Business Intelligence Manager
A business intelligence manager is the person who is primarily responsible
for the use, maintenance and overall operation of your business intelligence
software. While the business intelligence manager is a key role
in many large organizations, the need for a business intelligence manager
in smaller businesses is not as great. Whether your business
needs a business intelligence manager will depend greatly on a number
of factors including company size and your goals.
Duties of a Business Intelligence Manager
Before considering the need for a business intelligence manager let's
look at the key responsibilities a business intelligence manager will
have in most organizations. For most businesses, the business
intelligence manager, is a role that begins before implementation of
a BI solution has even started. This is because the business
intelligence manager acts as a coordinator - understanding the needs
of all departments that will be affected by BI and translating them
into requirements for the software to be used. Post implementation
the business intelligence manager acts as the primary "expert" user
of the system(s) involved and continues his role gathering requirements
for changes to the BI system based on departmental needs.
Keys to Success for a Business Intelligence Manager
Because the business intelligence manager is a role that will touch
multiple departments, the business intelligence manager needs to be
aware of the needs and requirements of each affected department. As
the primary expert for BI in the organization, the business intelligence
manager, has to be able to effectively translate business requirements
into searches, reports and other aspects of using the BI system. Because
of this dual nature as an expert and as an information gatherer, the
business intelligence manager often has to have a broader background
than simply the technical acumen to work with the BI system in use.
Business Intelligence Manager in a Small Business
While the business intelligence manager in larger organizations is
an established and very specific role, for smaller businesses the business
intelligence manager will often be a hybrid description. Most
organizations getting started with BI will have a business intelligence
manager responsibility attached to an IT person or to someone in Finance. While
either domain is a good fit for a business intelligence manager, care
should be taken to ensure that the person with the business intelligence
manager responsibilities can take into accounts the needs of the entire
organization vs. just the needs of his or her department.
Planning the Business Intelligence Manager Role
For the majority of small and mid-sized businesses transitioning to
a dedicated business intelligence manager is a process that takes time. Before
hiring a dedicated business intelligence manager you should ensure
that if the role is already being performed in a hybrid mode, that
the responsibilities and duties of the business intelligence manager
have been documented and agreed upon, along with a transition plan
that outlines how the dedicated business intelligence manager will
take over responsibility from the hybrid business intelligence manager. Through
this type of planned transition you can maximize your chances for success.
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