Senior Data Technologist

Makhado Consulting; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 750 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm is seeking a skilled professional to engage in complex data analysis and financial investigations. Responsibilities include supervising database programming, ensuring data integrity, and facilitating communication with stakeholders. Candidates must have a relevant university degree and significant experience in analytical roles, alongside proficiency in tools like Power BI and SAS. This position demands strong quantitative skills and the ability to work with diverse teams to support forensic inquiries in financial matters.

Qualifications

• 8 years of experience in analyzing complex financial and statistical data.
• Expertise in economic/transactional analysis and developing analytical models.
• Knowledge of illicit financial flows and criminal activities is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Engage with teams to understand project requirements and develop necessary tools.
• Supervise database programming and provide project updates to management.
• Perform quality assurance tests to ensure data integrity and reliability.

Skills

Quantitative skills

Programming skills

Communication skills

SAS/SQL Server certifications

Power BI proficiency

Education

University degree in economics, statistics, mathematics, computer science, or business information systems

Tools

Power BI

SAS

SQL Server

Job description

Summary

Responsible for scoping, sourcing/gathering, integrating and analysing complex financial, statistical and visual/spatial data to provide high-quality forensic evidence in support of the Financial Intelligence Centre’s mandate.

Education, Skills and Experience

• A university degree in economics, statistics, mathematics, computer science, or business information systems
• Quantitative skills, as evidenced by formal training in statistics, data mining, coding to develop models and relevant experience in utilising those skills in research and/or an operational environment
• SAS, or SQL Server certifications are compulsory
• Proficiency in Power BI, from basic data visualisation to advanced data modelling and analysis, will be preferable
• 8 years of experience in scoping, sourcing, integrating and analysing complex financial, statistical and visual/spatial data, including data mining, modelling and coding
• Expertise in economic/transactional analysis and developing mathematical/statistical models through coding and data mining
• Knowledge of financial flows, particularly illicit financial flows, and an understanding of the illicit economy and criminal activities that generate illicit finances – an advantage
• Communication skills, both written and verbal
• Confidence and credibility to persuasively interact at all levels within the organisation and with clients
• Presentation skills
• PowerBI and other business intelligence software skills
• Programming skills
• Prior knowledge of FIC systems and data structures will be an added advantage

Key Performance Areas

• Data Engagement and Requirements Analysis
• Engage with business teams to understand project requirements
• Supervise and perform database programming for new and existing projects
• Provide project updates, support and metrics to managers and team members as required
• Identify and develop sources of information by creating relationships with possible sources
• Create own management tools to facilitate the information gathering process
• Disseminate information requested (once approved) as per agreed timelines and specifications
• Ensure aggregation and utilisation of relevant data streams
• Supervise the writing of scripts, stored procedures and functions for analytical procedures
• Perform quality assurance tests for ensuring data integrity and quality
• Resolve database problems, queries and error reports accurately and timely
• Plan and implement data integration and data migration activities
• Plan personal work execution to achieve milestones of agreed deliverables
• Provide valid inputs in database architectural discussions
• Identify process improvements for database performance, reliability and stability; troubleshoot complex database issues timely
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of process improvements
• Prepare database functional and design specifications
• Test database systems and perform bug fixes
• Maintain accurate and complete database programming documentation
• Design models to detect anomalies in data based on project specifications

Data Engagement and Requirements Analysis

• Engage with business teams to understand project requirements
• Supervise and perform database programming for new and existing projects
• Provide project updates, support and metrics to managers and team members as required
• Identify and develop sources of information by creating relationships with possible sources
• Create own management tools to facilitate the information gathering process
• Disseminate information requested (once approved) as per agreed timelines and specifications
• Ensure aggregation and utilisation of relevant data streams
• Supervise the writing of scripts, stored procedures and functions for analytical procedures
• Perform quality assurance tests for ensuring data integrity and quality
• Resolve database problems, queries and error reports accurately and timely
• Plan and implement data integration and data migration activities
• Plan personal work execution to achieve milestones of agreed deliverables
• Provide valid inputs in database architectural discussions
• Identify process improvements for database performance, reliability and stability; troubleshoot complex database issues timely
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of process improvements
• Prepare database functional and design specifications
• Test database systems and perform bug fixes
• Maintain accurate and complete database programming documentation
• Design models to detect anomalies in data based on project specifications
• Apply diagnostic ability to determine the impact of multiple part chains on events to formulate a hypothesis
• Act as a technical reference and provide mentorship/coaching and ensure transfer of skills to colleagues
• Review the work of the data analysis team
• Prepare complex reports containing possible inferences and conclusions for medium‑term planning purposes
• Develop document templates that reflect data checks and provide guidance on data inclusion and exclusion during analyses, supporting auditability and compliance
• Guide and conduct briefings and presentations with internal and external FIC stakeholders and clients
• Perform any other data analysis as and when required
• Develop data reports by mining big data sets and conducting complex analysis to provide insights that meet stakeholder requirements
• Provide guidance to the team to understand different relevant databases to effectively link them to the related analytical reports and crime under analysis or investigation
• Ensure that any other data analysis requests are performed as and when required by management
• Perform any other duties as required

Database Programming and Development

• Guide and conduct the execution of database programming for new and existing projects, writing scripts, stored procedures and functions to support complex analytical procedures related to financial data and solving financial crimes
• Plan and implement data integration and data migration activities to support forensic investigations, ensuring seamless and secure data handling
• Provide valid input in database architectural discussions, contributing to the design and optimisation of robust and scalable database systems

Data Quality Assurance and Problem Resolution

• Guide and conduct quality assurance tests to ensure data integrity and quality, maintaining the reliability of forensic evidence used in investigations
• Resolve database problems, queries and error reports promptly and accurately, minimising downtime and ensuring data availability for ongoing investigations
• Identify process improvements for database performance, reliability and stability, enhancing the overall effectiveness of data management within the FIC

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Supervise the design of models to detect anomalies in data based on project specifications, contributing to the identification of suspicious financial activities and potential financial crimes
• Apply diagnostic skills to identify multiple relationships and causal links, formulating hypotheses to support forensic investigations
• Prepare complex reports containing inferences and conclusions for medium‑term planning purposes, providing actionable insights to law enforcement agencies

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Conduct briefings and presentations with internal and external FIC stakeholders and clients, effectively communicating data findings, methodologies and implications for ongoing investigations
• Ensure dissemination of approved information as per agreed timelines and specifications, ensuring that data is shared responsibly and in a timely manner to support law enforcement activities

Planning and Execution

• Plan team’s work execution to achieve milestones of agreed deliverables, ensuring timely and accurate completion of tasks related to forensic data management and analysis
• Ensure any other data analysis as required by management, demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness to evolving investigative needs
• Allocate and review the work/output of the team