Application Analyst

takealot.com, a leading South African online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Application Analyst with python and SQL coding skills to join our team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper-growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us.  We offer a market-related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs, a great work environment, and a promise that you won’t be bored as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

This position reports to the Head Of TDT Analytics

Your responsibilities can include:

Development and Implementation:

• Design, develop, and implement various tools to create visibility, reduce risk, and improve productivity in operations.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to design and implement software solutions.
• Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code (we use python).
• Integrate third-party libraries and APIs into external applications.
• Optimize application performance for speed and efficiency.
• Implement security best practices to protect user data.
• Develop project documentation, including technical documentation and user guides in the form of SOPs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including DevOps, Infrastructure, Release Engineering, Data Engineering, Analytical Engineering, IT Services, and any other technical team required for scope of work.
• Automate reporting processes using scripting languages (e.g. Python, JavaScript, C#).

Technical Skills and Tools:

• Implement version control using GIT.
• Implement continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
• Write technical documentation for APIs and libraries.
• Implement analytics and tracking features in applications.
• Design and implement database schemas.
• Optimize database queries and indexes for performance where needed.
• Develop RESTful APIs for communication between frontend and backend.
• Implement error handling and logging mechanisms.
• Estimate story points and task durations for sprint planning.
• Demonstrate a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies.

Attributes required:

• Solutions-oriented, can-do attitude and high energy.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking, using data to inform decisions.
• Passion for understanding ambiguous, complex problems and driving high quality, innovative, clean solutions.
• Highly structured thinker with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to handle multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Must have exceptional communication skills to help deliver insights to diverse stakeholders.
• Willingness to learn and personal desire to keep up to date with technology and process.
• Comfortable with change and excellent team player.
• Refactor code to improve readability and maintainability when needed.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and automation.

Qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree, BTech or Advanced Diploma in Information Systems, Computer Science, Mathematics, or Engineering 3 years of experience in a software/technology environment.
• In the event that you do not have a bachelor’s degree or an advanced diploma (in Information Systems, Computer Science, Mathematics, or Engineering), an equivalent experience requirement must be met, which equates to a minimum of 6 years of experience in a software/technology environment.
• Minimum 3 years database knowledge and experience including the ability to write and optimize complex queries using SQL.
• Minimum 2 years experience building end to end applications using python.
• Experience with one or more system monitoring and alerting systems.
• Experience designing and developing reports.
• Understanding and experience in one of the following environments will be beneficial: ecommerce, supply chain & Logistics.
• Linux server and networking experience is beneficial.

The Environment:

• takealot.com employees are entrepreneurial and dynamic, smart, customer-centric, fun and have the shared ambition of takealot.com being the leading e-commerce company in Africa.
• We have fun, work hard, take ownership, work in teams to create solutions, and are always open to direct feedback/new ideas on where we can improve.
• We are short on ego and high on output.
• We are doers and not only thinkers, it’s all in the execution after all.
• We love what we do and what we are creating.

We seek to Employ an Extra Ordinary Mind who

• is forthright but respectful
• is an expert at doing, who can not only design but also execute
• is analytical, able to use data to make decisions
• is competitive, self-directed, and strives to be the BEST (GREAT requires a lot of work and does not only happen during business hours
• is passionate about the potential of e-commerce and delivering a world-class customer experience
• is entrepreneurial, thrives under change and accepts it is a constant and always looks for solutions to do something better and faster
• is able to think about problems from a business perspective using technical and product input
• is curious and challenges the status quo
• is innovative and enjoys iteration
• is collaborative
• will be at the cutting edge of developing new concepts for takealot.com.
• thinks like an owner of the business.
• is SMART, has INTEGRITY, and is HARDWORKING

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind so come and join us!

Takealot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference.