What Is a Knowledge Manager? (Responsibilities & Full Job Description)

At most organizations, workers need access to knowledge to do their jobs. Arranging learning opportunities and organizing information so employees can retrieve it can be a challenge, especially when lots of complex resources need to be shared.

Knowledge managers can help with this. They create systems and knowledge databases to capture information and share it, and ensure that information flows so everyone can do their best work.

In this article, we take a closer look at the role of the knowledge manager so you can decide whether your organization needs one. We then cover the qualities to look for when hiring a knowledge manager and the tools that can help them in their role.

What Is a Knowledge Manager?

A knowledge manager is in charge of knowledge management, which is the process of handling information in an organization. While everyone at a company may work with or contribute to data, the knowledge manager is the one responsible for making sure information flows. 

This professional is part of a business’s operations team, working with every leader and employee to make sure everyone has the resources they need. 

Sometimes known as a knowledge base manager, the knowledge manager is also tasked with overseeing the technology through which team members access information. A knowledge manager may:

• Create and maintain knowledge databases
• Be responsible for the storage and access of knowledge within the company
• Create processes so employees can access the training, information, and resources they need for their job
• Create processes to help employees share their knowledge and experience with each other and with future workers

Knowledge managers contribute to an organization’s growth and overall success by reducing information bottlenecks. Instead of having just a few employees understand how to do a job effectively, knowledge managers ensure everyone has access to this information.

Knowledge Manager Responsibilities

Knowledge managers may need to work with different kinds of documented assets, including employee feedback, employee-created resources, how-to articles, internal documents or policies, training programs and videos, and other materials.

Depending on the organization and its needs, a knowledge manager may be responsible for the following:

Creating and implementing a corporate knowledge framework

“Corporate knowledge framework” is an umbrella term used to describe the processes, tech, and thinking used to create, store, and distribute knowledge resources at an organization. This includes the processes and thinking that decide how information will be gathered and shared inside a company. This information is not usually shared externally.

Corporate knowledge frameworks also encourage collaboration by defining who should share their experiences and how. For example, a framework might include setting up meetings where workers are encouraged to share what they have learned about a particular aspect of their roles — for example, customer service. 

Creating and maintaining a knowledge base

The knowledge base is a central hub where internal staff can access policies, manuals, employee handbooks, training, and more. Some bases allow external users like customers and clients to access certain information as well. Knowledge managers are responsible for creating and maintaining these bases. 

Knowledge bases are usually self-serve. They’re like a library, organizing and storing information that users can then search for and access no matter where they are.

Setting up a search system

Knowledge managers help ensure that workers have access to information and understand how to find it. This means that part of the knowledge manager’s role involves creating and testing searchable resources and training workers on how to find and use them.

Identifying needed information

This may involve working with leaders and staff to determine what resources the organization needs, what format this information should be in, and what might be the most accessible and simplest ways to share this data.

Collaborating with company leaders and coworkers

Knowledge managers need to optimize information storage and distribution. They may need to speak to leaders and coworkers to gain their insight in order to create and develop written resources and informational videos that can be shared.

For example, say a home nursing organization has experienced nurses who have helped hundreds of patients. These nurses have a lot of information about best practices in their area. Knowledge managers may want to work with these nurses to create training videos or meetings. 

Additionally, they may want to interview them to learn what these nurses know so this information can be passed on to new hires. Managers may even want to collaborate with the nurses to create mentoring programs. 

This level of collaboration ensures important information isn’t just understood by only a few people at the company. Instead, it can be shared to make new hires and existing workers more effective. If an experienced worker leaves, this process ensures some of their insights can still be used to benefit the team.

Ensuring all employees have access to important information

This can involve making sure employee manuals, how-tos, FAQs, and any necessary forms are shared and updated. It can also mean making sure employees know how and where to find the information they need to do their job—for example, in the knowledge base.

