Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Knowledge Technician

🎯 Role Definition

As a Knowledge Technician, you are the custodian and architect of our organization's collective intelligence. You will be instrumental in developing, managing, and optimizing our knowledge management systems and processes. This role involves a blend of technical administration, content strategy, data analysis, and collaboration. You will work closely with subject matter experts, technical teams, and business units to capture, structure, and disseminate critical information, directly contributing to improved operational efficiency, enhanced customer satisfaction, and a thriving culture of knowledge sharing. Your mission is to ensure that valuable information is not just stored, but is actively used to drive decisions and solve problems.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Technical Writer / Content Specialist
Data Analyst / Business Analyst
Corporate Librarian / Information Specialist
Technical Support Engineer (Tier 2/3)

Advancement To:

Senior Knowledge Manager / Knowledge Strategist
Information Architect
Content Operations Manager
Data Governance Lead

Lateral Moves:

Content Strategist
Business Systems Analyst
Learning & Development Specialist
Product Operations Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Administer, configure, and maintain the day-to-day operations of our enterprise knowledge management platforms (e.g., Confluence, SharePoint, ServiceNow KM).
Develop and enforce a comprehensive content lifecycle management strategy, governing the creation, review, approval, publishing, and archival of all knowledge assets.
Proactively collaborate with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across engineering, product, sales, and support teams to capture, validate, and document complex processes and information.
Author, edit, and publish a high volume of high-quality, engaging content, including technical documentation, support articles, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and FAQs.
Analyze knowledge base usage metrics, search query data, and user feedback to identify content gaps, improve article effectiveness, and optimize the overall user experience.
Design, implement, and maintain a robust taxonomy and metadata framework to ensure content is logically structured, easily discoverable, and contextually relevant.
Champion knowledge management best practices by training and onboarding new content contributors and end-users on platform usage and content standards.
Conduct regular, systematic content audits and quality assurance checks to ensure the accuracy, currency, and consistency of information across all knowledge repositories.
Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for knowledge health, including content age, user satisfaction scores, ticket deflection rates, and content creation velocity.
Manage user roles, permissions, and access controls within the knowledge base to safeguard sensitive information and ensure proper governance.
Translate complex technical concepts and product features into clear, concise, and user-friendly documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Establish and maintain a library of content templates and style guides to drive consistency and efficiency in the content creation process.
Act as the first point of contact for troubleshooting and resolving user-reported issues related to knowledge base functionality and content access.
Curate and organize unstructured information from various sources (e.g., chat logs, emails, meeting notes) into a structured, searchable knowledge repository.
Partner with IT and development teams to recommend and implement system enhancements, integrations, and new features for our knowledge management tools.
Develop and maintain a clear governance framework that outlines the policies, procedures, and standards for all knowledge management activities.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to uncover insights about content performance and user behavior.
Contribute to the organization's broader data strategy and roadmap by advocating for the importance of structured, high-quality knowledge assets.
Collaborate with business units to translate their unique data and information needs into actionable engineering and content requirements.
Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and other agile ceremonies as an embedded member of the data and operations teams.
Facilitate knowledge-sharing forums and communities of practice to foster a culture of continuous learning and collaboration.
Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies in knowledge management and AI-powered search to propose innovative solutions.
Assist in the evaluation, selection, and implementation of new knowledge management technologies and content authoring tools.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Knowledge Base Platforms: Advanced proficiency in administering enterprise knowledge management systems such as Confluence, SharePoint Online, Zendesk Guide, ServiceNow Knowledge Management, or similar platforms.
Content Management Systems (CMS): Hands-on experience with various CMS platforms, understanding their architecture, and content migration processes.
Technical Writing: Demonstrated ability to produce exceptionally clear, concise, and accurate technical documentation, guides, and articles.
Information Architecture & Taxonomy: Strong understanding of principles for structuring information, developing taxonomies, and applying metadata for optimal search and navigation.
Data Analysis: Experience using analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Power BI, Tableau) to interpret usage data, generate reports, and derive actionable insights.
Basic HTML/CSS: Familiarity with HTML and CSS for formatting and styling content within a knowledge base or web environment.
SQL (Structured Query Language): Basic to intermediate SQL skills for querying databases to gather data and support analysis is a strong plus.
ITSM & CRM Familiarity: Understanding of how knowledge management integrates with IT Service Management (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira) and Customer Relationship Management (e.g., Salesforce) systems.

Soft Skills

Exceptional Attention to Detail: A meticulous and precise approach to content creation, editing, and data management, ensuring accuracy and quality.
Strong Written and Verbal Communication: Ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, from engineers to executives.
Collaboration and Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to work cross-functionally, build relationships with subject matter experts, and manage expectations.
Analytical & Problem-Solving Mindset: A natural curiosity to investigate issues, analyze data to find root causes, and develop effective solutions.
User Empathy: The capacity to understand user needs and challenges, advocating for a better user experience in all aspects of knowledge delivery.
Proactive & Self-Directed: A highly motivated individual who can manage their own workload, prioritize tasks, and take initiative without constant supervision.
Adaptability: Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment and can quickly learn new technologies and processes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred Education:

Master’s Degree in Library Science, Information Science, Knowledge Management, or a related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Information Science / Library Science
Computer Science / Information Systems
Communications / Technical Communication
Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-5 years of direct experience in knowledge management, technical writing, content management, or a closely related role.

Preferred:

Experience implementing or migrating a knowledge base system from the ground up.
Proven success in driving user adoption and engagement with knowledge management initiatives.
Experience working within an Agile/Scrum development environment.
Certifications in knowledge management (e.g., KCS) or specific platform administration are highly desirable.