Business data analyst

‘The new black gold’ – the fuel of the digital economy – data has become a source of wealth for businesses that know how to process and capitalise on it.

The business data analyst is responsible for determining how a company can utilise this data; they extract key indicators from it to improve the company’s overall strategy, operational processes, customer relations, marketing and more.

Data refers to all digital information (both internal and external). It is now essential for artificial intelligence, the strategic management of a company and the development of its offerings.

Overview and responsibilities of the business data analyst

The business data analyst, or business data manager, acts as an interpreter of a company’s internal and external data. They know how to segment and interpret this data to provide clear insights to decision-makers. They act as a bridge between technical roles (data scientist, data engineer, data analyst, etc.), who are responsible for cleaning and processing the data, and strategic roles (Head of HR, Finance Director, Marketing Director, Managing Director), for whom they seek solutions through the interpretation of data. They build bridges between these two worlds.

The business data analyst gathers the strategic vision of senior management, the needs of operational departments, and both external and internal constraints. They analyse digital information in all its forms and from various perspectives to propose avenues for consideration.

They analyse the information they deem relevant to improve performance. They summarise their findings and present them in a way that is understandable to all staff. The precision of their work enables them to accurately assess the market situation (identifying purchasing and consumption trends and thus refining the profile of their target audiences) as well as to anticipate future developments.

In practical terms, their findings will lead to new, better-targeted marketing campaigns, product and service launches, solutions to problems, and a different market positioning… These changes also influence all aspects of internal operations: recruitment, management and finance, R&D…

Business data analyst

Business implications

Business data analysis is intrinsically linked to commercial, financial and strategic aspects. It is essential for a company’s growth today. This discipline enables the best recommendations to be identified in line with internal and external contexts.

Business data analysts can be found in a wide range of sectors: pharmaceutical companies, banks, insurance firms, e-commerce, public sector organisations, the automotive industry, the agri-food sector, recruitment, transport and the aerospace industry…

Business data analyst
Ethical implications
Ethics is intrinsically linked to big data. Compliance with the law, transparency, human oversight, freedom, equality and neutrality are recurring themes when working with data. Data and AI lawyers and ethics officers are essential support roles that assist business data analysts in their day-to-day work.
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Key skills

A business data analyst possesses a wide range of knowledge and skills. It is not uncommon for them to have held operational management roles or to have studied these disciplines in addition to their technical background.

Conversely, they may also have graduated from a business school and subsequently specialised in business data analysis. A solid understanding of the sector is absolutely essential for the role. The business data analyst tailors their investigations to the strategic, economic and marketing challenges with which they are familiar. They have a broad yet precise understanding of the market and their organisation. Their role lies at the crossroads of analytical mathematics, IT and business.

Analytical skills and curiosity are at the heart of their vocation. Their communication skills ensure their conclusions are clear and accessible. They are able to switch between different stakeholders regularly. Their adaptability and excellent interpersonal skills enable them to collaborate with technical experts, support functions and senior management.

He is proficient in business intelligence statistical tools (such as NetSuite, Power BI, Logi Analytics, Tableau, etc.) and analytical tools (SAS, SQL, VBA, Access, R), as well as databases (data warehouses). An expert in project management, he is capable of working on multiple projects simultaneously. Meticulous in his approach, he always goes beyond the scope of his research to predict market behaviour, for example. He naturally keeps abreast of all developments in data and AI.

Trends and drivers of change

The versatility of his profile makes him a rare candidate who is highly sought after by recruiters. He works in a corporate environment, at a start-up specialising in big data, or as a freelancer. He may subsequently progress to a role as a data manager (data analyst manager or head of data).

With their unconventional and hybrid profile, business data analysts demonstrate the power of data. Their findings are essential to strategic decision-making and a company’s growth.