Data Specialist (24 month FTC)

KPMG New Zealand; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive scheme

Local and international secondments

Hybrid working across office/client/0

Flexible leave options

Paid parental leave

Professional association memberships

Microsoft learning pathways

Wellbeing benefits and discounts

Diversity and inclusion networks

Green Team / sustainability programs

Volunteer leave

Job summary

KPMG New Zealand is seeking a Data Specialist to design, develop and maintain data pipelines, data integrations, databases, and models across Azure, Databricks, and related services. You will build modern ETL/ELT patterns and curate data products for analytics, reporting and AI-enabled consumption.

You will collaborate with stakeholders to ensure trusted data, governance, and secure, scalable data solutions while supporting cloud data platform modernisation and reliable analytics across the firm.

Qualifications

• Bring strong cloud data engineering experience across modern data platforms, ideally Azure.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain data pipelines, data integrations, databases, and models.
• Build and support ETL/ELT patterns across cloud data platforms (Azure, Databricks, SQL).
• Integrate data from APIs, files, cloud services, and vendor platforms.
• Develop data products used by semantic models, Power BI reports, and AI-enabled use cases.
• Support data governance, data quality, lineage, and security.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate requirements into data solutions.
• Monitor and improve data processes for performance and reliability.

Skills

Cloud data engineering

Data governance

Collaboration with stakeholders

Azure ecosystem knowledge

Tools

Azure Data Factory

Databricks

PySpark

Python

SQL

SSIS

Power BI

Job description

KPMG New Zealand is part of the international KPMG network and one of the world’s leading professional services organisations. We provide audit, tax and advisory services to individuals, SMEs, multi‑nationals and government agencies.

Locally, we’re known for our values‑driven culture and strong staff engagement, anchored in our purpose of fuelling New Zealand’s prosperity. This purpose drives everything we do, from our client work to internal practises, all guided by our shared values of Integrity, Courage, Excellence, Together, for Better.

This role is a full time fixed term 24 month contract.

The opportunity:

• The Data Specialist helps ensure that KPMG is a data-driven and insights-led firm. The role will help develop, modernise, and support data solutions that enable reliable reporting, business process automation, operational integrations, and analytics across the firm.
• Our data platform supports a broad set of business-critical functions, including data engineering, cloud data platforms, operational data services, data integrations, semantic models, Power BI reporting, and trusted data products.
• The role will support the ongoing modernisation of our data estate, helping us move from traditional style data operations & patterns towards a more cloud-enabled, governed and AI-ready data platform.
• You will work across modern data technologies such as Azure SQL, Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI and related cloud data services, while continuing to support the operational reliability of current data services.
• The role will also contribute to improving data governance, data quality, lineage, security, and trusted consumption of data across reporting, integrations, automation, and future AI-enabled use cases.

Day to day you will:

• Design, develop and maintain data pipelines, data integrations, databases, and models supporting analytical solutions.
• Build and support modern ETL/ELT patterns across cloud data platforms, including Azure, Databricks, SQL and related Azure services.
• Integrate and manage data from a range of internal and external source systems, including APIs, files, cloud services, operational applications, and vendor platforms.
• Develop and support curated data products that can be used by semantic models, Power BI reports, downstream integrations, and future AI-enabled consumption patterns.
• Support operational data workloads, business process automations, reference/master data needs, and integration persistence using relational data platforms where appropriate.
• Produce and maintain BI reporting solutions, semantic models and analytics-ready datasets that provide accurate, consistent, and timely insights.
• Contribute to data governance practices including data quality, lineage, access control, metadata, sensitivity classification, and documentation.
• Use Azure DevOps and modern engineering practices to manage code, deployments, releases and change control.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, technology teams, data consumers, and external vendors to understand requirements and deliver reliable, scalable solutions.
• Monitor, troubleshoot and improve existing data processes to ensure performance, reliability, security, and supportability.

What you will bring to the team:

• Bring strong cloud data engineering experience and are comfortable working across modern data platforms, ideally within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.
• Have hands‑on experience building and supporting data pipelines using technologies such as Azure Data Factory, Databricks, PySpark, Python, SQL, SSIS or similar ETL/ELT tools.
• Understand traditional SQL Server, SSIS, data warehouse and operational data patterns, but are equally interested in helping transition these workloads into modern cloud-based architectures.
• Are confident working with SQL Server and Azure SQL, including T‑SQL development, stored procedures, views, indexing, relational modelling, and performance tuning.
• Have experience, or a strong interest, in modern platform capabilities such as Databricks, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI semantic models and governed data products.
• Have experience integrating data from multiple sources including APIs, files, databases, cloud services, vendor platforms, and internal business systems.
• Are comfortable working through platform transition, supporting existing operational processes while helping shape improved engineering, governance, and delivery practices.
• Have experience with Azure DevOps, source control, release processes, and deployment practices.
• Can work with business stakeholders, technology teams, and external vendors to translate requirements into reliable, scalable, and supportable data solutions.
• Are pragmatic, curious, and collaborative, with the ability to balance modernisation with the need to keep critical business processes stable.

This role is suited to someone who enjoys working across both current-state and future-state platforms. You will help maintain the data services the firm depends on today, while contributing to the modernisation of our data platform for cloud data engineering, trusted analytics, governed data products, and future AI-ready capabilities.

Life at KPMG

KPMG values diversity in the workforce and we encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply for roles, including individuals with a disability, additional mental health needs, chronic health conditions or who identify as neurodivergent.

For disabled and neurodiverse candidates, if you encounter accessibility barriers or if you have access needs and require support to participate equitably in the recruitment process, please email Emma at [e-mail].

For any general questions about the role or recruitment process, feel free to reach out to our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

We offer rewarding careers to talented individuals and a holistic range of benefits to support your life balance, whatever your circumstance. We want you to do Work That Matters, Thrive and Grow and know that you Belong here with us, at KPMG.

As a KPMG employee, we will offer you:

• Access to the firm's annual incentive scheme
• Opportunities for local and international secondments
• Hybrid working across a mix of office, client and home hubs to recognise that people have individual circumstances and preferences when it comes to where and how they work
• The ability to work from overseas and extend time connecting with friends and family outside New Zealand
• Flexible leave options, including the ability to purchase additional annual leave
• Gender-neutral support for all stages of the parental journey, including access to 18 weeks of fully paid parental leave for all new parents
• A paid professional association membership of your choice
• Digital accreditations through our partnership with Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning, with bespoke learning pathways for all employees
• A wide-range of special offers and discounts on insurances, banking services, and lifestyle goods and services
• The support, allyship and opportunity to join our many Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Affinity networks, including the Kiwa, Pride, Ethnicity, Accessibility and Wahine groups
• The opportunity to participate in Green Team activities, as we work toward reducing the firm’s environmental footprintand become carbon zero by 2030
• An invitation to join your local Social club and enjoy events aimed at bringing people together for social, sporting, cultural, family and fundraising activities
• Paid time off for volunteering and involvement in citizenship activities
• An array of health and wellness benefits such as free flu vaccinations, subsidised sporting events, free confidential counselling services, additional 5 days of Wellbeing leave to support you and your family's overall health and wellness, access to our Wellbeing portal with an extensive range of advice and resources and much much more!

We believe that diversity of background and experience strengthens relationships and delivers meaningful benefits to our people, clients and communities. Our goal is to be recognised as an employer of choice for all, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, generation, flexible work status, family circumstances, sexual orientation or disability. Further info can be found on our website.