Information manager

Information managers are responsible for systems that provide information to people. They assure access to the information in different work environments (public or private) based on theoretical principles and hands-on capabilities in storing, retrieving and communicating information.

Here are some typical duties of information managers:

• Develop and implement strategies for information management systems, ensuring they align with organizational goals and support business processes.
• Establish and enforce data governance policies to ensure data accuracy, integrity, and security.
• Design and maintain the structure of information systems, databases, and repositories to facilitate efficient data storage and retrieval.
• Provide training and support for users to maximize their proficiency in utilizing information systems and adhering to data management best practices.
• Collaborate with IT professionals to implement and enhance cybersecurity measures, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access or data breaches.
• Evaluate, select, and manage relationships with third-party vendors providing information management tools and services.
• Ensure compliance with relevant data protection regulations, industry standards, and organizational policies.
• Work with organizational leadership to align information management strategies with overall business strategies, fostering innovation and efficiency.
• Develop and oversee records management programs, ensuring the proper retention and disposal of records in accordance with legal requirements.
• Collaborate with business intelligence teams to extract valuable insights from data, supporting informed decision-making.
• Monitor and evaluate information management processes, recommending and implementing improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

The following job titles also refer to information manager:

information officer
academic information coordinator
documentalist
information scientist
knowledge manager
records manager

Information managers may work in various industries, including corporate, government, healthcare, or nonprofit sectors. The role involves collaboration with IT professionals, executives, and end-users. Information managers may work in an office setting and may also need to address information management issues remotely.

To become an information manager, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in information management, information science, business administration, or a related field is typically required. Relevant certifications in information management or data governance may enhance qualifications. Practical experience in data management, IT, or related roles is valuable. Strong analytical skills, project management capabilities, and a commitment to staying updated on information management trends contribute to the success of information managers. Continuous professional development and networking within the information management community further support career growth in this field.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Information manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to information manager.

archivist
librarian
library manager
ICT information and knowledge manager
data analyst

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of information manager.

• Data quality assessment: The process of revealing data issues using ​quality indicators, measures and metrics in order to plan data cleansing and data enrichment strategies according to data quality criteria.
• Copyright legislation: Legislation describing the protection of the rights of original authors over their work, and how others can use it.

These skills are necessary for the role of information manager.

• Manage digital libraries: Collect, manage and preserve for permanent access digital content and offer to targeted user communities specialised search and retrieval functionality.
• Develop information standards: Develop norms or requirements that establish uniform technical criteria, methods, processes and practices in information management based on professional experience.
• Evaluate project plans: evaluate proposals/project plans and assess feasibility issues.
• Perform data mining: Explore large datasets to reveal patterns using statistics, database systems or artificial intelligence and present the information comprehensibly.
• Develop solutions to information issues: Analyse information needs and challenges to develop effective technological solutions.
• Assess informational needs: Communicate with clients or users in order to identify which information they require and the methods with which they can access it.
• Develop organisational information goals: Develop and interpret organisational information goals, creating specific policies and procedures.
• Perform customer management: Identify and understand the customer’s needs. Communicate and engage with stakeholders in designing, promoting and evaluating services.
• Cooperate to resolve information issues: Meet up and communicate with managers, salesmen, and others to facilitate cooperation and resolve problems.
• Manage data: Administer all types of data resources through their lifecycle by performing data profiling, parsing, standardisation, identity resolution, cleansing, enhancement and auditing. Ensure the data is fit for purpose, using specialised ICT tools to fulfil the data quality criteria.
• Design information system: Define the architecture, composition, components, modules, interfaces and data for integrated information systems (hardware, software and network), based on system requirements and specifications.
• Analyse information systems: Conduct analyses of information systems such as archives, libraries and documentation centers to verify their effectiveness. Develop specific problem-solving techniques in order to improve the performance of the systems.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of information manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Manage schedule of tasks: Maintain an overview of all the incoming tasks in order to prioritise the tasks, plan their execution, and integrate new tasks as they present themselves.
• Maintain information network hardware: Assess the functionality and identify faults in the infrastructure of an information network, perform routine maintenance tasks which prevent failure and repair tasks in order to ensure permanent availability to system users.
• Digitise documents: Load analog documents by converting them into a digital format, using specialised hardware and software.
• Use software for data preservation: Utilise specialised applications and software to collect and preserve digital information.
• Analyse big data: Collect and evaluate numerical data in large quantities, especially for the purpose of identifying patterns between the data.
• Manage operational budgets: Prepare, monitor and adjust operational budgets together with the economical/administrative manager/professionals in the arts institute/unit/project.
• Supervise daily information operations: Direct daily operations of different units. Coordinate program/project activities to assure the respect of costs and time.
• Hire new personnel: Hire new personnel for a company or organisation payroll via a prepared set of procedures. Make staffing decisions and direct selection co-workers.
• Create semantic trees: Create coherent lists and hierarchies of concepts and terms to ensure consistent indexing in knowledge organisation systems.

2622 – Librarians and related information professionals

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References

1. Information manager – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash