Oonagh O Shea:
Analytics Manager

Your name?
Oonagh O’ Shea

Your job title?
Analytics Manager

What are your main tasks / responsibilities as data analytics specialist?

I work with clients across various industries to uncover patterns in large amounts of data and to develop and implement fraud analytics solutions as a result. My job involves understanding clients’ key business problems and working with them to develop an end-to-end analytics solution to increase yield and revenue and reduce operational cost.

How do you use mathematics within your job?

I use mathematics and statistics on an almost daily basis, using a range of advanced analytical techniques to improve fraud and non-compliance detection across industries, specialising in the Public Sector.

What type of mathematics for you use to solve problems?

I use advanced analytical techniques such as anomaly detection, predictive modelling, machine learning and social network analysis.

What aspects of the mathematics curriculum or mathematics courses have proven most useful to you?

All of the mathematics courses have stood to me in my career so far and it is difficult to point to one element that has proven most useful, although I do use Probability and Statistics on a daily basis. I believe courses with a strong quantitative focus can form a solid foundation for working in analytics consulting, instilling a sense of logic and reasoning when it comes to project solving.

What is your education to date?

I completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences and Computing and a Master of Science by Research and Thesis, both from University of Limerick. I also continue to complete relevant courses throughout my career, such as SAS certification.

What advice would you give to someone considering your job?

While focusing on the mathematical skills to pursue a career in analytics is obviously important, it is also important to focus on the communication of insights to the business. 7) What do you find most interesting in your job and what do you find are the main challenges? The most interesting aspect to my job is the wide variety of industries and use cases I get to work across and seeing the power of analytics being translated into real business insight. Interest in analytics has grown immensely in recent times and the analytical techniques that we learn can be applied in many walks of life. A challenge in analytics is ensuring the analytics insight is embedded into decision making processes, which requires Analytics, Technology and Business teams working together and sponsorship across all levels of an organisation.