Data Analyst

Introduction

We are looking to recruit a Data Analyst who has a passion for data to join our Internal Audit department at Clicks Head Office in Cape Town. Reporting to the Internal Audit Data Analytics Manager, you will work within a specialist team that delivers data-driven insights to support internal audits, investigations and continuous auditing across the business. This is a hands-on role that requires strong analytical, technical and problem-solving skills to transform complex data into reliable audit evidence and actionable insights. Duties & Responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

To deliver accurate, reliable and well-documented data analytics that support risk assessments, control testing, investigations and internal audit activities across financial, IT, forensic, retail and distribution audits.

JOB OBJECTIVES

• Collaborate with audit teams to identify analytics opportunities, define data requirements, design tests and interpret results.
• Extract, cleanse, transform and analyse data, and identify opportunities to streamline or automate recurring manual data extraction and preparation processes.
• Perform detailed data preparation, reconciliation and validation activities required to establish reliable audit populations, including investigation of incomplete, inconsistent or unusual source data.
• Assess and validate the completeness and accuracy of data, in accordance with agreed objectives, before it is relied upon for audit testing; investigate, document and escalate material data-quality limitations.
• Use SQL and approved analytics tools to support audit testing. Design and execute analytics procedures, including reconciliations, trend analysis, exception reporting and full-population testing.
• Analyse exceptions, identify trends and root causes, and highlight control weaknesses, fraud risks and operational inefficiencies.
• Prepare dashboards, visualisations and analytical summaries to communicate the nature, scale, trend, risk and potential impact of exceptions to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Develop, test and maintain reusable analytics routines and automated audit tests for approved continuous auditing activities.
• Ensure audit data is handled in accordance with applicable confidentiality requirements, Internal Audit investigation protocols and privacy legislation including POPIA and other information security requirements.
• Prepare clear workpapers and document data lineage and flows, including source systems, interfaces, transformations, validations and reconciliation results.

Desired Experience & Qualification

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification in Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Analytics, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Finance, Commerce or a related field.
• Postgraduate qualification in Statistics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science or a related quantitative discipline would be preferred.
• Relevant SQL, ACL or other data analytics certification would be beneficial.

JOB EXPERIENCE

• 2–5 years' data analytics experience, preferably within financial systems, internal audit, external audit, systems auditing or a comparable data-intensive environment; Big Four experience would be desirable.
• Demonstrable hands-on experience using SQL to independently query, join, aggregate, transform and analyse data, and to develop and troubleshoot analytical queries.
• Experience understanding and documenting data flows across systems, including data sources, interfaces, transformations and downstream reporting, to support data lineage and validation.
• Practical experience using Microsoft Office products, particularly advanced Excel.
• Experience using data visualisation and reporting tools such as Power BI or Tableau to communicate trends, exceptions and analytical results.
• Exposure to an SAP environment, including SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA, SAP BI Launchpad or SAP BusinessObjects, would be valued.

JOB RELATED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and technical skills, with excellent attention to detail and organisational ability.
• Strong practical knowledge of SQL, with the ability to independently develop, troubleshoot and interpret analytical queries. Exposure to Python, ACL, SAS, IDEA or similar analytics tools would be beneficial.
• Ability to work with, reconcile and analyse large and complex datasets from multiple systems and at different levels of detail.
• A strong appetite for continuous learning and emerging technologies, including Machine Learning, AI-assisted analytics and automation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical findings to non-technical stakeholders.
• Understanding of Internal Audit and Risk Assessment methodologies, the 2024 Global Internal Audit Standards and relevant Corporate Governance principles would be advantageous.

JOB RELATED COMPETENCIES

• Deciding and Initiating Action
• Working with People
• Applying Expertise and Technology
• Presenting and Communicating Information
• Learning and Researching
• Creating and Innovating
• Delivering Results & Meeting stakeholder Expectations
• Adapting and Responding to Change