Tim Ross

Data Analyst

How long have you been at Port Otago?
Since February 2021.

What did you do before you came to Port Otago?
At school in the UK, I enjoyed maths, art and physics, so started off studying architecture, but quickly realised that wasn't what I really wanted to do. I found myself in finance admin roles and gained low-level accountancy qualifications, before moving into data analysation. Over my 20-year career, I've developed good knowledge of Excel and other data extraction and manipulation techniques, such as SQL (Structured Query Language), which I used at a web-based holiday company that recorded its own web session data. I met my now wife – a Dunedin girl – in the UK and we headed for New Zealand via Sydney, where I spent five years as a business analyst for Adstream, a digital asset management company. I continued working for them remotely during my first year in Dunedin, before starting with Port Otago.

What does your role involve?
Essentially, I analyse the raw data generated by different business activities to provide meaningful insights that help people make more informed decisions. Within the business, I'm on hand to help anyone that has any data analysis requirements. The requests I receive usually involve creating Excel models to automate the flow of raw data into a useable summary which can be updated whenever required. This project work is alongside my regular weekly, monthly and annual reporting responsibilities, where I supply data on key performance indicators across the business.

Describe your team.
I sit within the Finance Team and connect with other departments, as and when they need me.

What skills do you need for your job?
My main skill set is being able to extract, manipulate and present meaningful data in an understandable format. The vast majority of my work is done using Excel, but I also use other data analysis programmes, such as Power BI. A data analyst also needs good questioning skills. It's important to accurately interpret what people want to understand about the business, before then finding the relevant data, analysing it, and presenting your findings as clear and accessible information.

What's the best part of your job?
I enjoy the variety and challenge of working on different projects. Although I have a bit of a drive in to work – from Broad Bay – I love the harbour scenery and the port is a really interesting place to work. You look out the window and see all the vessel, transport and machinery activity going on – and it's nice to know that you're providing insightful information which helps the business make decisions on the day-to-day running of the port.