Data Engineering & Analytics Manager

At M&G our vision is: to become the best loved and most successful savings and investment business and we're looking for people who are excited about joining us on our journey. We're digitally transforming and investing heavily in technology and innovation to develop new and improved customer propositions that really raise the bar for our customers. To help us achieve our vision we're looking for exceptional people who live our values and behaviours and who can inspire others; embrace change; deliver results and keep it simple.

We know that an inclusive environment makes us more accessible and ensures we attract, engage, promote and retain exceptional people. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity/nationality, disability, or military service and welcome those who have taken career breaks. We will consider flexible working arrangements or home working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

What you can expect from us:
We are committed to creating an environment where you can be exceptional at all you do. To help us deliver this, we promise to:

• Challenge Your Limits by creating a stimulating working environment and providing opportunities for you to be involved in meaningful and challenging work
• Support Your Aspirations with a commitment to learning and development that helps you achieve and build your experience with people who want you to succeed
• Value Your Input whereby leaders and managers will involve you in key decisions, listen to your thoughts and recognise the important contribution you make
• Balance Your Life through a work life partnership that focuses on making this an inclusive, diverse and friendly place to work and offers the flexibility and support that enables everyone to be at their best

How do we support our employees:
All M&G plc employees will be supported in the workplace through our M&G Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). If you need counselling, confidential financial or legal advice. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and offers access to qualified professionals who can provide specialist information, advice and support on many issues. It offers a broad range of services, including help with family issues, maintaining work/life balance and mental health support.

The Role: Data Engineering & Analytics Manager (Hybrid working)

Working in the Heritage Customer Services, Data Engineering and Analytics team, you will be responsible for the development and on-going support of data assets and ad-hoc analysis and insight. The team is responsible for taking our business data and creating data assets in support MI/reporting, operational planning and service performance use cases. This data and analysis is used to support, monitor and improve the outsourced Heritage operation: Front Office (Voice), Back Office and Complaints (circa 2000 FTE managing ~25000 inbound calls and ~80000 inbound emails, messages or letters in the Back Office each week). We collaborate with our partners to source and align data and raise or resolve issues relating to data quality or integrity. We work closely with other areas of the business including risk, commercial, MI/Reporting, Operational Planning, Service Performance and Customer Experience & Journey Improvement teams to ensure the business has the data it needs, in the way that they need it. Our data engineering helps to provide enduring data solutions that the business can rely on, whilst our analytics function looks to provide ad-hoc insight which helps support business critical decision making.

We are always striving to develop and as such an exciting opportunity has arisen for a Data Engineering and Analytics manager to join the team to help drive our data quality management, taking ownership of our data issues tracking from identification to resolution, being an active participant in planning/data forums to ensure that consideration of business data requirements have been taken into account - in terms of what data will be available and how will it be made available and finally managing our workstack of data engineering and analytics requests.

The role holder will also support the manager of the Data Engineering & Analytics team in developing our longer term data strategy, training/coaching and support of other members of the team and cover where required.
The successful candidate should possess the qualities to lead and direct a workstream from conception to implementation, covering both technical (what data and tools) and non-technical (the process) aspects. You will be required to have both hands-on experience of data engineering/analytics and an ability to operate at a less hands-on level, leading on discussions with other senior leaders and stakeholder. As such, this role will be require someone who can be hands-on, but is equally comfortable stepping back and operating at a more strategic level. Talking to stakeholders, unlocking doors and gathering requirements, whilst entrusting hands-on delivery to our existing team of data engineers and analysts.

The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a complex operational environment where the data can be ambiguous, unstructured and incomplete. They will be able to make inferences or use statistical techniques to draw insights that will enable them to prioritise, progress initiatives and drive performance to the required levels. They will be comfortable taking the lead on projects/workstreams, working with senior level colleagues from across the business to define requirements and deliver against them.

Key Work Level Accountabilities:
Manager or Expert:

• For people managers, accountable for managing and motivating others to ensure quality of delivery to customers and stakeholders
• For technical specialists, accountable for delivering expert advice or service, using specialist knowledge and subject matter expertise
• Applies judgement to deliver outcomes, evaluating a range of potential solutions, considering the impact for customers, cost and risk
• Manages conflicts that may impact delivery
• Challenges upwards given knowledge of delivery and awareness of complex systems and the broader picture
• Identifies and anticipates need for changes to continuously improve quality and efficiency of output
• Manages resources and risks using expert judgment, know-how and experience

Key Responsibilities for this role:

• To work collaboratively with colleagues across the business on Data Engineering and Analytics projects, taking accountability for defining requirements and ensuring delivery against them.
• You will be responsible for the management of the Data Engineering and Analytics team workstack tool, ensuring all requests are logged and tracked accordingly, reporting against progress and assisting in the prioritisation of work.
• You will help coach the team of Data Analysts and Data Engineers and support discussions around solution design in relation to our workstack of requests.
• You will deputise for the Data Engineering and Analytics team manager as and when required. Leading or taking part in senior level discussions.
• You will support the Data Engineering and Analytics manager in devising training plans for the Data team, and also in setting the strategy and direction of the team.
• You will ensure that our requests are meeting expectations and providing insight which drives business decisions. Ultimately, ensuring that we are helping to drive better customer outcomes, reducing M&G's overall operational risk (from a data perspective) and contributing to operational efficiencies.

Key Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Must have demonstrable experience of Data Engineering and/or Data Analytics, ideally in an operational setting
• Highly proficient in the use of SQL, SSIS, Databricks, Azure Data Factory and Power BI
• Knowledge of other coding languages and tool such as Python, Azure Data Factory, DataBricks etc. is desirable
• Knowledge of extracting and manipulating data from complex workflow/CRM systems would be advantageous
• Experience of designing and implementing data models and databases which deliver key datasets
• Must be capable of distilling complex information into senior leadership briefing formats and able to
• Strong knowledge of project management techniques, specifically Agile
• Must have experience of working in an operational area, supporting transformational activity whilst delivering BAU.
• Is comfortable with and able to communicate clearly with colleagues up to and including senior business leaders, including leading and directing conversations as necessary.
• Capable of gathering requirements from complex discussions and translating those into key data deliverables and milestones.
• Microsoft Azure certifications, such as Azure Fundamentals, Azure Data Fundamentals, Azure Enterprise Data Engineer, Azure Enterprise Data Analyst and PowerBI Data Analyst Associate would be preferred along with a degree in a suitable subject.

Work Level: Manager/Expert
Recruiter Name: Chloe Murphy
Closing Date: 6th July 2022

We live by four behaviours at M&G and we ask all our employees to:

• Inspire Others - Support and encourage each other, creating an environment where everyone can contribute and succeed
• Embrace Change - Be open to change, willing to be challenged and able to adapt quickly and imaginatively to new ideas
• Deliver Results - Focus on outcomes, set high standards and deliver with energy and determination
• Keep it Simple - Cut through complexity and bureaucracy, be clear and decisive and never overcomplicate things