Technical Lead (Pharmaceutical Data & Analytics) (Data Factory) (JHB) at Datafin Recruitment

ENVIRONMENT:

• DRIVE strategic business outcomes while translating complex business requirements into scalable technical solutions as the next Technical Lead sought by a dynamic Healthcare Platform.
• You will serve as the primary technical expert and customer liaison for data management, business intelligence, and analytics solutions within Pharmaceutical organizations.
• The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Pharmaceutical data ecosystems, strong technical capabilities across Microsoft Azure, Azure Data Factory, and Databricks & SQL Server BI stack, and modern data platforms, with the proven ability to translate complex business requirements into scalable technical solutions that drive strategic business outcomes.

DUTIES:

Client Engagement & Project Leadership -

• Serve as primary technical point of contact for pharmaceutical clients on all data management and analytics deliverables.
• Lead direct negotiations with customers on timelines, technical requirements, resources, and project scope.
• Provide strategic guidance to Sales teams, Market Access teams, and Marketing Departments on leveraging data assets.
• Lead ad-hoc business deep dive analysis and present findings to senior leadership.
• Collect, analyse, and share data to help make strategic product decisions.
• Manage service performance metrics and implement continuous process improvements.
• Serve as escalation point for complex technical and data-related issues.

Data Warehousing & BI Solutions -

• Specify, design, build, and support data warehousing and business intelligence solutions.
• Design and maintain data models used for reporting and analytics.
• Create dashboards and KPIs to show business performance to management.
• Build various data visualizations to tell the story of trends, patterns, and outliers.
• Monitor and tune BI tools to ensure optimum level of performance.
• Ensure data accuracy by validating data for new and existing tools.
• Support upgrades, configuration and troubleshooting for business intelligence tools.
• Modify existing reports, extracts, and dashboards as necessary.

Technical Solution Design & Development -

• Design and implement end-to-end data solutions using Azure SQL, Azure Data Factory, and Databricks.
• Develop complex SQL queries, stored procedures, and data transformation logic for pharmaceutical datasets.
• Build ETL/ELT pipelines using SSIS and Azure Data Factory to integrate data from multiple pharmaceutical sources.
• Create analytical reports and dashboards using SSRS, Power BI, and other visualization tools.
• Develop Python and R-based data processing and analytics solutions.
• Design and implement cloud infrastructure solutions with focus on Azure networking and security.
• Optimize Databricks workflows for large-scale pharmaceutical data processing.
• Responsible for program design, coding, testing, debugging and documentation.
• Own the design and development of automated solutions for recurring reporting and in-depth analysis.
• Develop and execute ad hoc queries upon request for data.

Analytics & Strategic Insights –

• Help the broader team identify new features and business opportunities through your analysis.
• Identify development needs to improve and streamline operations.
• Conduct comprehensive Data Analysis to support strategic decision-making.
• Translate complex analytical findings into actionable business recommendations.

Pharmaceutical Domain Expertise -

• Demonstrate deep understanding of pharmaceutical commercial operations and data workflows.
• Navigate complex pharmaceutical datasets including claims data, prescriptions, sales data, and market research.
• Understand regulatory requirements and compliance considerations in pharmaceutical data management.
• Support market access initiatives with data-driven insights and analytics.
• Enable sales force effectiveness through advanced analytics and reporting solutions.

Team Leadership & Collaboration -

• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to Data Engineering and BI team members.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Data Scientists, Analysts, and business stakeholders.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, data management plans, and solution architectures.
• Conduct knowledge transfer sessions and training for both technical and business users.
• Lead decision-making processes and provide guidance to stakeholders.

REQUIREMENTS:

Qualifications –

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Experience/Skills -

• 5-7 Years of experience in Data Engineering, Business Intelligence, Data Management, or Analytics roles.
• 5+ Years of experience –
• Working in IT operations preferably within the Pharmaceutical industry.
• Working with pharmaceutical or life sciences data.
• 3+ Years of experience with Azure cloud platforms and services.
• Demonstrated experience supporting commercial Pharmaceutical teams (Sales, Marketing, Market Access).
• Strong experience with SQL Server BI stack (SSIS, SSRS).

Required Technical Skills:

Database & Data Warehousing -

• Expert-level proficiency in SQL, T-SQL, stored procedures, and database optimization.
• Strong experience with MS SQL Server and data warehousing concepts.
• Experience with Data Modelling, Dimensional Modelling, and Schema Design.
• Knowledge of databases and data storage systems.

ETL & Integration -

• Advanced experience with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) for ETL package design and implementation.
• Strong experience with Azure Data Factory for cloud-based data orchestration.
• ETL best practices and data integration patterns.

Business Intelligence & Reporting -

• Proven ability to create complex analytical reports using SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).
• Strong experience with SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) for OLAP cubes and tabular models.
• Proficiency in Power BI for dashboard creation and data visualization.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills including Power Pivot add-in for Data Analysis.

Programming & Scripting -

• Proficiency in Python for data processing, analysis, and automation.
• Experience with R language for statistical analysis.
• Working knowledge of C# and Visual Basic for application development.
• Strong T-SQL scripting capabilities.

Cloud & Infrastructure -

• Strong experience with Azure SQL and cloud-based data platforms.
• Experience with Databricks for large-scale data processing and analytics.
• Solid understanding of Azure networking, security, and infrastructure design.
• Knowledge of computer systems, security, network and systems administration.
• Firm grasp on IT infrastructure and operations best practices.

Preferred to have –

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field.
• Azure Certifications (Azure Data Engineer Associate, Azure Solutions Architect).
• Microsoft Certifications in SQL Server, Power BI, or related technologies.
• Databricks Certification.
• Experience with IQVIA data sources or similar commercial pharmaceutical data platforms.
• Knowledge of Machine Learning and advanced analytics techniques.
• Deep experience working with pharmaceutical commercial data and supporting commercial operations teams.

ATTRIBUTES:

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with ability to translate technical concepts for business audiences.
• Excellent project management skills and strong ability to prioritize.
• Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical thinking abilities.
• Customer Service excellence with proven ability to build and maintain strong client relationships.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Leadership mindset with ability to mentor junior team members and make decisive decisions.
• Comfortable making decisions and leading technical initiatives.
• A problem solver and critical thinker who can navigate complex challenges.