A leading retail bank in the UAE is looking to hire an AVP Technical Data Platforms leads a team of Data practitioners – Senior Data Engineers, Data Engineers, Senior Analytics Platform Specialist and Analytics Platform Specialist.  The role is mainly an operational role, ensuring the data platforms are well managed and meeting performance requirements and user needs.  The role also is required to ensure architectural standards and patterns are defined and adhered to and optimize the data ingestion process.

The AVP Technical Data Platforms is responsible and accountable for data platforms i.e. the efficient running of Hadoop, SAP HANA, Informatica administration, SAS and Microsoft Power BI. The role is required to work closely with Business and Technology stakeholders.

This role involves ensuring the data platforms are meeting security requirements, are used efficiently by different workloads e.g. applications, data scientists, analytical users. There is also the need to audit and monitor activity. A key part of the role is resource management e.g. working with resource and product vendors scaling to provide resources to meet delivery demand. A key requirement is Servant Leadership, creating an environment where the engineers are empowered and encouraged to grow and build expertise and ownership.  The role involves team management including recruiting of FTE and contractors and ensuring individuals’ careers and performance is managed according to HR policies.

The role requires an Agile mindset as well as building an Agile culture as defined by the LEAP Strategy. The role also is required to adopt a continuous improvement approach to delivery and automation implementation e.g. DevOps, CI/CD. For example, as part of a well-managed platform, the source code is promoted in a rigorous and auditable manner.

Job Content:

Data and Platform Management
• Monitor platform capacity and usage metrics
• Capture performance metrics
• Monitor user access
• Ensure data security policy and procedures have been implemented
• Implement measures

Data Platform Utilization
• Allocate user workspace and sandbox
• Ensure data is protected
• Manage platform capacity
• Team management
• Resource planning
• Team skills matrix
• Manage resource utilization, demand, skills shortages
• Team development, empowerment

Financial Management
• Create project codes
• Ensure resources cost recover
• Ensure vendor billing is accurate
• Ensure invoices are processed in a timely manner

Automation
• Adopt Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment
• Test case automation