Job Summary
- Employer: Headhunters
- Job Type: Full-time
- Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
- Category: Data Science
- Closing Date: 2026-10-14
Key Responsibilities
- Leads IT and digital transformation projects throughout the full project lifecycle, ensuring effective delivery from initiation to closure and post implementation review.
- Develops and maintains project plans, schedules, budgets, resource plans, governance documents and delivery roadmaps in line with the Organisation’s project management framework.
- Applies appropriate predictive, Agile or hybrid project methodologies and serve as Scrum Master for assigned Agile initiatives.
- Monitors project scope, timelines, budgets, quality, risks, issues and benefits, implementing corrective actions and escalating material variances where necessary.
- Facilitates project governance through Project Boards, Steering Committees and stage-gate reviews, ensuring decisions, actions, risks and dependencies are properly tracked.
- Maintains RAID logs and coordinates cross-functional, vendor, technology and regulatory dependencies to support effective project delivery.
- Ensures project deliverables meet approved quality, acceptance, cybersecurity, data protection, business continuity, regulatory and architecture requirements.
- Manages project financials, procurement requirements, resource forecasts and vendor performance, including expenditure and cost variance monitoring.
- Coordinates benefits realisation, project transition, handover, closure and post-implementation reviews to assess outcomes and realised benefits.
Requirements
- Degree in a quantitative discipline (statistics, mathematics, computer science, data science, econometrics, engineering, actuarial science or related); a postgraduate qualification is an added advantage.
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience in data science, analytics or machine learning, or quantitative modelling.
- At least one certification in Azure AI engineer, Databricks Certified ML professional, Google Professional ML engineer, AWS Certified ML Engineer, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Python, Big Data or any vendor specific ML/AI certification.
- Demonstrable track record of taking models from concept through validation to a used, monitored output.
- Demonstrated experience designing and deploying production-grade AI/ML models in a financial services, central banking or regulatory environment.
- Hands-on expertise with some of the following data technologies (Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, Airflow), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
- Experience in financial services (risk, fraud, AML, forecasting) is highly desirable.
How to Apply
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications or certifications do I need for an AI/ML Analyst role in Zimbabwe?
Most employers require a degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or Engineering. Certifications like AWS Machine Learning, Google Professional ML Engineer, or Microsoft Azure AI Engineer strengthen your profile. Practical experience with Python, TensorFlow, or PyTorch is often valued more than formal credentials alone.
What are the typical day-to-day responsibilities of an AI/ML Analyst?
You will clean and preprocess data from local databases, build predictive models, and present insights to business stakeholders. Expect to collaborate with IT teams to deploy solutions and continuously retrain models as data patterns shift. Documentation and reporting are essential since many Zimbabwean organizations are still building data maturity.
How does work culture in Zimbabwe affect AI/ML roles?
Hierarchical structures are common, so expect formal communication channels and respect for seniority in decision-making. Remote work is growing but hybrid arrangements are more typical than fully remote roles. Punctuality and relationship-building matter significantly for career advancement.
What career progression paths exist for AI/ML Analysts in Zimbabwe?
You can advance to Senior Analyst, then Data Scientist or AI Team Lead as you build project portfolios. Some transition into specialized roles like MLOps Engineer or AI Product Manager. Regional opportunities in South Africa or remote international contracts become accessible with proven expertise.
What benefits are typically included in AI/ML roles with Zimbabwean employers?
Medical aid coverage varies widely between statutory NSSA schemes and private health insurance depending on employer size. Pension contributions through NSSA are mandatory, though some firms offer supplementary retirement benefits. Annual leave typically starts at 21 days, with larger organizations sometimes including professional development allowances.
How should I apply and what do Zimbabwean employers prioritize when hiring AI/ML Analysts?
Submit applications through LinkedIn, local job portals like Classifieds.co.zw, or directly via recruitment agencies like Headhunters. Employers prioritize demonstrated projects in your GitHub portfolio over academic grades alone. Strong communication skills matter because you must translate technical findings for non-technical business leaders.
