical expertise regarding the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle, with the ability to create Data pipelines or Datasets as inputs to ML models. 
• Advanced applied knowledge of, and experience with, Data tools and platforms (SQL with SSIS and SSAS experience or equivalent, etc.)
• Expert applied knowledge of Data Engineering, Data Lineage
• Advanced applied knowledge and experience with Mathematics and/or Statistics
   

Job Outputs:

Process

• Analyse and make recommendations about improvements to specialist systems, procedures and associated areas practice.
• Conduct assessments and use information to advise, make recommendations and facilitate improvement.
• Constantly monitor the integrity and quality of data and processes to identify deficiencies and facilitate improvement.
• 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 and experience to identify and recommend tactical solutions to defined problems in practices.
• Integrate business information, compare, analyse and produce reports to identify trends, discrepancies and inconsistencies for decision making purposes.
• Note potential problems and obstacles, accumulate supporting data and initiate actions to prevent or overcome predicted problems as may be identified.
• Optimise goal achievement through tactical strategy implementation and optimisation of practises, processes and systems across an internal value chain.
• Plan for value-added, continuous practice and system improvements to deliver on objectives to enhance tactical implementation and excellence.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use them to develop best-fit alternatives and best practice implementation solutions.
• Research and support workable recommendations/solutions that meet business needs through information analysis.
• Review the effectiveness of related approaches and methodologies by conducting research and best practice benchmarking initiatives.
• Translate top-down policy in relation to own practice area and communicate impact to relevant stakeholders.
• Undertake information gathering, research, and analyse data within broad guidelines to produce accurate plans and / or recommendations for business issues.

Governance

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

People

• Provide specialist know-how, support, advice, and leadership in the area of expertise.

Finance

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

Client

• 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

• Accountability - Manages and evaluates the activities of self, others, and the business area
• Adaptability - Applies rules flexibly
• Analytical Thinking - Sees multiple relationships
• Attention to Detail - Monitors work product
• Commitment to Continuous Learning - Keeps current with customers business
• Fairness and Transparency - Management and review
• Honesty and Integrity - Work to build commitment and engagement to improve the behaviour
• Organisational Awareness - Directs and guides organisational culture and practices towards realising business results
• Problem Solving and Analysis - Tactical analysis
• Respect - Constructive engagement
• Trust - Displays strong levels of commitment and trust

Technical competencies

• Data Management (Data Collection, Cleansing and wrangling, Data Pipelines, Data Principles, Performance Optimisation and Big Data Technologies.)
• Experience and application of MLOps would be beneficial
• Business Knowledge (Ability to understand a business problem and how to solve with data)
• Creative and Innovative thinking
• Efficiency improvement

Functional Policies and Procedures

• Policy Development
• Reporting
• Computer Literacy
• Data Collection and Analysis
• Data  Integrity
• Statistical and Mathematical Analysis
• System Thinking