Senior Specialist: Advanced Analytics (Data Scientist)

Postbank (SOC) Ltd; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

South African Postbank SOC Limited seeks a Senior Specialist: Advanced Analytics to lead the organisation’s analytics and data-science capability for assigned domains. The role defines standards, governs the portfolio, and translates priorities into executable analytics roadmaps while providing expert leadership over high-impact models and data-science solutions.

The position drives model-risk controls, stakeholder advisory, and performance delivery of Data Scientist resources, ensuring

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field required or equivalent (NQF7).
• Honours/Master’s degree strongly preferred (NQF8/9).
• 8+ years of data science, ML and algorithm experience at specialist level; 5+ years managerial experience; banking knowledge advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Translate Postbank priorities into an advanced analytics roadmap and standards for assigned domains.
• Prioritise initiatives based on strategic benefit, regulatory need, urgency, data readiness and resources.
• Lead complex predictive, prescriptive, segmentation, forecasting and ML initiatives from concept to implementation.
• Review and challenge outputs for quality, relevance, reproducibility and governance compliance.
• Present analytics findings and options to executive, operational and technical audiences.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or relevant field (NQF Level 7)

Honours / Masters in relevant field (NQF Level 8 /9) (Ideal)

Job description

The Senior Specialist: Advanced Analytics is accountable for leading Postbank's advanced analytics and data-science capability for assigned enterprise domains. The role defines analytical standards, prioritises and governs the advanced analytics portfolio, translates strategic and regulatory priorities into executable analytics roadmaps, and provides authoritative specialist leadership over high-impact models, data-science solutions, model-risk controls, stakeholder advisory and the performance delivery of Data Scientist resources.

Job Responsibilities:

Advanced Analytics Strategy, Portfolio and Standards

• Translate Postbank priorities into an advanced analytics roadmap, delivery portfolio and standards for assigned domains.
• Prioritise analytical initiatives based on strategic benefit, regulatory need, operational urgency, data readiness, risk and resourcing constraints.
• Define reusable standards for problem framing, data preparation, model development, validation, documentation, monitoring and reporting.
• Advise the Head: Analytics and senior stakeholders on analytics opportunities, trade-offs, dependencies, risks and investment requirement
• Lead the adoption of scalable analytics methods, platforms and ways of work that improve delivery quality and speed.

Enterprise Solution Leadership and Delivery

• Lead complex predictive, prescriptive, segmentation, forecasting, optimisation and machine-learning initiatives from concept to implementation handover.
• Approve analytical design choices, modelling approaches, validation methods, implementation assumptions and business interpretation for high-impact outputs.
• Coordinate cross-functional dependencies with BI, automation, data, technology, risk, operations and business stakeholders.
• Review and challenge Data Scientist outputs to ensure technical quality, business relevance, reproducibility and governance compliance.
• Present complex analytics findings, recommendations and options to executive, operational and technical audiences.

Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Auditability

• Own the advanced analytics model register, documentation standards and evidence requirements for assigned domains.
• Ensure compliance with POPIA, FSCA requirements, Postbank governance frameworks, data-security controls and model-risk practices.
• Oversee model validation, explainability, bias testing, drift monitoring, performance thresholds, version control and retirement criteria
• Coordinate audit, internal control, regulatory or assurance evidence relating to advanced analytics outputs.
• Escalate material risks and recommend control improvements to the Head: Analytics.

People, Resource and Capability Leadership

• Lead, allocate and monitor work of Data Scientist resources in line with portfolio priorities, deadlines and quality standards.
• Set role expectations, review performance inputs, coach technical capability and identify skills-development needs.
• Contribute to workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, probation input and succession planning for advanced analytics roles.
• Manage workload, delivery risks, leave planning and continuity of critical analytics workstreams.
• Promote a professional, inclusive, high-accountability delivery culture aligned to Postbank values and governance obligations.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or relevant field (NQF Level 7)
• Honours / Masters in relevant field (NQF Level 8 /9) (Ideal)
• 8+ years Relevant data science, machine learning and algorithm-related experience at a specialist level
• 5+ years Managerial / Team Leading experience
• Experience in the Banking Industry (Advantageous)

Data Analytics Capability Roadmap:

A phased skills pathway for strengthening data engineering, business intelligence, predictive AI, automation, optimisation and strategic analytics capability.

Phase 1: Core Data & BI Engineering

• Data Pipeline Modernization: Database optimization, automated ETL pipelines and stored procedures.
• Advanced Business Intelligence: Advanced data modeling, context filtering, row-level security and cloud deployment.
• Enterprise Analytics Legacy Integration: Statistical profiling, macro migration and legacy predictive validation.

Phase 2: Predictive AI & Automation

• Behavioral Modeling & Marketing AI: Binary classification and feature engineering for upsell/cross-sell propensity modeling.
• Lead Automation & Income Estimation: Regression trees, ensemble learning and automated lead generation scoring engines.
• Customer Service & Retention AI: Survival analysis, lifetime value estimation and NLP for service ticket intent.

Phase 3: Advanced Optimization & Geo

• Spatial Network Optimization: Location allocation algorithms, spatial clustering and spatial regression.
• Marketing & Media Mix Optimization: Constrained optimization, attribution modeling and marketing mix modeling.
• Strategic Leadership & Architecture: Bridging deep technical capability with executive business decision-making and architecture patterns.

Skills & Attributes:

• Uncompromising integrity, honesty, and professional ethics.
• Respectful and professional conduct at all times.
• Strong personal accountability and ownership.
• A commitment to excellence in every deliverable.
• High levels of resilience and perseverance when facing obstacles.
• Self-motivation and the ability to operate independently.
• Continuous learning and intellectual curiosity.
• Loyalty to team objectives and organisational success.

Disclaimers:

The South African Postbank SOC Limited is committed to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and equity in employment, especially with regard to race, gender and disability. In compliance with the bank's employment equity plans, we encourage and welcome applications from diverse groups from the South African Employee active population. Correspondence will be limited to short-listed candidates only.

If you do not hear from the South African Postbank SOC Limited or its Agent within 3 months of this advertisement, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful. The South African Postbank SOC Limited reserves the right not to fill the positions or to re-advertise the positions at any time.

POPIA provides that everyone has the right to privacy and it includes a right to protection against the unlawful collection, retention, dissemination and use of personal information. By applying for employment you consent to the processing of your personal information with Postbank. Your personal information and any attached text or documentation are retained by Postbank for a period in accordance with relevant data legislation.