Job Requisition ID: [[158879]]

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world\'s most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group\'s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview of the role:

This role reports to the GM Operational Performance within the Operational Performance team. This team sits within the wider Business Operations function of Al Futtaim Automotive.

The role holder will be crucial to underpinning our future success. As a Data Architect within our Business Operations function, you will be directly responsible for curating the data model that will drive our future business. You will be confident in bringing together stakeholders around complex challenges and guiding them to clear, tangible outcomes in relation to data quality, controls and importantly a central data model to feed our operation.

The central data model will be crucial and a fundamental remit of your role. From data ingestion, through to storage, processing, cleansing, tables management and data formats, you will be responsible for setting the vision for this and working hand in hand with our IT teams, you will stitch together the architectural direction of the business data platforms (on Azure platform) with a defined data model and categorisation framework set by you. Of course, stakeholder management remains crucial and you will bring others on the journey with you, ensuring full buy in for the future direction of our data operation.

The role is well suited to those who have the passion and commitment to define the direction and then see it through to fruition. You will get exposure to stakeholders at all levels of our business and will help transform the efficiency and intelligence of how every role within the company operates through the data model and data pipeline design and implementation.

What you will do:

Data Direction

• Work with business stakeholders and IT to set the overarching data direction for the company from a data model and data architecture standpoint (under the guidance and steering of the GM Operational Performance)
• Actively facilitate the collaboration of disparate data processing and analysis teams across the organization, bringing these groups together around a common direction, pipeline and way of working
• Define and build the underlying data model and data pipelines for automotive operations (with the support and collaboration of IT)
• Identify and promote (via business case) new solutions and architecture opportunities to enhance our data capabilities
• Push forward our AI and ML direction, giving clear recommendations and guidance (+ value benefit) of AI and ML activities

Data Architecture, Security & Quality

• Establish a fit for purpose data architecture (in conjunction with IT) built on Azure platform
• Oversee and implement upgrades to SAP data architecture and BIW (data warehouse) operations, covering financial and operational data
• Develop significant improvements to the metadata and database schemas of the business to then subsequently operate this within an overarching data model and quality framework
• Untangle the existing data structure of the business and associated architecture to ensure a clean data structure moving forward during the transition to Azure platform
• Ensure all business requirements are captured and fed into the delivery programme for future data architecture builds and decision making
• Identify and promote (via business case) new solutions and architecture opportunities to enhance our data capabilities
• Assess (and run routine ongoing assessments) of our database health and capabilities, ensuring a consistent checklist and audit procedure to drive improvements to underlying data pipelines
• Create and publish data architecture updates and directions (including architectural mapping) as required to keep the business informed on our underlying data landscape
• Enforce the highest data quality and controls standards alongside IT (creating guidelines where absent)
• Mandate and enforce data securities and safeguards relating to operational data
• Create operating procedures for data flow and control (from ingest through to destruction/removal)
• Oversee and manage all data processes for the operations function, working with IT to ensure common standards and ways of working.

Required Skills to be successful:

• Minimum 5 years\' experience in data management
• Data flow management
• SAP stack (S4Hana and SAC) and Azure data platforms
• Bachelor\'s degree in IT, Data engineering, computer science.

About the Team:

You will be working in a fast-paced and diverse environment, reporting directly to the GM - Operational Performance & Planning. This newly established function is responsible for creating and maintaining the highest operational standards across our business to create greater profitability for our business. Our remit is wide. Across the team, we work with central executive leadership and every Managing Director of our portfolio of automotive brands to deliver programmes and initiatives that have a direct impact on the experiences of our customers and our staff.
The culture within the team is dynamic and entrepreneurial. Across all of our team members we actively foster inquisitiveness, ideas and challenges to the status quo. We know that the operations of \'traditional automotive\' is shifting and we want new joiners to make their mark and play a big role in how we achieve success in the coming years as part of a multi-billion AED global business. With this in mind, you do not need to have worked in automotive all of your career. We are much more focused on your talents, capabilities and motivation to roll up your sleeves and get things done.
If you think you are up for the challenge, can make a mark and see your ideas through to fruition, then you would be a perfect fit for the team and for our organization.

What equips you for the role:

• A business or technical university degree is preferred ideally in the subjects of Computer Science, Data Engineering or any applicable data/solution architecture field. Those without a degree but with significant years of \'in role\' experience across the specified criteria also considered.
• Minimum 5 years experience in building and managing complex data landscapes
• Deep understanding and experience with SAP stack (S4Hana and SAC) and Azure data platforms
• Experienced in data mining to uncover patterns, anomalies and correlations in large data sets
• Proven examples of realizing cost benefits across the data management flow (ingest, store, process, clean etc)
• Comfortable with multiple data coding languages (eg Python, Java)
• Comfortable with query language (SQL) to run queries and data manipulation
• Comfortable with data modelling tools (ie ERWin, Visio) to visualize metadata and database schema
• Experience in managing Business Intelligence Warehouse (BIW) architectures
• Comfortable interacting with APIs (ef JSON REST) and with standard tools in relation to API layer management
• Fluent with workflow tooling (eg Github)
• Impeccable data documentation skills (parameters, models, algorithms)
• Knowledge to build multi-dimensional data models (in line with set data standards)
• Experienced in working within Azure Cloud

About Al-Futtaim Automotive
A major division of the UAE-based Al-Futtaim Group of companies, Al-Futtaim Automotive is an industry leader with presence in 10 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Our core business activities at Al-Futtaim Automotive include distribution, manufacturing, leasing and aftersales, and we are firmly established as the regional representative of some of the world\'s most iconic automotive brands: Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Volvo and RAM.
We are driven by a customer-centric approach, constantly pushing the boundaries on innovation, quality standards, and value-added service across our vast universe of customers - right from motoring enthusiasts to fleet operators to contractors. Our mission is to become the leader in custom-made mobility solutions by delivering nothing less than world-class omni-channel experiences.
We channel our local expertise and global trust to deliver one of the most comprehensive portfolios of mobility products and solutions, from passenger cars to SUVs, electric vehicles to high-performance motorbikes, commercial vehicles to industrial & construction equipment.
What keeps the company moving forward is a 9000-member strong team, with inspiring possibilities for growth, throughout the career path. This is Al-Futtaim Automotive and we empower talent to move forward.

Al-Futtaim