Master Data Operations Specialist

SoluGrowth (Pty) Ltd.

2025/07/04   Gauteng

Job Ref #: SG-576
Industry: Information Technology
Job Type: Contract
Positions Available: 1
Digital Division features a dedicated Data Management unit at its core, committed to data governance and master data management. Our primary objective is to support all business activities by continuously enhancing data quality and accessibility through robust processes, skilled personnel, and advanced tools. The master data hub is a cornerstone of our strategy, serving as a single point of truth
Job Description

Digital Division features a dedicated Data Management unit at its core, committed to data governance and master data management. Our primary objective is to support all business activities by continuously enhancing data quality and accessibility through robust processes, skilled personnel, and advanced tools. The master data hub is a cornerstone of our strategy, serving as a single point of truth for critical master data, facilitating its seamless integration, secure hosting, precise curation, and efficient distribution to various data consumers, software applications, and individuals across the organization. We are seeking a highly skilled and dedicated Data Partner to delegate our Master Data Operations services and contribute to this vital function.

 

The Opportunity:

As a Master Data Operations Specialist (delegated to Data Partners), you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability, integrity, and timely availability of essential master data. This comprehensive role spans the full lifecycle of master data operations, from immediate incident resolution to proactive maintenance and strategic improvements. You will operate within a dynamic ecosystem, interacting with diverse business users and various internal IT teams.

Job Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

 

Incident and Bug Management:

  • Receive, log, and prioritize bug tickets reported by end-users or identified through monitoring systems.
  • Conduct thorough diagnosis to pinpoint the root cause of bugs, followed by the implementation of effective fixes.
  • Execute rigorous validation testing to confirm that applied corrections fully resolve issues without introducing new defects.
  • Communicate clear updates and resolutions to affected users throughout the process.

 

Change Request Management:

  • Analyze change requests comprehensively, assessing both their technical and functional implications.
  • Collaborate effectively with stakeholders to prioritize requests based on their strategic impact and urgency.
  • Design, develop, and meticulously test new features or requested modifications.
  • Plan and execute the deployment of changes in close coordination with relevant teams to minimize operational disruptions.
  • Preventive Maintenance and Improvements:
  • Proactively monitor application performance to identify and seize opportunities for optimization and continuous improvement.
  • Apply essential software updates and security patches to maintain the application's currency and security posture.
  • Update technical and user documentation accurately to reflect all changes and improvements implemented.

 

Support and Assistance:

  • Provide direct technical support to end-users, assisting them in resolving issues and ensuring efficient application usage.
  • Organize and deliver comprehensive training sessions for both existing users and new recruits on application features and best practices.
  • Collaboration and Communication:
  • Work in close synergy with other crucial IT teams, including development, testing, and infrastructure teams.
  • Maintain regular and transparent communication with stakeholders, providing updates on progress, addressing challenges, and highlighting achievements.

 

Change Management:

  • Plan and meticulously coordinate application changes to ensure minimal impact on ongoing business operations.
  • Proactively identify and mitigate risks associated with all changes and updates to the master data environment.

     

    Required Experience:

  • Demonstrable proficiency with SQL Server and SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS).
  • Hands-on experience with Semarchy xDM for robust master data management.
  • Familiarity with systems hosted on Windows 11 environments.
  • Strong understanding and practical experience leveraging Azure DevOps for comprehensive development activities, including source code management via Git, task tracking using Work Items, and deployment automation through Pipelines.
  • Experience utilizing Jira-based ticketing systems for effective management of data-related bug and change requests ("MDM Incident" and "MDM Request").

 

Understanding of Data and Business Context:

  • Solid knowledge of master data consolidation, authoring, and distribution principles.
  • Ability to effectively work with master data across six critical business domains: Client, Product, Finance, Location, Structure, and Nomenclature.
  • Experience and capability to interact effectively with governance teams composed of business users for each master data domain, contributing to data quality and policy discussions.
  • Experience managing data from multiple, diverse data providers (currently 15 different sources) and catering to various data consumers, primarily BI tools, with an expectation of growing usage by other company-managed software.

 

Key Attributes:

  • Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills for diagnosing complex technical issues and implementing effective solutions.
  • Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills to interact clearly and effectively with end-users, business stakeholders, and various IT teams.
  • A proactive and results-oriented approach to monitoring, preventive maintenance, and continuous process improvement.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities efficiently and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced operational environment.
  • Commitment to meticulous documentation and fostering knowledge sharing within the team.

 

Required Technical Skills:

Database and ETL Proficiency:

  • Demonstrable proficiency with SQL Server.
  • Hands-on experience with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS).

Master Data Management (MDM) Tooling:

  • Strong practical experience with Semarchy xDM for robust master data management.

Operating Systems:

  • Familiarity with systems hosted on Microsoft environments.
  • Development Operations (DevOps):
  • Strong understanding and practical experience leveraging Azure DevOps for comprehensive development activities. This includes:
  • Source code management through Git.
  • Task tracking using Azure DevOps Work Items.
  • Deployment automation through Azure DevOps Pipelines.

Ticketing Systems:

  • Experience utilizing Jira-based ticketing systems.
  • Familiarity with managing data-related requests, including "MDM Incident" and "MDM Request" types.

Master Data Lifecycle Knowledge:

  • Solid knowledge of master data consolidation, where data from multiple sources is combined to create a single version of the truth.
  • Experience with master data authoring, including guiding data stewards to edit data directly in the Master Data Hub (MDH) or use its interface for data confirmation.
  • Understanding of master data distribution, where the data hub provides data through its UI and API to individuals and software.

Data Domain Familiarity:

  • Ability to effectively work with master data across six critical business domains: Client, Product, Finance, Location, Structure, and Nomenclature.