As part of their responsibilities, knowledge managers also need to help keep private information private. They’ll set user access permissions in the knowledge base to ensure third parties can’t access sensitive resources.

Fostering a culture of knowledge sharing

This may mean creating new mission statements or a company vision that includes sharing knowledge. 

It can also mean setting up opportunities for employees to share best practices and their experiences, such as:

• Peer-led training sessions and Q&As that allow more experienced workers to support more recent team members
• Collaboration opportunities, where employees can work together on projects
• An open-door policy that allows workers to ask for resources they need
• Asking employees to share their knowledge by creating resources that can be used by others
• Creating mentorship programs and programs to allow new hires to shadow more experienced workers
• Reward programs that provide incentives for workers to share what they know

Educating employees about the company’s resources

Knowledge managers need to train teams on how to use knowledge management systems. They may also be responsible for setting up general employee job training and upskilling opportunities. As processes and best practices change, this may mean checking in with workers to make sure they understand the new knowledge.

Keeping knowledge management systems relevant

Knowledge managers need to keep systems successful over time, which may mean adapting the systems as an organization changes, as well as capturing new knowledge and integrating it into operations. It can also mean removing outdated information from databases and streamlining information so it’s easy to find.

Maintaining open lines of communication

Knowledge managers may want to seek and act on information from leaders and staff so they can adjust the knowledge base and corporate knowledge framework to make them more effective.

Employee surveys are a good way of finding out what information workers need, and what best practices of experienced employees are most relevant to the team. This can be a useful way to gauge what information to share. 

Sample Knowledge Manager Job Description

[Company name] is a rapidly growing tech company just outside of [location]. We develop tech products for the B2C and B2B space, but we also work hard to grow every day and learn from each other.

We’re currently looking to add a full-time Knowledge Manager to our operations department. In this role, you’ll be working with everyone on our team, from the CEO to new hires, helping us share, find, and store the knowledge each employee needs for their role.

We’re seeking someone who’s curious, a self-starter, and a great communicator. You should be equally comfortable creating tech solutions and developing policies or initiatives, working alone or on teams. 

Our company currently has some knowledge assets, including training videos and manuals, but we’re aiming to build a knowledge-sharing culture from the ground up. We’re looking for someone who can identify what resources we need, develop those resources, and create a system for making sure that information is accessible and always updated.

Job Qualifications:

• Prior experience as a knowledge base manager or knowledge manager
• Experience with knowledge bases and online platforms for organizing knowledge
• Excellent project management and communication skills
• Experience conducting training sessions
• Creative thinking
• Organizational skills
• Ability to create, edit, and update training materials and resources
• Report-writing ability
• Skills in working with teams
• Bachelor’s degree in IT, business management, or related field is a plus
• Certificate in knowledge management is a plus

Responsibilities include:

• Creating, organizing, and updating company knowledge base
• Developing initiatives to encourage team members to share their experiences and best practices
• Creating policies and processes for developing new resources
• Meeting with leadership to explain progress on knowledge sharing initiatives
• Training new hires
• Developing mentorship, job shadowing, and similar programs

Pay is between $80,000-$90,000 per year, depending on experience.

Why a Knowledge Manager is an Important Role

Studies conducted by the Harris Poll found that workers spend a quarter of their work week on average looking for the resources they need to complete their work tasks. About 43% find the process so frustrating that they would consider leaving their job if they couldn’t find an easy way to access what they need.

A knowledge manager can reduce employee frustration and inefficiency by ensuring companies have the right information in place and by working to make these resources easily accessible.

To stay competitive, organizations also need to be able to share knowledge. If one employee has the experience to do a job more effectively, the entire company can become more effective by sharing that information with other workers.

Overall, knowledge managers set up training and knowledge sharing at companies. They make sure workers have the best and most recent knowledge to be better at their jobs and to ensure high-quality work and customer satisfaction. All of this ultimately helps organizations ‌become more profitable and maintain strong reputations.

