Commercial Business Analytics Lead

We are seeking a highly skilled Commerce Analytics Lead to act as a critical bridge between business units and IT, ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment of analytics initiatives with business objectives across South Africa and key African markets, including Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, and Eswatini. This role demands a strong combination of business engagement skills, analytics expertise, and governance capabilities, with a focus on demand management, financial oversight, and data stewardship, as well as taking ownership of driving Data Literacy & Data Asset Utilisation in the business.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Business Engagement and Demand Management:
   1. Act as the primary point of contact between business stakeholders and IT for analytics projects and enhancements.
   2. Capture, assess, and prioritize demand from business units, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy.
   3. Collaborate with stakeholders across various African markets to understand local needs and tailor solutions accordingly. Engage at a Country Managing Director and Functional Director Level.
   4. Identify data and analytic competency gaps and set up sessions with the relevant Data Product Owners or external vendors.
2. Project and Enhancement Management:
   1. Manage analytics-related projects, ensuring oversight with the project delivery leads to drive value and align with business objectives.
   2. Evaluate the scope and impact of demands, categorizing them as projects or enhancements.
   3. Coordinate with IT to translate business requirements into technical deliverables.
3. Financial Oversight:
   1. Oversee Capex and Opex management for analytics initiatives.
   2. Filter and assess quotes from vendors, ensuring cost-effectiveness and value.
   3. Handle administrative tasks related to financial tracking and reporting.
4. Data Stewardship and Quality Management:
   1. Serve as a Data Steward, ensuring the accuracy, quality, and reliability of business-critical data.
   2. Support compliance with data quality standards, collaborating with IT and business units.
   3. Monitor and resolve data integrity issues in collaboration with the AMS/Data Quality team to maintain trust in analytics outputs.
   4. Data Asset Utilisation - ensure clarity on who should be using these and why, and ensure adoption such as training is provided.
5. Governance and Compliance:
   1. Lead governance activities related to BI AMS (Application Managed Services), Digital Factory (DF), and business processes.
   2. Conduct regular access reviews, manage data access permissions, and ensure compliance with organizational policies.
   3. Oversee workspace management, ensuring secure and efficient use of analytics environments.
   4. Engage with various governance bodies such as the Data Governing Body and Audit Committee.
   5. Support interactions with Computer Assisted System (CAD) auditing and Statutory Auditors.
6. Stakeholder Collaboration:
   1. Engage with stakeholders across South Africa and multiple African markets, fostering strong relationships and ensuring alignment.
   2. Communicate effectively with both technical teams and business leaders to drive collaboration and clarity.

Qualifications and Skills:

1. Bachelor’s degree in business, Analytics, IT, or a related field.
2. 5+ years of experience in analytics, business-IT liaison roles, or related fields.
3. Strong understanding of analytics processes, data management, and governance principles.
4. Proven ability to manage financial aspects, including Capex and Opex.
5. Proficiency in BI tools and platforms (e.g., Power BI) and understanding of data access and workspace management.
6. Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.
7. Strong organizational and administrative skills, with attention to detail.
8. Knowledge of the African business landscape is a significant advantage.