Business Intelligence Developer

As a Business Intelligence Developer you design, build and maintain data models, dashboards and reports that help organisations make informed decisions. You work with tools such as Power BI, Tableau and SQL to transform raw data from across a business into clear, actionable visualisations and insights. Your typical working day involves gathering requirements from stakeholders, writing complex queries, optimising data pipelines and presenting findings to managers in areas such as sales, finance and operations. You collaborate closely with data engineers, IT teams and senior management across sectors including retail, insurance and the public service. The role sits at the intersection of technology and business strategy, requiring you to translate technical findings into plain language that non-technical colleagues can act upon.

Most Business Intelligence Developers enter the field with an NFQ Level 8 Honours Bachelor degree, typically in Computer Science, Data Science, Business Information Systems or a related discipline, available at universities such as UCD, DCU, TU Dublin and University of Galway. Leaving Certificate subjects that strengthen your application include Mathematics (Higher Level is particularly valued), Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Business. Some practitioners come through a Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor degree followed by a Level 9 postgraduate qualification in Data Analytics or Business Intelligence, which are offered by technological universities and institutions such as UL and UCC. PLC courses at Level 5 or 6 in IT or Computing can provide a stepping-stone into a Level 7 or 8 programme via the QQI links mechanism. Relevant professional certifications such as Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) or Tableau Desktop Specialist are highly regarded by Irish employers and are often pursued alongside or after formal education. No statutory registration body oversees this role, but membership of professional networks such as the Irish Computer Society is beneficial for career development.