What do Data Managers do?

We are going through a restructuring exercise and there has been a suggestion ithat we need a data manager/SIMS manager/senior management general dogsbody who would sit somewhere between leadership team and admin staff and oversee SIMS operations, workflow in the admin team and other issues to do with how data flows round the school, linked agencies and parents. There is however a huge variation in what various members of the team think a data manager should do and I wondered what happens in other schools

we have one of those and an assistant. They are very good... they look at the data, tell people to do registers and reports and they fix bits of serco and stuff... taken a lot of hassle off us anyway!

One here too - Handles all the MIS data: information changes, student reports, parents evening setup, etc. etc. First point of contact for electronic registration, username requests, problems etc.

Means only get bothered with MIS problems when it's a true technical issue or an upgrade. First school where I've not been MIS Manager as well, and it's a great help!

Our NM is also our data manager..heh.

This is very relevant to us at the moment.

The powers that be are wanting to know the role of a Data Manager as opposed to a Network Manager and would like job descriptions of both.

Long story.

network managers manage the network (computers, servers)

Data managers manage data on the MIS... school reports, problem kids etc...

both work together on MIS upgrades. Data manager rings support line when there is a problem!

Pretty much what I thought then thanks.

they are good :)

What's the situation with seniority?

There was talk of a Systems Manager here too who'd take on the Data Manager duties but be above the Network Manager. Or something.

they aren't really in charge of each other or to do with anything, they just work together. We report to one deputy head and they report to another...

They have their own little office upstairs.

Ah ok I see.

Thankyou.

You make it all sound so sweet and cosy 'little office upstairs' awww bless!

oh actually at the fella's school his boss is systems manager, but he is just a senior tech... i'da thought that they would have been on par to be honest...

it is cozy! they have plants and windows and stuff.... fair jealous!

We have a Data Systems and Exams Manager, same scale (SO2) as me, the Network Manager. She looks after the MIS data (SIMS.net), deals with exams, reports, school data etc. I manage the infrastructure including MIS server and admin clients, we both get involved when SIMS.net needs updating but she decides when.

Works well, keeps SIMS.net at arms length most of the time :)

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Originally Posted by Diello

One here too - Handles all the MIS data: information changes, student reports, parents evening setup, etc. etc. First point of contact for electronic registration, username requests, problems etc.

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Pretty much the same setup we have here too