Data Scientist

SUMMARY:
developing retail Analytical Data Assets (ADA's) and accompanying strategies for key 'Use Cases'

POSITION INFO:

This builds on the Data Scientist capabilities and is accountable for developing retail Analytical Data Assets (ADA’s) and accompanying strategies for key ‘Use Cases’ through using data analysis and predictive modelling techniques, simulation, and optimisation to discover trends, opportunities, and risks.

Key Outcomes

Evolve the Retail ADA strategy development, implementation, analysis and tracking

• Evaluate the performance of ADA strategies that will answer key business questions or discover opportunities for improvement, increased revenue or reduced costs.
• Document, recommend and present key ADA results/findings and design improved strategies that will outperform previous strategies, following the appropriate governance processes for strategy approval.

Provide forecasting and regular ADA MI

• Forecasting of key ADA metrics as per operating plans.
• Timely and accurate production of MI reports to track ADA performance and variance analysis explaining actual values against business forecasts.
• Make appropriate recommendations to address unfavourable variances.

Lead Analytical Projects

• Develop and drive project plans for major ADA development including securing resources to ensure its on-time, within budget and to-quality implementation.
• Prove the business effectiveness and/or efficiency of analytically driven implementations (Post Implementation Reviews) and based on proven results or convincing analytical prediction, recommend and implement appropriate champion / challenger strategies to continually “test and learn” to improve ADA profitability.

Contribute to quality and governance standards

• Oversee and ensure that ADA analytics are performed to the required standards.
• Ensure awareness, adherence and compliance to the Governance Policies and any other related policies and procedures.

Provide effective stakeholder and resource management

• Align ADA implementations to Business Unit resourcing requirements to ensure they’re on-time, within budget and to the required standards.
• Effectively integrate with company's stakeholders to ensure implementation practicality and business quality as appropriate.
• Coach and mentor Data Scientists, Analysts and others in the team as required.

Job Requirements

• University degree in quantitative fields like Mathematics, Statistics, Operational Research and Economics or equivalent industry training and experience.
• Proven strategy development and implementation experience using advanced data analytics.
• Experience in working in an outsourced environment and effectively implementing solutions using both internal and external resources.
• At least 5 years analytical experience on a consumer portfolio dataset (retail, banking, telecoms etc.). Retail experience advantageous.

Additional Criteria

• Deep Knowledge of the Retail Industry and its operating dynamics.
• Knowledge and application of ADA techniques across the consumer life cycle.
• Proven ability in analytics, business acumen and presenting / communicating recommendations across all organisation levels.
• Ability to work with diverse teams to ensure effective implementation of projects.
• Understanding of financial metrics in relation to ADA management and the associated forecasting thereof.
• Strong proficiency (intermediate or advanced level) in Python or equivalent analytical & statistical programming languages.
• Deep understanding of key statistical concepts used in model development, evaluation, and hypothesis testing.
• Proficiency with data processing tools like Spark or Hadoop for working with large scale datasets (Exposure to cloud platforms like AWS advantageous).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint etc.), ideally using macros.
• Ability to cross check data integrity after an initial validation exercise.
• Comprehensive understanding of portfolio fields and data relationships in order to improve the analytical recommendations.