Head – Data and Analytics

The Head of Data & Analytics is responsible for defining governing and executing the enterprise data strategy for Unitrans. The role exists to ensure that organisational data is trusted secure governed and strategically leveraged to support operational excellence strategic decision-making and the enablement of analytics and artificial intelligence initiatives across all business units.

The role provides central ownership of data governance data platforms data quality metadata management and analytics enablement ensuring that enterprise data assets are reliable compliant and fit for purpose. Through establishing strong data foundations this role enables improved insight forecasting automation and innovation across the organisation.

Data Strategy & Leadership

• Define own and maintain the enterprise data and analytics strategy roadmap and operating model.
• Position data as a strategic organisational asset and drive executive-level understanding and adoption of data-driven decision-making.
• Align data and analytics initiatives to business strategy operational priorities and digital transformation objectives.

Data Governance

• Design implement and embed organisation-wide data governance frameworks policies and standards.
• Establish formal data ownership stewardship and accountability structures across all business units.
• Ensure consistent data definitions standards and controls across enterprise systems.
• Drive compliance with internal governance requirements and industry-recognised data management frameworks.

Data Platform & Architecture

• Oversee the design implementation and ongoing management of enterprise data platforms including cloud-based data lakes or lakehouse environments.
• Define data architecture standards to ensure scalability performance security and reliability.
• Ensure integration and optimisation of data sources across operational financial and digital systems.

Data Catalogue & Metadata Management

• Lead the deployment and utilisation of enterprise data catalogue and metadata management tools.
• Ensure enterprise data assets are discoverable well-documented and supported by accurate lineage and metadata.
• Promote consistent and disciplined use of the data catalogue across technical and business teams.

Data Quality Management

• Establish organisation-wide data quality standards metrics and monitoring processes.
• Implement proactive data quality improvement initiatives and remediation processes.
• Ensure critical enterprise data supports accurate operational financial and management reporting.

Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Enablement

• Prepare and structure enterprise data assets to support advanced analytics machine learning and artificial intelligence use cases.
• Collaborate with analytics and artificial intelligence teams to define data requirements and enable business-critical use cases.
• Support the development of predictive prescriptive and automation-enabled insights across the value chain.

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Build lead and develop a high-performing data and analytics team including engineering governance analytics and quality roles.
• Provide leadership coaching performance management and succession planning for direct reports.
• Promote data literacy and capability uplift across the organisation.

Stakeholder Engagement & Business Support

• Act as the enterprise authority on data and analytics.
• Engage with Executive Committee members divisional leadership and senior stakeholders to translate data capabilities into business value.
• Manage strategic relationships with external vendors consultants and technology partners.

Protection of Personal Information

• Ensure that data governance and management practices comply with applicable laws and regulations including the Protection of Personal Information Act.
• Support internal and external audits by maintaining appropriate data controls policies and documentation.
• Ensure data security privacy and ethical data usage principles are embedded across all platforms and processes.
• Align data practices with organisational governance risk and compliance requirements across all operating regions.

Qualifications Skills & Experience

• Postgraduate qualification in in a relevant quantitative or information technology discipline (required).
• Data governance or data management certifications advantageous.
• Minimum of 10 years experience in data analytics or information management roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise data governance data platform implementation and data quality programmes.
• Experience operating in large complex multi-business environments.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of enterprise data architecture cloud data platforms and modern data patterns.
• Advanced Structured Query Language skills and proficiency in data analysis or engineering tools.
• Familiarity with enterprise reporting and analytics platforms.
• Working knowledge of data catalogue data quality and governance tooling.
• Understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning data requirements.
• Working knowledge of POPIA and its implications for data management

Behavioural Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong problem-solving capability.
• Ability to influence and drive change without direct authority.
• Clear confident communication at executive and operational levels.
• Strong leadership collaboration and stakeholder management skills.
• High levels of integrity accountability and governance discipline.