Knowledge Strategist

🎯 Role Definition

The Knowledge Strategist is the chief architect of an organization's intellectual capital framework. This isn't just about managing documents; it's about shaping how an entire organization thinks, learns, and innovates. You'll be the visionary leader who connects people to the knowledge and expertise they need to excel, breaking down silos and building a culture of collaboration. By designing the systems, processes, and cultural initiatives that govern how information flows, this role directly impacts efficiency, employee engagement, and the company's competitive edge. You are a change agent, a librarian for the digital age, and a business partner, all rolled into one, ensuring that our collective wisdom becomes our greatest asset.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Knowledge Manager or Specialist
Senior Business Analyst
Corporate Librarian or Information Scientist
Senior Content Strategist

Advancement To:

Director of Knowledge & Collaboration
Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO)
Head of Organizational Effectiveness
Director of Digital Workplace Strategy

Lateral Moves:

Organizational Change Management Lead
Director of Learning & Development
Senior Program Manager, Internal Communications

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Architect, evangelize, and execute a comprehensive, long-term knowledge management strategy that aligns directly with core business objectives, ensuring intellectual capital is treated as a critical enterprise asset.
Design, implement, and govern a unified enterprise taxonomy, metadata schema, and content architecture to ensure all knowledge assets are findable, accessible, and trustworthy.
Lead the selection, implementation, and continuous improvement of knowledge management platforms and technologies (e.g., intranets, wikis, enterprise search), acting as the key liaison between business stakeholders and IT.
Champion and drive the cultural shift toward knowledge-sharing behaviors, developing and leading change management initiatives to foster adoption of new tools and processes.
Establish and monitor a robust set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the value, impact, and health of knowledge management programs, reporting findings to executive leadership.
Develop and mature a network of "Communities of Practice" (CoPs) or expert networks to facilitate peer-to-peer learning, problem-solving, and the organic growth of specialized knowledge.
Conduct regular knowledge audits and needs assessments across business units to identify critical knowledge gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement in information flow.
Define and oversee the entire content lifecycle management process, from creation and curation to archival and disposition, ensuring content remains relevant, accurate, and high-quality.
Act as the primary thought leader and advocate for knowledge management principles, influencing senior leadership and cross-functional partners to secure buy-in and resources for key initiatives.
Design and facilitate knowledge capture and transfer sessions for critical projects, subject matter experts, and departing employees to mitigate knowledge loss and preserve institutional memory.
Stay at the forefront of emerging trends, best practices, and technologies in the knowledge, information, and collaboration fields, bringing innovative ideas back into the organization.
Partner with L&D and HR to integrate knowledge-sharing principles and competencies into onboarding, training programs, and performance management frameworks.
Create and maintain a "knowledge map" of the organization's critical information assets and subject matter experts to make expertise visible and accessible.
Develop and govern search optimization strategies for internal knowledge repositories fatores to improve the findability of information and reduce time wasted searching.
Analyze usage data, search logs, and user feedback from KM platforms to derive actionable insights, identify pain points, and drive iterative improvements to the user experience.
Lead the design of knowledge flows for key business processes, working with process owners to embed knowledge-sharing steps directly into daily workflows.

Secondary Functions

Provide expert consultation and guidance to teams and departments on best practices for local knowledge capture, organization, and sharing.
Develop and deliver targeted training and communication plans to promote knowledge management initiatives, celebrate successes, and highlight available resources.
Curate and syndicate high-value content to ensure its visibility and application in strategic decision-making and daily operations.
Facilitate cross-functional workshops and brainstorming sessions需求 to solve complex information-sharing challenges and co-create solutions with stakeholders.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Knowledge Management Systems: Deep expertise in the administration, configuration, and governance of platforms like SharePoint Online, Confluence, ServiceNow KM, or similar enterprise knowledge bases.
Information Architecture: Proven ability to design and implement logical, user-centric structures for large bodies of content, including site navigation, content hierarchies, and page layouts.
Taxonomy & Ontology Development: Mastery of creating and managing controlled vocabularies, metadata schemas, and tagging strategies to power search and discovery.
Content Lifecycle Management: Strong understanding of the processes for creating, reviewing, publishing, and archiving content to maintain a healthy and relevant knowledge ecosystem.
Data Analysis & Reporting: Competency in using analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Power BI) to analyze user behavior on KM platforms and translate data into strategic recommendations.
KM Methodologies: Familiarity with established frameworks like Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS), Communities of Practice (CoPs), and knowledge mapping.

Soft Skills

Strategic Thinking: The ability to see the big picture, connect KM initiatives to overarching business goals, and develop a long-term vision for organizational knowledge.
Change Management: Exceptional skill in guiding individuals, teams, and an organization through a transition to new ways of working, overcoming resistance, and fostering adoption.
Influence & Stakeholder Management: The ability to build relationships, establish credibility, and persuade leaders and peers at all levels to support and participate in knowledge initiatives without direct authority.
Communication & Storytelling: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, compelling business value for diverse audiences.
Facilitation: Expertise in leading workshops, meetings, and interviews to elicit information, build consensus, and guide groups toward a common goal.
Pragmatic Problem-Solving: A practical, solutions-oriented mindset focused on identifying the root cause of information challenges and designing simple, effective, and scalable solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS), Knowledge Management, Information Systems, or Business Administration (MBA).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Library and Information Science
Knowledge Management
Business Administration
Communications
Information Systems
Organizational Psychology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

7-12 years of professional experience, with at least 5 years in a dedicated knowledge management, information architecture, or content strategy role.

Preferred:

Direct, hands-on experience designing and leading the implementation of at least one major enterprise-wide knowledge management program or technology platform from a strategic perspective. Proven track record of influencing senior leadership and driving cultural change in a complex, matrixed organization.