Who is responsible for ensuring the ongoing functioning of a business process?

The individual responsible for ensuring the ongoing functioning of a business process is known as the process owner. This role encompasses a variety of responsibilities, including defining the process, setting performance metrics, and making strategic decisions that impact the process's efficiency and effectiveness. The process owner is tasked with overseeing the entirety of the process lifecycle, from design to execution, and is accountable for the process outcomes. In this capacity, the process owner works to ensure that the process aligns with organizational goals and continuously improves to meet changing demands and standards.

While stakeholders, managers, and team leaders may play significant roles in the operation and oversight of a business process, their responsibilities do not encompass the full ownership that the process owner holds. Stakeholders may be affected by the process but do not manage it; process managers typically focus on daily operations and may report to the process owner, while team leaders might oversee specific teams engaged in process tasks but lack the broader responsibility for the entire process's operation and enhancement.