Data Scientist

About Discovery

Discovery’s core purpose is to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. We seek out and invest in exceptional individuals who understand and support our core purpose, and whose own values align with those of Discovery. Our fast-paced and dynamic environment enables smart, self-driven people to be their best. As global thought leaders, Discovery is passionate about innovating in order to not only achieve financial success, but to ignite positive and meaningful change within our society.

About Discovery Bank

We're the world's first behavioural bank, designed with our clients in mind. We haven't changed just one thing, we've changed everything. Our main goal is to improve the financial health of our clients by helping change how they work with their money. Through Vitality Money, our clients will learn more about what it means to be financially healthy and get rewarded for managing their money well. If you are a problem solver, always questioning the way things are done, passionate about doing what is right, have the ability to change direction quickly when needed and / or love to dazzle your clients, Discovery Bank, has a job where you can be yourself and your best in an environment that is safe and nurturing.

Job Purpose

The Data Scientist in this role will be using data mining, artificial intelligence, machine learning and statistical tools, to provide insights, analytical results and identify improvement opportunities that would need to be communicated and presented to key stakeholders. Specifically, in the process and design area of the bank, the Data Scientist must support continuous improvement initiatives through quantitative analysis of data related to current business processes and client journeys through the usage of process mining tools. The end objective is to drive the efficiency and effectiveness of complex end-to-end processes, by contributing valuable insights for the optimization of the world’s first behavioural bank; Discovery Bank.

Areas of responsibility may include but are not limited to

• Identify appropriate models / algorithms to mine large datasets and develop rich insights into client, process and performance behaviour.
• Identify key trends in large datasets using statistical and machine learning techniques to understand the impact of these trends and identify possible actions to take advantage of the trends identified.
• Analyse, communicate and present results in a way that provides actionable insights, which are practical and interpretable for business stakeholders.
• Operationalise visual reports and metrics to ensure continuous measurement of critical trends and metrics.
• Advises on improvement for processes and databases where opportunities arise across the business.

Personal Attributes And Skills

• Strong technical and coding proficiency (Python, R, SQL, Scala, SAS)
• Strong data visualisation techniques (Microsoft PowerBI, QlikView, Tableau)
• MS Office with advanced Excel
• Strong communication skills, both, spoken and written
• Relating data analysis back to business processes, and understanding their interworking
• Understand process modelling and data mining
• Ability to work with, analyse and report on data
• Ability to source data from both structured and unstructured sources with understanding of SQL Server, and/or DataBricks
• Data flow analysis and simulation through business processes and systems, with an emphasis on efficiency and optimization
• Knowledge of traditional statistical hypotheses testing and experimenting
• Self-driven, motivated and proactive individual that works well under pressure

Education And Experience

• Honours or master’s degree in either Actuarial Science, Industrial Engineering, Data Science, Statistics, Economics or Maths. Other analytical qualifications will also be considered such as Computer Science or Engineering.
• A business analysis or process optimisation related qualification would be beneficial.
• 2- 3 years’ work experience in data science, analytics, process optimisation and / or general business consulting preferably in financial services or banking industry.
• 1 – 2 years’ experience in data mining and advanced analytics are preferable.
• Work experience to indicate a basic understanding of business and / or business processes.

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY

The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.