How to Become a Director of Business Intelligence

Change and challenge are inevitable. From small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations, organizations that want to sustain and thrive need agile and strategic directors who demonstrate leadership skills in meaningful ways. When managing large amounts of data, a director of business intelligence who understands data and skillfully applies it is invaluable. 

Research shows that leaders who leverage business intelligence make faster decisions, reduce costs, and increase profits. Business intelligence provides specific, actionable insights that empower leaders and their organizations to plan with purpose, proceed with confidence, and pivot when necessary. 

A strong business intelligence leader doesn’t just understand data—they understand what it means to and about their employees, customers, and consumers at large. Consider how a well-equipped director of business intelligence can make a tangible positive difference for their company and the marketplace.

 

What Is the Director of BI?

The director of business intelligence is a seasoned leader who oversees an organization’s data strategy, including data analytics and data-driven decision-making. The director of BI may manage a team or teams of data analysts and data scientists, leading the organization to eliminate silos between the technical findings of data science and the business perspectives of data analytics.

A director of business intelligence works to design, implement, and oversee BI initiatives that support the organization’s overall mission, vision, and goals. In collaboration with fellow organizational leaders, the director of BI discerns how business intelligence can enhance the organization's success. 

 

What Does a Director of BI Do?

The BI director has several key responsibilities, including the development of data strategy, managing a team, and communicating with key stakeholders. This leader may also be an organizational spokesperson for making data-driven business decisions and the insights or action items data analysis reveals. 

Take a look at a few of the primary job responsibilities for a director of business intelligence. 

 

Data-Driven Strategies

A BI Director leads in all aspects of developing and implementing data-driven organizational strategies that are aligned with the organization's overall goals. This may involve meeting with key stakeholders, surveying employees or customers, and choosing data analysis tools, platforms, and processes to provide insight into relevant information. The director of BI also oversees the development of questions and inquiries that data scientists and analysts can research. 

The director of BI reviews research findings and determines how to communicate them with relevant organizational leaders, employees, or customers in actionable ways. This may involve: 

• A company-wide presentation in which the BI director explains data that reveals the organization’s opportunity to enter a new market
• A report written for board members and executive leaders highlighting action steps for reducing inventory costs
• A meeting with the marketing team to present findings that will influence social media strategy

For the director of business intelligence, there is an opportunity to lead wherever data can drive effective decisions. 

 

Team Management

The director of BI leads a team that may include data analysts, engineers, and scientists. As a team leader, the director of BI will guide individuals and groups in identifying goals, desired outcomes, and the right path to achieve them. They may be responsible for leading group and one-on-one meetings and creating a collaborative environment in which each member feels energized and equipped to generate positive outcomes for the organization.

Effective team management for a director of business intelligence may look like: 

• Facilitating regular brainstorming sessions in which employees at all levels of the company are invited to submit organizational questions that data could help answer
• Defining clear key performance indicators through reflection on past practices, surveys on present systems, and ideas for future achievements
• Setting measurable goals that are established through collaboration and shared identification of growth opportunities

The director of BI may also facilitate cross-department workshops or meetings that empower employees from all parts of the organization to understand and leverage data in creative, concrete ways that benefit the company.

 

Data Governance

In addition to analyzing data, presenting findings, and empowering stakeholders with insights, the BI director is responsible for how data is collected, stored, accessed, and maintained. In the interest of data integrity and data security, the BI director will define and implement policies and procedures—as well as standards and best practices—for all aspects of data management. 

Data governance responsibilities may include:

• Auditing existing processes for data collection, storage, access, and maintenance 
• Establishing a data governance committee that includes representatives from departments such as IT, security, compliance, and business
• Identifying and implementing high-quality digital tools to keep data safe and manageable

Data governance has a direct positive effect on organizational success. Business leaders say that well-executed data governance improves data quality and risk management, enhances decision-making and compliance, and increases operational efficiency and data security.

 

Who Is the Right Person for a Director of Business Intelligence Role?

A director of business intelligence must have a versatile skill set that includes technical expertise and soft skills. The effective business intelligence leader will likely have several years of experience as a business intelligence manager or in a comparable position. They may have been part of or even led collaborative initiatives that reduced departmental silos through effective communication of data findings. They will have acumen in technical areas such as:

• Data infrastructure, including data lakes, warehouses, and cloud platforms
• Advanced analytics and data modeling, including tools and languages such as SQL, Python, Tableau, artificial intelligence, and machine learning
• Data security processes, including governance practices, compliance standards, and data quality measures

As the head of a team, the director of BI will draw upon their experience as a BI manager or similar past leadership roles to cultivate and exercise soft skills such as:

• Communication, including group discussions, written and oral presentations, and cross-team dialogue
• Problem-solving, including responding to team conflicts with curiosity, addressing technical challenges with agility, and reframing perceived roadblocks as opportunities
• Change management, including identifying the need for something new, describing the plan, listening to concerns, and steering the team toward success

As a leader who works closely with both data and people, a director of business intelligence will benefit from a well-rounded perspective that incorporates technology with team dynamics and amiability with analysis. 

 

BI Director Job Outlook and Salary Statistics

As companies increasingly seek leaders in technological applications, data security, and innovative leadership, the job opportunities for an aspiring director of business intelligence are growing. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not specifically track growth for this role, it projects an 11 percent growth rate in management analyst positions between 2023 and 2033, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

ZipRecruiter lists the average annual salary of $147,146 for a business intelligence director nationwide. However, salaries may vary considerably across industries, states, and specific roles. 

 

Step-by-Step: What Is the Path to Becoming a Director of BI?

While there is more than one path to becoming a director of business intelligence, essentially all of them include a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as computer science, business analytics, or mathematics. A director role also tends to require at least five years of experience in the business intelligence field. Oftentimes, the path looks something like:

• Data analyst to senior BI analyst to BI director
• Data scientist to data engineer to director of business intelligence
• ETL developer to BI manager to business intelligence director

Many who aspire to a director of business intelligence role will find that additional education in BI sets them apart from their competition. From increased expertise in technical areas to growing their leadership skills, a master’s or doctorate degree in business intelligence can be a strong asset for BI professionals interested in leadership positions. 

 

Lead in Business Intelligence with a Doctorate of Business Administration in BI

Small startups, local businesses, and the largest organizations in the marketplace are all looking for leaders who can use data-driven decision-making to achieve their goals. Marymount University's online Doctor of Business Administration in Business Intelligence program prepares such professionals, equipping them with the technical expertise and soft skills necessary to thrive as directors of business intelligence.

The online DBA in BI includes coursework in essential topics such as strategy in a changing business climate, economics for business decision-making, and leading through organizational change. This 100 percent online, flexible program is designed for working professionals and can be completed in three years. With an emphasis on applied research that addresses real-world business intelligence challenges, the Marymount University Online DBA in BI teaches students to identify, understand, and fully seize data-driven opportunities to make the best possible decisions for their organizations. 

Gain wisdom from expert faculty and collaborate with colleagues as you prepare to lead at the intersection of business and technology—no matter what's next.

Become a BI expert with a DBA in BI from Marymount University Online.