What Does a Knowledge Management Manager Do?

The requirements to become a knowledge management manager can be quite stringent. Knowledge management is a protocol that members of an organization adhere to based on the information gathering process. The process does not stop there as any knowledge that is gathered must then be distributed throughout an organization and done so in a time-efficient manner. A knowledge management manager oversees all of these processes, initiates projects, and monitors staff performance. Sometimes, a professional will be hired to maintain knowledge management internally, and in some cases, the services provided by a knowledge manager may be outsourced.

Precise responsibilities of a knowledge management manager vary depending on the business, but the role will certainly support knowledge management strategies that have been or have yet to be created. If it is the case that an organization does not yet follow a knowledge management strategy, it will likely be the job of the knowledge management manager to devise, implement, and enforce such as policy. Communication is a necessary skill because a knowledge management manager becomes responsible for informing other personnel, management executives, and possibly clients on the knowledge management movement throughout an organization in addition to any challenges that might threaten its success.

Technology is likely to play a central part in the proliferation of information gathering and subsequent knowledge management at a firm. The knowledge management manager could very well be tasked with ensuring that proper technology platforms are in place in order to distribute the findings from information gathering to the relevant individuals. This might lead to upgrades in hardware or software solutions used throughout a business.

Educational requirements to become a knowledge management manager are similarly demanding. Candidates for these positions are often required to have achieved a postgraduate degree, such as a master of business administration. Additionally, companies that are hiring new individuals to this managerial position may expect that the professional have at least one decade of experience including some exposure to knowledge management systems. Inherent in the management position is also a need to organize budgets and other departmental needs as these functions relate to knowledge management.

A knowledge management manager might work internally at an organization or be hired by an international outsourcing firm. In a knowledge management role at an outsourcing firm, the individual may need to develop strategies that can be shared on a global basis. This individual might need to ensure that the goals of knowledge management are aligned with those surrounding business process outsourcing, which is a type of outsourcing that performs special job functions on behalf of an organization.