Job Vacancies at South African Reserve Bank

About the Job

South African Reserve Bank Data Science Graduate Development Programme

• The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is looking for talented postgraduates to join its one-year Graduate Development Programme in February 2024.

What the SARB does

• The SARB serves the economic well-being of South Africans through maintaining price and financial stability. It is responsible for the regulation of the South African financial sector, design and distribution of banknotes and coin, management of interest rates, setting the cash reserve requirement for banks and ensuring the stability of both the banking sector and the wider financial system.

Detailed Description

• Data science is an inter-disciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data. The core outcome of this programme is to develop deep capabilities in advanced analytics in central banking.

Format of the programme

• Graduates will be placed in the Business Solutions and Technology Department (BSTD) at the SARB from February to December 2024. During the programme, graduates will attend various learning interventions, including technical training as they will be assigned to a business department where they will work on unique and complex business problems, while keeping the section about attending learning interventions at the SARB Academy. The programme offers opportunities for a Data Science track.

Job Requirements
To be considered as a SARB Graduate, candidates must have a postgraduate qualification or be in the process of completing a postgraduate qualification (ideally completed the course work) in one of the following fields:

• Data Science.
• Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence.
• Predictive Analytics Modelling.
• Statistics.
• Applied Mathematics.
• Economics with Econometrics. (would be advantageous)
• Information Technology
• Engineering.
• Business Mathematics and Informatics.
• Coding with R and Python.

Additional requirements
Prospective candidates must:

• be South African citizens;
• be curious, innovative and self-motivated individuals with strong analytical skills;
• have a proven track record of academic excellence, with an overall average mark of 65% and above;
• have excellent communication and interpersonal skills; and
• have evidence of participation in data science competitions (e.g. Kaggle) and/or contributions to projects on GitHub/Gitlab (would be an added advantage).

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About the Job

• The main purpose of this position is to manage, administer and support learning management systems, digital learning platforms and other digital learning technologies used within the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Group.

Detailed Description
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following key performance areas:

• Ensure that all digital learning systems and platforms work effectively and efficiently for the delivery of fit-for-purpose digital learning interventions for staff members and teams in the SARB Group to meet the organisation’s training and development needs.
• Administer and monitor the usage of the Learning Experience Platform (LXP), learning management system, digital learning platforms and other virtual training technologies used by the SARB.
• Customise, enhance and configure the digital learning systems/platforms.
• Curate content, maintain user accounts and permissions, and manage licenses to ensure the delivery of fit-for-purpose digital learning interventions.
• Provide technical support to staff on the use of the LXP, learning management system, digital learning platforms and other virtual training technologies used by the SARB.
• Respond to and manage user queries and troubleshoot system issues to resolve queries.
• Provide training on system functionality, new enhancements and changes as and when required, and create visibility/awareness thereof on an ongoing basis.
• Collaborate and effectively engage with departments, internal and external stakeholders, facilitators, service providers and vendors to develop and deliver digital learning programmes.
• Publish and test digital learning content on all learning systems and ensure accessibility to the appropriate user groups.
• Monitor and ensure integration between the learning management system, LXP and digital learning platforms with other systems and applications used by the SARB, including integration with the human resources system and performance management system.
• Coordinate system upgrades and maintenance activities with the Business Solutions and Technology Department to ensure that the systems run efficiently and that the latest features and functionalities are available to users.
• Support the implementation of cloud technology and regular releases for all platforms.
• Maintain and update data on the learning management system, including course information as well as learner and training records.
• Generate, analyse and prepare reports on all platforms’ usage, learner progress and digital learning effectiveness (impact assessment).
• Develop automation paths and structures for the monitoring and support of mandatory learning (e.g. onboarding of new employees, diversity and inclusion, employee relations, introduction to central banking).
• Perform work independently within established practices, given processes, rules and regulations, ensuring compliance with standards, policies and other guidelines in executing own tasks.

Job Requirements
To be considered for this position, candidates must have:

• a National Diploma (NQF6) in Information Technology, Computer Science or a related field;
• at least three to five years of experience in a digital learning environment;
• knowledge of industry, organisational and business awareness;
• knowledge of digital learning systems management, and reporting and administration;
• experience working with learning management systems, e-learning platforms and other educational technologies;
• knowledge of virtual training and collaboration tools and platforms; and
• project administration and/or learning event management skills.

Additional requirements include:

• drive for results;
• problem-solving and analytical skills;
• interpersonal sensitivity;
• ability to work in a team;
• verbal and written communication skills;
• service and stakeholder focus;
• learning focus;
• planning and organising skills;
• time management skills;
• agility (flexibility and responsiveness); and
• an ‘at your service' attitude.