Senior Data Scientist

**Role Purpose**

**Role Description**
- Contribute towards the development of Shoprite IT's data strategy to deliver best-in-class analytics across the organisation.
- Work with business stakeholders to identify business requirements and model and frame business scenarios that are meaningful and which impact on critical business processes and/or decisions.
- Work closely with data and software teams to shape and enable deployment of fit-for-purpose, robust solutions that will scale across the company's ecosystem.
- Develop, plan and prioritise data projects and delegate assigned roles and responsibilities for execution, weighing business and technical trade-offs as required.
- Lead the development of analytics-focused products, using machine learning, natural language processing, and mathematical / statistical techniques to develop powerful sciences that delivers business value and impact.
- Work with the data scientist team to define models to be created and implemented together with the approach for implementing them and monitor for accuracy, integrity and robustness.
- Support in defining data quality expectations and provide ongoing tracking and monitoring of performance of data systems and models.
- Perform sophisticated data preparation in order to reduce and shape data.
- Identify and manage data development challenges, offer suggestions, and deploy appropriate solutions.
- Communicate and present analytical findings, results and reports to senior stakeholders, using data visualisation techniques to tell compelling stories, while tying progress to enterprise goals.
- Evaluate new and emerging technologies from which to develop prototypes and proof of concepts.
- Act as a domain expert, sharing best practices and knowledge with data scientists, analysts and cross-functional partners.
- Provide support to data scientists on complex problems, integration of findings or presentation of results, requiring high-level expertise.
- Act in a technical leadership capacity, coaching and mentoring data scientists and new team members and supporting their growth and professional development.
- Stay updated on the latest research and developments in Data Science and adjacent fields to ensure the latest technology, techniques and methods are always applied.

**Qualifications and experience**
- Bachelor's Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Information Technology, Information Systems or a related field - (essential).
- Post Graduate Degree (preferably Masters) in the above or related fields - (highly desired).
- Expertise in SQL, Python and data science toolkits - (essential).
- Experience leading and developing others whilst taking ownership for specific project outcomes - (essential).
- Experience delivering project outcomes using design thinking, lean and agile principles - (essential).
- Strong proficiency in MS Office 365 with advanced Excel skills - (essential).
- Experience in a retail, commercial or IT environment - (highly desired).

**Key competencies and work ethic**
- A data expert with the skill of practicing the art of Data Science. Cracks highly complex data problems to answer business questions using their expertise in scientific disciplines.
- Critical thinker with excellent numeracy skills - Able to collect, organise and assimilate disparate, multiple and complex pieces of data to draw sound conclusions and arrive at optimal solutions. Demonstrates an understanding of how one issue may be a part of a much larger system.
- High level of self-motivation and drive to meet and exceed on goals and expectations and engage and energise others to deliver on expectations. Comfortable taking decisions and dealing with a range of problem-solving challenges independently.
- Leadership skills - Natural leader with the ability to easily establish trust-based relationships. Coaches and mentors others to deliver end-to-end business solutions in a collaborative and professional manner.
- Detailed, organised and quality focused - Has an affinity for detail, structure and efficiency, balancing planning and execution. Is diligent and vigilantly watches over work processes, tasks and outputs to ensure accuracy while independently actioning and correcting any quality concerns.
- Strong communicator and presenter - Inspires commitment. Is able to confidently explain and simply complex technical concepts and their real world advantages/disadvantages to a diverse business audience. Able to compile visual reports that tells a concise and compelling story.
- Collaborative partner - Works effectively across functions and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Is collaborative and able to build sound, professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to work under pressure and under tight time constraints, efficiently prioritising workloads, balancing multiple and competing priorities and managing time effectively in a high-volume, fast-moving environment. Enjoys chall