Group Analyst Data Integration and Development
Aspen Pharma Group
2026/03/31 Durban North
JOB PURPOSE:
Operational role in the Group Digital Technology team. The Group Analyst: Data Integration & Development role is responsible for supporting and improving Aspen’s data integration interfaces and custom-built solutions that enable seamless process execution and reliable data flow across the group’s business entities. The role delivers secure, scalable, and well-governed integrations and lightweight custom applications/components that compliment Aspen’s core platforms (e.g., ERP, Manufacturing, Quality, Commercial, Analytics, and corporate systems).
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:
Data Integration, Development, and Delivery
• Build, based on signed-off designs from the solution architecture team, and maintain integrations (real-time, near-real-time, and batch) across Aspen platforms and third parties. Management of service providers for more complex interfaces.
• Develop APIs and integration flows using approved integration platforms (e.g., iPaaS/ESB/API gateway tooling as applicable).
• Implement data transformation and mapping logic (XML/JSON/CSV), including validation, error handling, retries, and reconciliation.
• Produce integration artefacts: interface specifications, mapping documents, sequence diagrams, and operational runbooks.
• Ensure consistent use of enterprise integration patterns (API-led, event-driven, message-based, ETL/ELT), aligned with Aspen standards.
Custom Development (Business-Enablement Solutions)
• Develop and support custom components such as:
o microservices / lightweight APIs,
o workflow automations,
o integration utilities,
o Basic AI enablement
o PowerApps
o reporting extraction tools,
o custom portals/forms (where approved),
o extensions to enterprise platforms (within governance limits).
• Build solutions using secure coding practices, reusable components, and standard frameworks.
• Participate in solution design to ensure custom development is justified, supportable, and cost-effective versus configuration or COTS options.
• Maintain clean documentation, version control, packaging, and release notes for custom deliverables.
Operational Support and Service Management Alignment
• Provide BAU support for integrations and custom applications:
o triage incidents,
o identify root causes,
o implement fixes,
o support post-incident reviews and preventive actions.
• Monitor integration health, queues, job schedules, API performance, and pipeline failures using available monitoring/logging tools.
• Ensure support readiness through accurate runbooks, knowledge articles, and escalation paths.
• Adhere to ITSM processes: incident, problem, and change, thereby ensuring compliance with change governance and documentation standards.
Security, Compliance, and Quality Assurance
• Ensure all integrations and custom developments align with Aspen security requirements (authentication, authorization, encryption, secrets handling).
• Support compliance obligations typical in regulated environments (e.g., audit trails, controlled access, validation evidence where applicable).
• Participate in testing activities, including unit tests, integration tests, regression tests, performance tests, and UAT support.
• Ensure traceability from requirements to delivered solution and support audit evidence requests when required.
Continuous Improvement and Standardisation
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual work through automation, standard connectors, and reusable patterns.
• Improve reliability by reducing single points of failure and strengthening retry/recovery strategies.
• Contribute to integration and development standards: coding guidelines, naming conventions, documentation templates, and CI/CD practices.
• Support modernization initiatives (cloud adoption, API management maturity, event-driven integration, platform upgrades).
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• ITIL Foundation or relevant platform certifications (advantage).
• 3–5 years in integration development and/or custom software development experience.
• Strong experience with:
o API integration (REST/SOAP), JSON/XML, message formats, webhooks
o SQL and relational data concepts
o data transformation, mapping, and error handling patterns
o version control and release management (e.g., GIT)
o modern languages/frameworks (e.g., C#/.NET, Java, Python, Node.js)
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex integration failures using logs and monitoring tools.
• Experience with cloud-native integration and development (Azure/AWS).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps practices (Preferred).