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Gideon, Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics at Warner Bros. Discover: Advize Career Interview
A career shift from San Francisco tech startups to a Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics role at Warner Bros. Discovery, fueled by an MBA from UCLA Anderson, showcases a fascinating journey.
This professional's work involves bridging the gap between business needs and data insights, using skills like project management and effective communication to translate complex data into actionable intelligence for stakeholders.
A blend of technical expertise (SQL, data engineering) and strong communication, coupled with a naturally curious mindset, are highlighted as keys to success in this field, where the favorite aspect is understanding consumer behavior and the impact of media.
The biggest challenge is balancing individual contributions with managerial responsibilities.
Entry-level opportunities like data analyst, analytics engineering, or data engineering roles are suggested, advising students to seek companies of mid-size to ensure mentorship and impactful work.
A pivotal lesson learned is that career pivots are possible, and strong technical skills, particularly SQL, are highly valuable.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Gideon Rosenthal
Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics
Warner Bros. Discover
Duke, 2013
UCLA Anderson
Computer Science
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Data and Analytics
None Applicable
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Career Path Of A Data And Analytics Engineering Manager At Warner Bros. Discovery
Gideon's career path reflects a shift from a software engineering role in the San Francisco tech startup scene, where they found the work "all by yourself," to a more collaborative environment. This transition, facilitated by an MBA from UCLA Anderson, led to their current position as a Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics, leveraging their computer science background to support "key important business decisions."
Main Responsibilities of a Business Intelligence and Analytics Manager at Warner Bros Discovery
Gideon, a Manager of Business Intelligence & Analytics at Warner Bros. Discovery, focuses on bridging the gap between business needs and data insights, "working with data engineers to establish pipelines for key business metrics," and then translating complex data into actionable intelligence for stakeholders ranging from executive leadership to operational partners. This involves not only presenting top-level metrics but also diving into the details of individual campaigns to analyze performance and drive future strategies.
A Day In The Life Of A Business Intelligence And Analytics Manager At Warner Bros Discovery
Gideon's day-to-day as a Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics involves navigating project management systems like Jira, utilizing "sprints and scrums," and "figuring out...what are our goals? What are we trying to build?" A significant portion of the work entails either directly addressing data queries or assigning tasks to engineers to enhance data analysis capabilities.
Most Important Skills For A Business Intelligence And Analytics Manager At Warner Bros Discovery
Gideon, a Manager of Business Intelligence & Analytics, highlights effective communication as the most crucial skill, emphasizing the need to "speak the language of the individual" when bridging the gap between business and engineering teams. This involves proactive project planning and anticipating future needs, further refined through careful communication practices like rereading messages to avoid misinterpretations and prioritizing brief phone calls for clarity over asynchronous communication.
Favorite Parts Of Being A Manager Business Intelligence And Analytics At Warner Bros Discovery
Gideon's favorite aspect of the Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics role at Warner Bros. Discovery is "understanding why people do what they do," gaining insights into consumer behavior and viewing habits through analytics. This allows Gideon to understand "how humans work," leveraging data responsibly to derive meaningful conclusions without compromising user privacy.
Biggest Challenges Faced by a Manager Business Intelligence and Analytics at Warner Bros Discovery
Gideon's biggest challenge as a Manager, Business Intelligence & Analytics is balancing "individual contribution work" with higher-level responsibilities like project planning and team management; this constant "context switching" is difficult due to limited resources and the need to perform tasks more effectively than others on the team.
Favorite Parts of Working in the Media Industry as a Manager Business Intelligence and Analytics
Gideon enjoys the blend of "two different industries," finding fulfillment in the crucial role of analytics—"everybody needs to understand what's going on in their business"—and the cultural impact of working in media, where Gideon gets to see firsthand what content resonates and "gets to see what people are consuming." This combination allows them to leverage technological advancements while contributing to the creation and analysis of popular culture.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Media And Entertainment Industry According To A Business Intelligence And Analytics Manager At Warner Bros Discovery
Gideon, a Manager of Business Intelligence & Analytics at Warner Bros. Discovery, identifies a "naturally curious" mindset and strong analytical skills—"math, engineering, SQL"—as crucial for success in the analytics field. While acknowledging a detachment from the creative side of entertainment, Gideon suggests genuine interest in the industry— "if you enjoy or are naturally interested in the industry"—is key to thriving, and also expresses interest in applying analytical skills to more impactful sectors like transportation or environmental work.
What a Business Intelligence and Analytics Manager at Warner Bros. Discovery Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Data Analytics Industry
Gideon, a Manager of Business Intelligence & Analytics, emphasizes the critical importance of strong technical skills, particularly SQL, for success in the industry, advising that "you just gotta get the technical skills as sharp as possible." This advice stems from their own experience, wishing they had prioritized SQL proficiency earlier in their career, even before specializing in their current field.
Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Data Analysts at Warner Bros Discover
Gideon, a Manager of Business Intelligence & Analytics at Warner Bros. Discovery, suggests entry-level data analyst roles as the most accessible entry point, also mentioning analytics engineering and data engineering as more technical options. He advises seeking a company of "between two hundred and a thousand people" to balance impactful work with mentorship opportunities, avoiding the potential pitfalls of being "lost in kind of like, you know, the Facebook's or the Google's" or lacking mentorship in smaller firms.
Career Lesson From A Business Intelligence And Analytics Manager At Warner Bros. Discovery
Gideon, a Manager of Business Intelligence & Analytics, learned that "it's never too late to pivot," a lesson solidified by their career shift from software engineering to analytics, initially involving a pay cut but ultimately leading to rapid advancement. This experience taught them the importance of exploring different career paths and gaining diverse experience before settling into a long-term role.
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