Snr Specialist: Big Data & Analytics Jobs

Position Purpose

• The Senior Specialist in Big Data Science provides guidance and support in designing, developing, releasing, and maintaining Data Warehouse and Data Mart systems, along with related applications or services like reporting for Transnet Freight Rail (TFR).
• The role involves working closely with customers, vendors, colleagues, and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for using Data Warehouse systems to improve business processes, promote the strategic use of Information Technology across TFR, and help the workforce use these technologies effectively.
• The incumbent provides leadership, vision, and direction for Data Warehousing/Data Mart systems and Big Data and Analytics, ensuring they support TFR’s business objectives and requirements.
• A key responsibility is ensuring balance and coherency between desktop/client and Data Warehouse back-end processing activities.

Position Outputs

• Strategy & Planning: Assess and develop long-term strategic goals for BI development with end users, managers, clients, and stakeholders. Conduct research on emerging technologies, best practices, languages, and standards. Make recommendations on Big Data & Analytics products, services, and standards to support procurement and development efforts.
• Acquisition & Deployment: Evaluate and select database/data warehouse components, including hardware, relational database management systems, ETL software, metadata management tools, and database design solutions. Set business requirements for BI tools, translate them into technical ones, and participate in data warehouse design. Lead BI software development, deployment, and maintenance.
• Operational Management: Direct, organize, and lead projects for implementing and using new Big Data & Analytics software tools, systems, and solutions. Lead integration efforts for merging Big Data & Analytics platforms with enterprise systems and applications. Analyze user requirements, design, code, and test using Agile and DevOps methodologies. Produce ETL design guidelines to ensure a manageable ETL infrastructure for the BI system. Ensure optimal end-user performance by establishing and executing system performance assessment processes and action plans. Provide technical support, troubleshoot BI tools, systems, and software, and performance-tune applications as needed.
• Collaborate Across Departments: Work across business and IT teams and promote the benefits of Big Data Science & Analytics throughout the organization. Encourage its use in relevant departments. Follow and improve Big Data Science & Analytics standards and best practices. Collaborate and mentor team members on methodology, design, and architecture. Provide consultation on complex projects and contribute at a high level.
• Educate and Train: Continuously educate business and IT stakeholders on basic BI principles and techniques. Train peers and staff on BI specialist topics. Network with internal and external partners. Upskill yourself and collaborate with other BI specialist teams. Participate in designing and delivering end-user training and materials.
• Management: Play a managerial role by overseeing junior Specialists in Big Data Science & Analytics, ensuring proper execution of duties and alignment with business vision and objectives. Build effective working relationships and develop data-driven solutions that help the business achieve its goals. Provide mentorship, leadership, and guidance to Specialists in Big Data Science & Analytics.
• Dev-Ops Culture: Facilitate the principle of Flow by making work visible, limiting work in progress, reducing batch sizes, minimizing handoffs, identifying constraints, and eliminating waste. Promote Feedback by working safely in complex systems, addressing problems as they arise, swarming to resolve issues, building knowledge, pushing quality to the source, and optimizing for downstream work. Encourage continual learning and experimentation by enabling organizational learning and safety, improving daily work, transforming discoveries into global improvements, injecting resilience, and reinforcing a learning culture.

Qualifications and Experience

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in IT or Computer Science.
• Certifications (advantageous): Business Intelligence/Analytics certification, Big Data/Big Data Analytics certification, DMBoK, ITIL Foundation or ITIL Service Management.
• Experience: 8+ years in at least one IT discipline (such as Data Warehouse development, Business Intelligence development, Business or Information Analytics, Application Development, or Big Data Analytics), with at least 4 years at a management level.