What Qualities Make a Great Knowledge Manager?

Compassionate curiosity 

Knowledge managers work with information and resources every day, so they should be curious and have a love of learning. They also need to care about everyone in the organization enough to address each worker’s needs.

Strong prioritization skills

Good managers know what to focus on first so they can start creating a knowledge-sharing system fast.

Ability to reinforce positive company culture

Thinking outside the box, knowledge managers look for ways to get employees excited about learning. They find ways to make sure knowledge-sharing happens every day, building a knowledge-sharing culture.

Strong communication skills

These professionals need to be able to explain the importance of resources and knowledge sharing to all stakeholders. 

They also need to be able to explain knowledge databases and other systems in a clear, streamlined way so all workers can understand how to use them.

Ability to provide support

Knowledge managers need to be available to answer employees’ and leaders’ questions about resources, knowledge databases, and the other parts of a knowledge sharing process. 

Great project management skills

These individuals may need to roll out a new knowledge base or initiatives such as employee training. Project management skills will keep these projects on a timeline and within budget.

Ability to capture new knowledge

Good knowledge managers have a keen eye for useful information and resources that can help their organization. They go out of their way to bring new ideas and new types of knowledge to leaders and team members.

A willingness to roll up their sleeves

Finally, these managers know how to set up and use technology to share knowledge. They’re willing to dive in, make updates, and use all the features of platforms and training systems.

Using Connecteam’s Knowledge Center for Knowledge Management

Even with the best knowledge manager on staff, organizations still need reliable tools to store and share information and resources. That’s where Connecteam’s knowledge center can help.

The knowledge center is a customizable and easily searchable digital library. Even if your organization doesn’t yet have a knowledge manager, you can upload files, manuals, how-tos, videos, work-related forms, and so much more.

Looking up information on Connecteam’s knowledge center is as simple as typing in keywords in the search bar. Instantly, files with those keywords show up. It’s easy to use, and even your less tech-savvy employees will get the hang of it in minutes.

Plus, with end-to-end encryption and no storage limitations, Connecteam enables you to securely upload and store as much information as you need. 

You also have full control over who has access to the files. Set custom access permissions so employees view only the information relevant to them and their roles—without peeking at sensitive files. Once permissions are granted, your team can access the knowledge center from any mobile device, no matter where they are.

In addition, Connecteam’s knowledge center automatically syncs files, so when you upload a new manual, training document, or file, everyone gets the latest version. You can say goodbye to outdated information. 

What’s more, the knowledge center is just the beginning. Connecteam makes it easy to build a culture of knowledge sharing with features that help you:

• Share newsletters and updates
• Use employee training software to onboard and train employees
• Create employee surveys to find out where knowledge gaps may be

Connecteam’s knowledge center can be a powerful tool for knowledge managers. They can use it to make files and resources easily available and add new information whenever needed. Instead of needing to reinvent the wheel with a new system, they’ll have tech that lets them communicate with the team, create custom training, share information, and more.

Conclusion

Knowledge managers are the archivists and translators of your organization, helping to make sure information and resources flow where they need to and that they are understood by everyone. 

The right knowledge managers are curious, passionate about learning, and work with online knowledge base tools to make sure resources stay relevant and accessible 24/7. They’re a valuable asset to any team, ensuring everyone can stay productive and boosting the company’s bottom line.

Curious to learn more about knowledge management and what it can do for your organization? 

Take a look at our guide to knowledge management and our starting guide to Connecteam’s knowledge center.

Get started with Connecteam for free today!

FAQs

What qualifications should a knowledge manager have?

The best knowledge managers generally have secured at least a bachelor’s degree in business, IT, or similar fields. Some seek certification or online classes in management or knowledge management.

When should a company hire a knowledge manager?

It’s different for every organization. In general, once employees report that they can’t find what they need for work or advancement, you may want to start using a knowledge center (like the one Connecteam provides) and even hire a dedicated knowledge manager to organize it.