Lead Data Scientist

Role Purpose  

Shoprite, Africa's largest retailer, is on a mission to revolutionize the retail landscape through its digital innovation unit, ShopriteX. Our Data Ecosystems Team is leveraging an ecosystem of partners focused on harnessing the power of data to unlock new possibilities for financial inclusion and improved healthcare. 

As the Lead Data Scientist within our Data Ecosystems team, you'll play a pivotal role in this exciting journey. You'll be a data visionary, leading a talented team to identify and execute strategic data initiatives that unlock valuable insights from our vast data assets, combined with those from our partners. 

The purpose of the Lead Data Scientist role is to lead the delivery of complex data solutions and products that delivers business value while driving data as a competitive advantage for Shoprite. The role oversees a portfolio of data science projects, working across a multi-disciplinary, agile team to lead and provide guidance and technical expertise in solving a variety of use cases. The Lead Data Scientist also plays role of coach and mentor to other data scientists, enabling the function to grow the capability while creating a high performing team. The Lead Data Scientist is a conceptual and critical thinker with a depth of expertise to infer meaning from complex data and translate these in a concise and cohesive story that enables innovation and accelerates the application of best practices in a big data environment.  

Role Description  

• Contribute towards the development of ShopriteX's data strategy to deliver best-in-class analytics and data science.  

• Work with business stakeholders including senior leaders, data and software teams to identify business requirements and model and frame business scenarios that deliver impact on business-wide 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. 

• Apply comprehensive set of predictive and descriptive modelling techniques to the data appropriate to achieving business objectives which includes decision trees and association rules.  

• 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 in the above or related fields – (desired).  

• +6 years' experience in a similar role, consistently leading and solving complex business and technology problems through applying sophisticated data science techniques within a fast-paced environment – (essential). 

• Extensive experience applying machine learning, deep learning, data mining, modelling and mathematical and/or statistical concepts and methodology to support strategic business objectives – (essential). 

• Expertise in SQL, Python and data science toolkits – (essential).  

• Demonstrated experience in consistently leading and developing others whilst taking ownership for 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 environment – (highly desired). 

Key competencies and work ethic  

• A data expert with core technical or people leadership skills. Solves highly complex data problems to answer business questions using their expertise in scientific disciplines. Knows how to go deep to the very core of a problem and transform its essence into data that can be leveraged and scaled. 

• Critical thinker with strong quantitative 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. 

• Strong technical aptitude with a passion and excitement for data, new technologies and solutions and its range of possibilities, applications and value for the business.   

• 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 simplify 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 challenging work and has the proven ability to effectively adapt to and manage change. 

• Is curious and adaptable, finds agile and rapid ways of answering business questions and implementing solutions fast. Plays an integral role in building Shoprite's data science muscle, constantly finding ways to leverage opportunities. 

Our Group is committed to creating, embracing, and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. A place where everyone matters and feels included.

We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally.

Please take note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliates companies to process your personal information for the Company to consider your application for this position. All Personal Information which you provide to the Company will be used and/or retained only for the purposes for which it is collected, whereafter it will be permanently destroyed. Your information is only retained if it is required by law or where you have given consent to us to retain such information for an extended period.

If you don't hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be destroyed, securely, in accordance with South African legislation.

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