Position: Senior Business Analyst

Position Type: Full Time

Location: Cape Town (Salt River, hybrid on-site & remote)

Experience: A relevant tertiary qualification in Information Technology, Business Intelligence, Data Science, Finance, or a related discipline with a minimum of 3 years of experience. 5 years of experience is preferred.

Watchmaker Genomics is a global life science company based in Boulder, Colorado with an R&D and Production facility in Cape Town, South Africa. Our team is passionate about innovation and values collaboration, creativity, and scientific rigor. We believe that the intersection of biology, engineering, and computer science presents exciting opportunities for developing novel technologies that promote research and improve human health. Watchmaker Genomics specializes in the design, development, and production of DNA- and RNA-modifying enzymes that enable high-growth applications in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and personalized medicine.

Position Description:

Watchmaker is inviting applications for the full-time Senior Business Analyst position based in Cape Town, South Africa. The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced working environment and contribute directly to our company culture and success.

Responsibilities

• Business Analysis and Requirements Elicitation.
  • The role involves extensive engagement with Finance stakeholders to gather, analyze, and document reporting requirements. This includes defining key performance indicators (KPIs), business metrics, and financial definitions to ensure alignment across stakeholders. The Finance BI Analyst systematically evaluates existing reports, systems, and data sources to determine their suitability and identify any gaps or inefficiencies.
  • The individual is responsible for producing clear and comprehensive documentation, including functional specifications, report definitions, and data requirements. These deliverables are collaboratively validated with Finance stakeholders and aligned with the IT Business Intelligence Business Analysis (BIBA) teams to ensure feasibility and adherence to enterprise standards.
• Power BI Report and Dashboard Development
  • A key component of the role is the design, development, and maintenance of interactive Power BI reports and dashboards. The individual develops visually effective and user-friendly reports that enable Finance users to derive actionable insights.
• Data Modeling and Data Transformation
  • The Finance BI Analyst designs and maintains efficient data models to support reporting performance and scalability. This includes implementing star and snowflake schemas, defining table relationships, and optimizing model structures for performance.
• Report Deployment and Power BI Administration
  • The role includes deploying Power BI reports to the Power BI Service and managing assets within approved workspaces. Responsibilities include configuring dataset refresh schedules, monitoring refresh performance, and addressing service-related issues.
  • Security management is an important aspect that includes implementing row-level security (RLS), managing user access, and adhering to organizational security and compliance requirements.
• Data Quality, Governance, and Compliance
  • The individual plays a vital role in ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and reliability across Finance reporting solutions. This involves performing reconciliation checks, validating report outputs, and investigating data discrepancies.
• Performance Monitoring and Optimization
  • The role requires continuous monitoring and optimization of report performance, including improving query efficiency, reducing load times, and enhancing data refresh processes. Techniques such as incremental refresh and model refactoring are applied to maintain optimal performance as data volumes and complexity grow.
• Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
  • The individual facilitates communication between business and technical stakeholders, conducts demonstrations, delivers training sessions, and ensures effective knowledge transfer to report users.
• Documentation, Version Control, and Change Management
  • Comprehensive documentation is maintained for all reports, including data sources, transformations, calculations, and business rules. The individual ensures that version control practices are followed and that changes to reporting logic are managed through formal change control processes in alignment with organizational standards.
• Scalability and Continuous Improvement
  • The role actively contributes to the continuous improvement of Finance reporting capabilities by staying current with Power BI advancements, industry best practices, and emerging trends in business intelligence. The individual identifies opportunities to enhance reporting efficiency, usability, and scalability, and implements improvements where appropriate.

Skills and Requirements

• Advanced proficiency in Power BI, including DAX and data modeling
• Strong SQL and data transformation skills (Power Query)
• Deep understanding of data visualization principles
• Solid grasp of business analysis and requirement documentation
• Knowledge of Finance reporting processes and concepts
• Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking abilities
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills

Education

• The position typically requires a relevant tertiary qualification in Information Technology, Business Intelligence, Data Science, Finance, or a related discipline. Candidates are expected to have at least 3 years of experience in business intelligence, reporting, or data analytics roles, with 5 or more years preferred.
• Professional certification, such as the Microsoft Certified Power BI Data Analyst Associate, is advantageous.

Application Requirements

To apply for the position, please submit the following in a PDF format on watchmakergenomics.com:

• Letter of motivation (upload where it says cover letter)
• Resume or Curriculum vitae, highlighting relevant qualifications and experience

Applications without a Letter of Motivation will not be considered. Local candidates preferred.

If selected to participate in the interview process, the names and contact information of three professional references who can assess your suitability for the position in terms of the specified requirements will be requested. We will also request a current payslip.

To ensure your application is considered, please submit it by Monday, 1 June 2026. Please note that this position may close earlier if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE

We are only accepting direct applications for this position. We are not working with external recruiters or agencies at this time. Unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from third-party recruiters will not be considered and will be deemed the property of Watchmaker Genomics.

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SOUTH AFRICA - WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

Watchmaker Genomics is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and creating a culturally diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status, or any other characteristics as protected by applicable law.

All applicants will be asked whether they are currently eligible to work in South Africa and whether, now or in the future, they will require visa sponsorship to continue working in South Africa. South African citizens preferred.

This position may be subject to pre-employment checks, including a driving history check, drug screening, and a background check for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities. All pre-employment checks will comply with all applicable laws.