A Business Intelligence Analyst transforms data into insights that guide decision-making. They analyse trends, build reports, and support strategy with data-driven recommendations. Their work helps businesses identify opportunities, improve performance, and plan effectively.
Key responsibilities
📊 Transform data into insights: Collect and analyse information from different sources to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities that support strategic decisions.
📈 Build effective dashboards: Create visuals and reports that are easy to understand, helping stakeholders make confident, informed choices.
🧠 Support decision-making: Turn complex findings into simple, actionable advice that guides priorities, planning, and performance improvements.
🔄 Collaborate across departments: Work closely with different teams to understand their goals and deliver customised analytics that meet real business needs.
🔐 Ensure data quality: Maintain the accuracy, consistency, and security of datasets, creating trust in the tools and insights being used.
Qualifications and skills
Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Business, Statistics, or a related field: This provides essential skills in data interpretation, visualisation, and analysis.
Experience in analytics and reporting: Prior experience working with data to support business decisions demonstrates the ability to deliver real-world impact.
Proficiency in data tools and languages: Skills in SQL, Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools are essential for extracting, analysing, and presenting data effectively.
Strong attention to detail: A thorough and accurate approach ensures the reliability of reports and insights shared across the business.
Critical thinking and problem-solving: The ability to spot trends, identify opportunities, and make data-backed recommendations supports smarter decision-making.
Communication skills: The ability to explain complex data findings in a clear and accessible way helps engage stakeholders and build trust.
Collaboration with teams: Working with different departments to understand their goals ensures insights are relevant and actionable.
Tech expertise: Experience working with cloud data platforms, databases, or data pipelines is often required in modern analytics environments.
Time management: The ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines ensures reports and analysis are delivered on time.
Curiosity and continuous learning: A drive to explore data, learn new tools, and stay current with trends enhances long-term impact in the role.
Career path and opportunities
Business Intelligence Analysts may progress to roles like Business Insight Manager, Data Analytics Lead, or Head of Insights. With added experience, they might move into data science, data engineering, or strategic planning roles.
Their analytical skillset is highly transferable, enabling movement into various industries and senior decision-support roles across operations, marketing, and finance.
Related job titles
- Data Analyst
- Reporting Analyst
- BI Developer
- Insights Analyst
- Data Visualisation Specialist
- Analytics Consultant
- Data Scientist (entry-level or with BI focus)
- Performance Analyst
- Management Information (MI) Analyst
- Decision Support Analyst
Example job description
Job title: Business Intelligence Analyst
Job overview:
As a Business Intelligence Analyst, you’ll be turning numbers into narratives. You’ll work with multiple teams to identify trends, uncover insights, and help drive data-informed decisions. This is a perfect role for someone who loves asking “why?”, digging into data, and making an impact with insights that shape strategy.
Key responsibilities:
- Analyse data from various sources to uncover trends and opportunities
- Build dashboards and reports that support strategic decisions
- Collaborate with departments to identify data needs and deliver insights
- Translate complex data into clear visualisations and recommendations
- Ensure data quality and consistency across platforms
- Support ongoing improvements in data processes and systems
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Business, or similar
- 3+ years of experience in a BI or data analyst role
- Proficient with data tools such as SQL, Power BI, Tableau, or Looker
- Strong understanding of data modelling and analytics techniques
- Excellent communication skills and a knack for storytelling with data
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience working with cloud-based data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, BigQuery)
- Knowledge of Python or R for advanced analytics
- Familiarity with business operations across sales, marketing, or finance
Perks/benefits:
- Competitive salary with annual bonuses
- Access to training and certifications in data and analytics
- Flexible hybrid working policy
- Mental health and wellbeing support
- A collaborative, data-literate culture that values curiosity and initiative
Frequently asked questions
What does a Business Intelligence Analyst do?
A Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst turns raw data into smart insights. They dig through numbers to find trends, patterns, and opportunities that help businesses make better, data-backed decisions.
What are their key duties and responsibilities?
Business Intelligence Analysts gather and clean data from various sources, create dashboards and reports, and help teams understand what the data actually means. Whether it’s boosting sales, streamlining operations, or spotting customer trends, they provide the insights that shape business strategy.
What makes a great Business Intelligence Analyst?
They’re part data geek, part storyteller. A great Business Intelligence Analyst knows how to work with data tools but can also explain insights clearly to non-technical people. They’re curious, detail-focused, and always asking “why?”—pushing the business to dig deeper and do better.
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