Senior Data Platform Engineer, Technology – South Africa
Role summary
Altum takes an innovative, client-centric approach to technology, and we thrive on designing, implementing and integrating elegant, comprehensive solutions to improve client and staff experiences throughout our business. As part of our digital transformation strategy, we are investing in modern data platforms, automation and artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency, strengthen data governance and deliver better insight to our clients and colleagues.
We have an opportunity for a Senior Data Platform Engineer to play a leading role in shaping Altum’s future data architecture and developing the governed enterprise data platform required to support the Group’s strategic and operational needs. The role will own the architectural direction, design and operation of Altum’s Microsoft Fabric platform, including the ingestion, transformation, modelling and governed delivery of data from operational systems.
Working closely with business stakeholders, application engineers and Technology leadership, the successful candidate will translate business requirements into scalable data products and a prioritized data-platform roadmap. The candidate will remain hands-on, leading the development of Python-based ingestion frameworks, dbt transformation models and Bronze, Silver and Gold data layers, while providing technical leadership to a developing team and ensuring solutions meet business, security and governance requirements.
Importantly, any candidate must be aligned to the Altum core values of: Respect; Teamwork; Integrity; Ambition; and Transparency
Key responsibilities
Provide technical leadership on the architectural direction, design and operation of Altum’s governed enterprise data platform using Microsoft Fabric.
- Design and operate Fabric Lakehouses and Warehouses, maintaining clear Bronze, Silver and Gold data layers using medallion architecture.
- Develop dimensional models, reusable enterprise data products and trusted semantic models for Power BI.
- Promote data integrity through designated repositories, clear data ownership, automated validation and reconciliation, data quality controls, security and lineage.
Design, develop, test and maintain scalable data-ingestion and transformation solutions that digitise and automate business operations. Including:
- Building reusable Python-based ingestion frameworks and Microsoft Fabric Data Pipelines.
- Developing tested, documented and maintainable SQL transformation models using dbt, including controlled deployment practices.
- Analysing business requirements and translating them into functional and technical specifications for data interfaces and data products.
- Integrating data from internal and external platforms, including core business systems such as NavOne, Allvue, RiskScreen and SharePoint.
- Implementing monitoring, alerting, CI/CD and controlled release practices, and troubleshooting solutions to ensure quality, performance and security.
Deliver governed data and trusted analytical products to support reporting, operational, automation and AI initiatives.
- Enhancing and extending Altum’s reporting capabilities through the consolidation, modelling and governed delivery of data within Microsoft Fabric and Power BI.
- Identifying opportunities to use structured and unstructured data, Copilot and bespoke AI solutions to improve insight and streamline business operations.
- Working with stakeholders to define scalable data products and maintain a prioritised data-platform roadmap aligned to strategic and operational requirements.
Provide technical leadership and uphold Altum’s engineering, governance and change-management principles as the data capability develops.
- Setting engineering standards, allocating and overseeing technical work, and mentoring colleagues.
- Documenting, deploying and managing data-platform and integration solutions in line with Altum’s governance, security and change-management frameworks.
- Liaising with external IT service providers, software vendors and other parties to progress delivery or escalate issues as required.
Skills, knowledge, and experience
- To be successful in this role, the candidate must have a good standard of oral and written English, along with the following skills and experience:
- A university degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
- At least 5-8 years’ experience in Data Engineering, ideally within a Technology department and the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Strong hands-on Python and SQL development skills.
- Experience building and operating modern data platforms using Microsoft Fabric, including Fabric Data Pipelines, Lakehouses, Warehouses and OneLake.
- Experience with dbt (or similar), including data modelling, testing, documentation and deployment.
- Strong understanding of medallion architecture, data warehousing, dimensional modelling and enterprise transformation frameworks.
- Knowledge of data quality, reconciliation, governance, lineage and information-security practices.
- Experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD, together with Azure services such as Functions, Storage, Key Vault and Monitor.
- Experience with Power BI and semantic modelling; knowledge of Power Platform, API technologies and Microsoft 365 would be advantageous.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, provide technical leadership and communicate effectively with business and technical stakeholders.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder-communication skills.
- Experience within financial services, fund administration or fiduciary services would be a distinct advantage.
This is an exciting opportunity to join Altum’s global transformation function and play a central role in building the trusted data foundation that will support future reporting, operational and AI capabilities. The successful candidate will help shape Altum’s future data and AI platform, with hands-on ownership of technologies including Microsoft Fabric, Azure, Power Platform and AI services, together with a competitive salary, benefits package and flexible hybrid working arrangements.
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