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SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICES (SARS)
SENIOR SPECIALIST: DATA ANALYTICS (DATA SCIENTIST)
Position Reports to: Business Area Head : Advanced Analytics
Division: Strategy Enablement & Modernisation
Location: Head Office - Brooklyn
Advert Closing Date: 30 September 2026
About the Position
The Senior Specialist in Data Analytics will be involved in all steps in the Machine Learning lifecycle and conducting analysis to identify industry trends and best practices. They will also develop implementation plans and provide strategic advice to achieve business objectives.
Job Purpose
As a Senior Specialist (Data Scientist) at SARS, you will lead a team of Data Scientists to design, build, and deploy data science solutions in support of SARS’ strategic objectives and Modernisation programme. Your leadership will be pivotal in identifying trends and best practices, developing actionable implementation plans, and providing strategic advice to drive business objectives and enhance organisational performance.
Education and Experience
Minimum Qualification & Experience Required
Honours / Postgraduate Diploma (NQF 8) in Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science AND 10-12 years' experience in Data Analytics environment, of which 3-4 years specialist level.
Alternative #
Bachelor's Degree /Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science AND 12 - 15 years' experience in Data Analytics environment, of which 3-4 years specialist level.
Minimum Functional Requirements
- Advanced experience in Data Science/ Data Engineering / Business Data Intelligence.
- Expert technical expertise regarding the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle.
- Advanced applied knowledge of, and experience with Data tools and platforms (SQL or equivalent, etc.), programming (R, Python, Spark etc.).
- Expert applied knowledge of statistics and experience using statistical packages for analysing datasets (SPSS, SAS, R etc.).
- Expert Data warehouse knowledge.
Additional Minimum Functional Requirements
- Advanced Statistical Analysis and Computational Modelling
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
- Data Preparation and Feature Engineering
- MLOps and Model Lifecycle Management
- Model Validation, Explain ability and Responsible AI
- Enterprise Data Platforms and Scalable Processing
- Advanced Data Visualisation and Analytical Communication
- Business Problem Formulation and Value Measurement
- Technical Leadership, Quality Assurance and Mentoring
Job Outputs:
Process
- Analyse and make recommendations about improvements to specialist systems, procedures, policies and practices.
- Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives; developing best practice solutions.
- Recommend changes to optimise processes, systems, practice areas and associated procedures and execute the implementation of change and innovation.
- Influence and communicate across business areas impacted by practice area to minimise resistance and ensure onboarding of new thinking.
- Integrate business information, compare, analyse and produce reports to identify trends, discrepancies and inconsistencies for decision making purposes.
- Draw on own technical or professional expertise, knowledge and experience to identify and recommend strategic or tactical solutions to defined problems in practices.
- Note potential problems and obstacles, accumulate supporting data and initiate actions to prevent or overcome predicted problems as may be identified.
- Constantly monitor the integrity and quality of data and processes to identify deficiencies and facilitate improvement.
- Review the effectiveness of related approaches and methodologies by conducting research, and best practice benchmarking initiatives.
- Conduct assessments and use information to advise, make recommendations and facilitate improvement.
- Communicate the results of their analysis and findings by using data visualisation techniques with both internal and external customers.
- To research best practices and support the development of the solutions and recommendations for the current business operations.
Governance
- Develop and/or align governance and compliance policies in own practice areas to identify and manage risk exposure liability.
People
- Provide specialist know-how, support, advice and leadership in area of expertise.
Finance
- Implement and monitor financial control, management of costs and corporate governance in area of specialisation.
Client
- Develop and ensure implementation of own practices to build delivery excellence, encouraging others to provide exceptional stakeholder service.
- Participate in the specialist practice community and contribute positively to organisation knowledge management.
- Provide authoritative, specialist expertise and advice to internal and external stakeholders.
Behavioural Competencies
- Problem Solving and Analysis
- Analytical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Commitment to Continuous Learning
- Conceptual Ability
- Accountability
- Adaptability.
- Diversity Awareness
- Expertise in Context
- Fairness and Transparency
- Honesty and Integrity
- Organisational Awareness
- Respect
- Trust
Technical Competencies
- Business Knowledge
- Creative and Innovative thinking
- Data Analysis
- Data Analytics and Computational Modelling
- Data Analytics through the use of statistical and computational techniques and tools
- Data Collection and Analysis
- Database Design and Management
- Data Visualization
- Efficiency improvement
- Functional Policies and Procedures
- Information management
- Policy Development
- Reporting
Compliance Competency
- GOC Confidential
Employment Equity
The Employment Equity policy of SARS will be considered as part of the recruitment and selection process and Persons with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will be required to undertake an oath of secrecy, pre-employment screening, case study, pre-assessment, psychometric assessment and/or vetting, and a declaration of private interest. The appointment is also subject to appropriate reference(s) and security clearance where applicable.
