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Lewis Group

Manager — Technology Platform Jun 2020 – Jul 2023 www.lewisgroup.co.za

Responsible for data operating models, architecture, and platforms to shape and implement the Data & Analytics roadmap. Developed procedures and policies for collecting, preparing, and analysing data while working closely with multiple departments across the Group.

Key Responsibilities

  • Eliminated duplicate data functions across the Group
  • Led migration from legacy platforms to modern data platforms
  • Designed and implemented a data platform and operating model to support operational reporting and advanced analytics
  • Managed data warehouses, BI, and analytics initiatives
  • Continuously evolved platform technologies
  • Led Revolving Credit implementation across business systems
  • Reviewed and restructured head office and store databases
  • Streamlined and replaced legacy applications
  • Reviewed and assisted with software application development
  • Established and built the operational team for data platform operations
  • Delivered technologies, tools, and methodologies to unlock value from data assets
  • Ensured regulatory and privacy compliance

Major Projects & Solutions Delivered

Enterprise Data Pipeline Scheduler & Monitoring Platform

  • Designed and built a scheduler and monitoring system supporting:
    • 800+ agencies
    • 900+ servers
  • Replaced manual ad hoc data extraction processes used by Operations, Internal Audit, Finance, and CRM
  • Built metadata-driven request management system stored in SQL
  • Implemented queue management using RabbitMQ and Redis
  • Developed custom Java driver for Sybase branch servers
  • Implemented multi-processor central processing
  • Built audit scheduling and historical tracking
  • Enabled live monitoring for MSSQL, Sybase, and PostgreSQL

Enterprise Database Dashboard

  • Built centralized dashboard providing standard database health and operational metrics

Custom RPA File Processing System (Built In-House)

  • Designed and developed RPA platform (not off-the-shelf)
  • Built using Python, PostgreSQL, RabbitMQ, and Django
  • Metadata and history fully stored in PostgreSQL
  • Managed:
    • Source and destination (physical & SQL)
    • Archive destinations
    • File extensions
    • User notifications
    • Headers
    • File size limits
    • Cell formats and boundaries
    • Delimiter / fixed-width handling

Distributed Data Processing Engine

Built to resolve production server upgrade and Sybase extraction failures:

  • Managed large-scale data transfer between Sybase environments
  • Handled Sybase IMAGE fields (PDF storage) and malformed XML stored in VARCHAR
  • Built parallel batch transfer engine
  • Leveraged custom TDS driver (based on MSSQL 2000/2005 driver architecture)
  • Archived historical data by year
  • Reduced production footprint to 12 months active data

Low-Code Automation & Platform Tooling

  • Low-code input tool that auto-builds required data packages
  • Internal API development
  • Django schema and model builder
  • Excel report builder
  • Automated report emailer (HTML + Excel attachments)
  • PolyBase setup
  • PostgreSQL foreign table setup
  • Metadata collection framework
  • Data transfer from legacy 32-bit systems
  • PDF converter
  • Web scraper
  • Introduced Git version control into the origination environment

Enterprise Server Monitoring Platform

  • Monitoring across 900+ servers
  • Proactive disk space alerting (20%, 15%, 10%, 5%)
  • Offline host notifications
  • Prevented application failures caused by full disk scenarios

IFRS 16 Amortization System

  • Built complete amortization engine
  • Supports full file uploads and individual lease editing
  • Django user interface with summaries and graphs
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