Who is a senior business intelligence consultant?

A business intelligence consultant, also often referred to as a business analyst, BA, or BI, is a professional who gathers, analyzes, and uses data to help companies make better decisions. They develop and use BI tools, dashboards, and reporting systems and make sure that their employers monitor key metrics, identify trends, and improve their performance. 

A BI consultant works at a crossroads of several roles – they combine skills in data analytics, IT, and business strategy and often work closely with stakeholders to make sure that their data insights align with business goals.

What’s the difference between a BI consultant and a business analyst?

Even though the roles are often intertwined and used as synonyms, there’s a difference between a BI and a BA. 

If you need someone to build and manage BI systems for reporting and analytics, → You need a BI consultant.

If you need someone to analyze business problems and optimize processes → You need a Business analyst. Here’s a fast recap:

Even though the difference is there, much depends on the historical practices of each particular company. In some cases, you would find one person taking both roles.

History of the BI consultant role

The role of a BI consultant started in the late 1980s and early 1990s when companies began using data warehouses and tools to help with decision-making. As advanced BI software like SAP, Oracle, Tableau, and Power BI appeared, the role shifted from simple IT reporting to playing a key part in business strategy. In the 2010s, big data and cloud computing made BI even more important, focusing on predictive analytics, real-time data, and AI-powered insights.

Responsibilities and day-to-day tasks of a BI consultant

A BI consultant helps businesses understand their data and use it to make smarter decisions. Unlike other roles, a BI consultant specializes in turning complex data into clear, actionable insights. They don’t just collect or analyze data — they connect the dots to show what’s working, what’s not, and what can be improved.

• BI consultants provide a “big picture” view of the business using data. For example, they can show which products bring the most profit or where the company is losing money. 
• They turn raw numbers into easy-to-understand visuals like dashboards and reports, helping C-level management make decisions.
• They spot hidden trends or inefficiencies and help companies save time, money, and resources.
• BI consultants forecast trends based on historical data, which helps businesses plan ahead and stay competitive.

Other roles, like analysts or developers, may focus on gathering data or creating tools, but a BI consultant bridges the gap between data and business strategy. Among their responsibilities are data analysis and reporting, system development, data integration, performance monitoring, client collaboration, training, and support.

BI consultant’s day-to-day tasks

• Meeting with stakeholders to discuss business goals and data requirements.
• Designing data models and visualizations.
• Troubleshooting and optimizing BI systems.
• Writing SQL queries or working with ETL tools to integrate and process data.
• Analyzing trends to provide strategic recommendations.
• Documenting processes and ensuring data quality.

Senior-level BI consultants have a bit different responsibilities. For starters, they include leadership – Senior BI consultants are expected to lead BI projects, manage junior consultants, and coordinate across teams. Employers also expect more strategic insights and high-level recommendations based on complex data analyses. Senior BI consultants will also handle executive-level communication, align BI initiatives with company goals, develop large-scale, scalable BI architectures, and ensure the accuracy and integrity of BI tools and systems.

How do senior BI consultants differ?

Senior consultants handle more complex datasets and advanced BI tools, so they have a deeper expertise in business intelligence. They also play a leadership role as they mentor teams and oversee project timelines. Senior consultants can drive decisions at the enterprise level and often interact with C-level executives, presenting insights and strategies at a higher level. In other words, senior BI consultants take on broader responsibilities.

When does your business need a senior BI consultant?

A senior BI consultant is an expensive specialist who tackles complex challenges. How to make sure that our business will benefit from an expert of such a level? Here are five needs a senior BI consultant can cover:

1. You have strategic growth plans. If you need data-driven strategies for market expansion or new ventures. For example, you’re a company expanding globally that needs insights into regional markets and customer behavior.
2. You have a data overload. When your data is complex or unmanageable, getting actionable insights becomes hard. For example, you’re an e-commerce platform that struggles to analyze customer purchasing patterns across millions of transactions.
3. Your decisions are inefficient. You might have a problem if your current BI processes don’t support real-time decisions. For example, you’re a logistics company that needs predictive analytics to optimize delivery routes.
4. Your BI systems underperform. Think of hiring a senior BI specialist if your BI tools fail to deliver the expected ROI or insights. For example, if your retail chain’s dashboard is outdated and can’t handle modern analytics needs.
5. You have advanced analytics needs. You might need an expert if you’re integrating AI, ML, or advanced forecasting models. For example, you’re a healthcare firm that wants predictive analytics for patient care and resource allocation.

BI consultant salary

Salaries for BI consultants are quite high and, as always, depend on many factors, with the location of your specialist being the most influential one. Check out some average annual salaries for mid-level and senior BI consultants in different regions:

• United States: $101,000 for a mid-level BI and $120,000 for a senior-level specialist
• Canada: $83,000 for a mid-level and $94,000 for a senior BI
• United Kingdom: $67,000 for a mid-level and $92,000 for a senior BI
• Israel: $69,000 for a mid-level and $77,000 for a senior BI
• Germany: $53,000 for a mid-level and $73,000 for a senior BI
• India: $9,000–$14,500 for a mid-level and $14,500+ for senior BI
• Vietnam: $21,000 for a mid-level and $28,000 for senior BI
• Poland: $26,000 for a mid-level and $34,000 for senior BI
• Ukraine: $21,000 for a mid-level and $28,000 for senior BI

With staff augmentation, though, you don’t have to limit your choice of talent to your location. Hire the best specialists from any country you want and save up to 60% on direct labor costs!