BI developer job description.
Thinking about hiring a BI developer or moving into this role? This business intelligence developer job description outlines development-focused tasks like report creation, data visualisation, and database scripting. You'll find info on the tools, progression into engineering or management, and salary benchmarks.
What does a business intelligence developer do?
A business intelligence developer designs and builds dashboards, reports, and data models that support business users in tracking and understanding performance. They bridge the gap between raw data and decision-making tools.
Tasks include developing front-end visualisations, optimising SQL queries, integrating data sources, and working closely with analysts to deliver usable insights. They commonly use Power BI, Tableau, or QlikView, alongside scripting languages like SQL or DAX.
In small teams, they may handle the entire reporting workflow. In larger organisations, they specialise in BI platform development, supporting analysts and business teams across marketing, finance, or operations.
Key responsibilities of a business intelligence developer.
BI developers create reports and visual dashboards to support decision-making. Their responsibilities include:
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Developing dashboards and reports using Power BI, QlikView, or Tableau
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Translating business requirements into visual and technical specifications
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Designing interactive visuals that highlight key metrics
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Maintaining and enhancing existing dashboards and reporting tools
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Connecting reports to databases and validated data models
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Performing performance tuning and query optimisation
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Working with analysts and engineers to align on data definitions
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Ensuring consistent formatting, UX, and usability across reports
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Documenting dashboard logic and data transformations
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Supporting business stakeholders with insights and self-serve access
This role blends visual design, data logic, and business alignment.
Skills and requirements for a business intelligence developer.
BI developers create dashboards and reporting tools. Employers typically look for:
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3–5 years of experience in business intelligence or data analysis
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Proficiency in SQL and visualisation tools like Power BI or Tableau
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Skilled in creating ETL processes and data modelling
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Ability to translate stakeholder needs into dashboards
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Familiarity with cloud data platforms and BI infrastructure
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Strong understanding of business KPIs and metrics
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Ability to automate and optimise reporting workflows
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Comfortable managing change requests and updates
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Excellent attention to data accuracy and detail
Most BI developers improve reporting clarity and accessibility.
Average salary for a business intelligence developer.
In the UK, the average salary for a business intelligence developer typically ranges from £40,000 to £60,000, depending on ETL design, dashboard creation, and cross-team collaboration.
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Mid-level BI developers usually earn between £40,000 and £50,000
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Senior developers responsible for enterprise-level BI systems can earn between £51,000 and £60,000
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Experience in data warehousing and performance optimisation increases earning potential
Top-paying opportunities are in finance, B2B SaaS, and enterprise reporting environments.
Career progression for a business intelligence developer.
A BI developer builds reporting solutions and supports business users in accessing key insights. This role bridges data engineering and user-facing analytics. A typical progression includes:
Reporting analyst / SQL developer
Works with data queries and supports dashboard development in BI tools.
BI developer
Designs ETL pipelines, manages semantic layers, and builds automated reporting systems.
Senior BI developer
Owns data modelling frameworks, dashboarding standards, and system performance.
BI manager / Data solutions architect
Leads projects, defines best practices, and mentors junior developers.
Director of BI
Aligns BI strategy with commercial needs. Manages teams, platforms, and delivery roadmaps.
salary guide
Our UK data salary guide.
BI developers create reports, dashboards, and tools that support decisions across the business. Pay should reflect experience in building, testing, and deploying data visualisations.
Use our UK data salary guide to benchmark BI Developer salaries, compare 2024 data, and plan confidently for 2026 projections.
FAQS
Business intelligence developer FAQs.
It varies. Some BI developers build dashboards and manage permissions. Others write complex SQL, model data, and align with product and engineering teams. In most UK organisations, it’s a hybrid — technical fluency with business context is essential.
Vague requirements, last-minute reporting requests, and being left out of upstream planning. Great BI developers add most value when consulted early and trusted to shape what should be measured.
Power BI is still dominant in enterprise; Tableau and Looker are common in tech scaleups. Developers are often expected to know SQL deeply and maintain the logic layer that sits behind dashboards.
Give them a messy brief and ask how they’d clarify, prioritise, and model it. A developer who jumps straight to visuals without scoping or querying assumptions may be a poor long-term fit.
Progression includes BI engineering, product ownership, or tooling leadership roles — especially in organisations scaling toward data self-service models.
