Senior Specialist: Data Science

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

To provide specialist advice and support on data analyst delivery, methods and techniques; enabling the construction, maintenance and expansion of data analysis. Apply data mining techniques, statistical analysis, and building high quality machine learning models integrated with our business decisions e.g., products, sales and customer experience delivery. The role will be a senior agile collaborator within a team of specialist data scientists to help Absa discover the insights hidden in its vast amounts of data, and help enable smarter decisions to deliver better products and services. The senior data scientist will be expected to take on the most complex projects and also provide technical mentoring and coaching for other team members.

Job Description

Key accountabilities

• Solve key challenges with data linkage and digitization by exploring opportunities in disruptive new technology to grow a data-centric culture. 

• Building both predictive and prescriptive machine learning models that will assist with increasing strategic and competitive advantage. All solutions must meet minimum criteria in terms of commercial uplift or increases in efficiencies.

• Partner with internal as well as third party providers of data to expand available datasets

• Provide mentoring to junior team members, through planned interventions as well as by providing guidance on the job by partnering with junior team members

• Ensure that all applicable data risk management standards and policies are adhered too, and also play an active role in the creation, implementation, and maintenance of robust model governance to ensure uniformity and scale of all data models produced.

• Partner with business to solve challenges through data science and also actively partake in the creation of a data science community in the broader organisation by sharing knowledge and skills.

Requirements:

• Degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or related field.
• Proven experience as a Data Scientist or similar role, with at least 3 years in a senior position.
• Solid understanding of machine learning techniques and algorithms, such as regression, classification, clustering, and deep learning.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or Scala; experience with SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate business questions into analytical problems and solutions.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively interact with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and big data technologies (Hadoop) is a plus.

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Statistics, Bachelor Honours Degree: Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised