Enterprise Data Architect

Job description / Role

Our Information Technology department is a key enabler to keep our internal businesses moving forward and is continuously exploring advanced information technologies to enrich Al Tayer Group's ability to be the leading conglomerate within Middle East. This department aims to deliver internal businesses with empowering and transformational capabilities, and to create an inclusive, innovative and integrated work environment.

We are currently looking for an Enterprise Data Architect to lead a small team of professionals to set the data architecture strategy & vision, and for managing day-to-day tactical operations of the BI team. This role reports to Vice President - Applications Development with a team of 3 direct/indirect reports mentioned below:

Direct/Indirect Report:
Systems Manager - Business Intelligence
Senior System Analyst
BI Analyst

The main purpose of this role is to be the owner of the Information management strategy ensuring the design, creation, deployment and management of the organization's data. This role will play a crucial part in defining how the data is stored, consumed, integrated and managed by different data entities and IT systems, as well as any applications using or processing that data in some way aligning with overall business architecture where necessary.

Below are some of the main responsibilities and accountabilities of this role:

Strategic Roles and Responsibilities
• Liaise with relevant parties to define the overall vision, strategy and principles for business intelligence and data management
• Maintains and communicates Al Tayer's information management strategy.
• Reviews new business proposals and provides specialist advice on information management, including advice on and promotion of collaborative working, assessment and management of risk.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with Al Tayer's policies and procedures and overall information management strategy.
• Define and document the overall data architecture for custom BI application.
• Design, develop and deliver the data architecture roadmap and data strategy for Al Tayer.
• Defines and implements the strategy roadmap for enterprise data, implementation and data management for new data sources, publicly available data, business-to-business partnerships and advanced Data Analytics systems.
• Recognize and identify potential areas where existing policies and procedures require change, or where new ones need to be developed, especially regarding future business expansion.
• Understand transactional business requirements and translate them to the strategic enterprise data and process models.
• Keep up to date with changes in the industry, and suggest improvements to the data strategy and data roadmap.
• Ensure industry specific changes are communicated to remain on top of data/BI developments.

Functional Roles and Responsibilities
• Works closely with stakeholders across ATG to understand how data is, or will be, used and the implication on people, processes, products and technology. Collaborates with data consumer representatives and data solution development, integration and governance teams.
• Engage with key stakeholders and translate business requirements into technical specifications.
• Interfacing with staff within ATG to build and maintain valuable and productive working relationships and ensure that the technical direction supports short term business needs as well as long term strategy
• Be confident in presenting data architecture and strategy to both and IT and the wider business.
• Create & maintain data architecture, data management standards and conventions, data naming standards, and metadata standards.
• Perform a key management and thought leadership role in the areas of advanced data techniques, including data modeling, data access, data integration, data visualization, text mining, data discovery, statistical methods, database design and implementation.
• Maintains an inventory of information subject to data protection and other appropriate legislation.
• Lead the development of scalable data architecture for all of the BI data assets, including operational data stores and the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW).
• Develop and maintain conceptual, logical and physical data models.
• Lead logical data model workshops with business users to derive at a logical data model that correctly reflects the business
• Leading the development in line with legislative requirements and the implementation of data governance policies and practices within to protect ATG as an operating entity.
• Lead the documentation and standardization of new/existing architecture processes and data standards to ensure appropriate use and maintenance in line with quality standards.
• Devises and implements document and record management systems, including classification, retrieval and retention processes.
• Conceptual understanding on the emerging BI technologies, Bigdata, IOT are an added advantage.
• Lead the design and subsequent management of a centralized BI center of excellence for ATG, ensuring alignment with the overall strategy and quality standards.
• Oversee the development of Source-to-Target Mappings for data flowing into the BI Platform using ETL tool frameworks.
• Implement a Data Quality discipline for transactional and multi-dimensional reporting, across all responsible systems, to ensure confidence when analyzing BI data to drive business decisions as well as ensuring overall alignment.
• Maintain and improve technical knowledge through research of emerging technologies in order to recommend technologies that will enhance ATG's business intelligence and IT data management in line with industry standards and cost efficiencies.
• Develop and execute test plans to check the business intelligence and IT data management performance, report findings, and make recommendations for improvement if required.
• Participate in the root cause, problem and solution analysis of business intelligence and IT data management solutions post-implementation to ensure high performance
• Collaborates with the Head of PMO to review project performance and identify opportunities for improvement in data management, integration and duplication.
• Develop and implement standards and processes for ensuring data quality
• Liaise with external service providers and review the quality of deliverables to ensure the services provided are aligned to ATG's set standards and expectations
• Support in evaluating the services of external service providers to support ATG in sourcing and appointing appropriate IT business intelligence and data management support
• Collaborate to ensure implementation and management of IT security systems and disaster recovery plans.

People Management Roles and Responsibilities
• Has an in-depth understanding of how businesses work and make money. Is the first to spot possible future policies, practices, and trends in the organization, with the competition, and in the marketplace. Consistently applies a business drive and marketplace focus when prioritizing actions.
• Anticipates conflicts before they happen, based on knowledge of interpersonal and group dynamics. Asks questions and listens closely to all issues presented by stakeholders. Finds common ground and drives to consensus, ensuring that all feel heard. Defuses high-tension situations effectively.
• Views talent development as an organizational imperative. Consistently uses multiple methods to develop others. Stays alert for developmental assignments both inside and outside own workgroup. Readily articulates the value and benefit of stretch assignments to others.
• Creates a positive and motivating working environment. Knows what motivates different people and aligns work accordingly. Gives others appropriate latitude to get work done. Invites input from others. Makes people feel that their contributions are visible and valued.
• Lays out a thorough schedule and steps for achieving objectives. Makes implementation plans that allocate resources precisely. Looks for obstacles and develops excellent contingency plans. Uses milestones to diligently track and manage the progress of the work.
• Is energized when faced with ambiguity and uncertainty. Makes significant progress and remains calm and composed, even when things are uncertain. Manages the risk that comes with moving forward when the outcome isn't certain. Adapts quickly to changing conditions.

Requirements

Person Requirements
• Graduate or Post Graduate Degree in Information Technology or Computer Science Engineering is a must.
• Advanced degree in Applied Mathematics, Business Analytics, Statistics, Machine Learning, Computer Science or related fields is a plus.
• Working knowledge of TOGAF or Zachman methodologies is preferred.
• Minimum of 8 -12 years of experience in Data Architecture and Business Intelligence.
• Extensive expertise in Oracle/MySQL database, as well as data modeling, both logical and physical
• Must have a strong combination of technical and leadership skills
• Demonstrated experience or working knowledge of an Enterprise architecture tool, such as: Orbus iServer, Sparx EA or IBM Rational
• Extremely strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Be a business-focused, creative, innovative pragmatic and positive team player.
• Outstanding verbal, written and visual presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently, establishing strategic objectives, project plans and milestone goals
• Retail data and analytics knowledge is a plus
• Experience using with project management, ITIL and SDLC methodologies
• Solid experience with Data Warehouse and BI systems; extensive experience for collecting business requirements from customers, and transform the requirements into DB data processes and data schema
• Knowledge of relational SQL databases and SQL in at least one of the following environments: Oracle. Microsoft SQL Server or MySQL
• A good working knowledge of e-commerce and an understanding of total cost ownership of IT assets and functions
• Have a detailed understanding of key data, BI & Central Systems technologies and techniques. A good appreciation of solution architecture, software and solution delivery practices, IT infrastructure and application architecture.
• Familiarity with patterns, practices and frameworks of Enterprise Architecture.
• Clear experience of defining and delivering BI and Analytics platforms / solutions including semi-structured, unstructured data analytics and support for data science use cases.
• An understanding of how data architecture and integration architecture align and complement one another, across a broad range of integration patterns & approaches.

This role offers a competitive package with exceptional benefits and an opportunity to grow and develop in a vibrant multicultural working environment.

About the Company

Established in 1979, Al Tayer Group is a privately-held, diversified company with operations in 12 countries in the Middle East and beyond. With over 7,800 employees from 95 different nationalities, the Group has its headquarters in Dubai, UAE.

Al Tayer Group operates leading, quality-focused businesses in automobile sales and service, luxury and lifestyle retail, perfumes and cosmetics distribution, engineering as well as interiors contracting. The Groups portfolio includes several of the worlds leading brands such as Armani, Bvlgari, Banana Republic, Ford, Ferrari, Gucci, Gap, Harvey Nichols and Maserati. The Group operates over 180 stores across multiple markets in the Middle East. In addition, Al Tayer Group has investments in commercial real estate, contracting, supply chain management, precision tools manufacturing and travel agency services.