Sr. IT Business Partner Insights

About us

We're a truly international company, forth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by over 27,500 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo. Our agility and entrepreneurial spirit, alongside award winning development programmes, enable innovation and success while creating exciting and rewarding career choices.

As we move forward, our customers will be at the heart of what we do, evolving to needs and expectations and committing to a more meaningful contribution to harm reduction by building a successful NGP business. Integral to our long-term success is our sustainability strategy, behaving responsibly and supporting our ambitions, all underpinned by high governance.

Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of IT, GCO,  the Senior IT Business Partner (Senior IT BP) will be the primary point of contact for the assigned global/group Functional Leadership Team(s) (FLTs). The Senior IT BP is the empowered representative for the Head of IT, GCO. The Senior IT BP is responsible for the IT portfolio and account management of the assigned functions. The senior IT BP will lead the engagement and provide oversight to the cross functional IT team members and SMEs. This will include providing leadership and coaching to IT Business partners in Global IT, especially those in the team.

Specifically, the Senior IT BP will manage four core IT processes to delivery of best in class business engagement to the FLTs:

Through the creation of an annual IT Account Plan, the Senior IT BP will align Global IT Strategy to support the delivery of the FLT’s Business Plan, making sure that all elements of the Global IT operating model are aligned and working together across the various teams.

The Senior IT BP must be able to develop effective working relationships with the FLTs to become a trusted partner on information and technology enablement to the functional teams and a credible voice in the construction of IT investments required to support delivery of FLTs Business Plan. The Senior IT BP will also be responsible for proactive business engagement with FLTs to gather unqualified demand up until the point that a project is ready to be prioritised at an enterprise level. The Senior IT BP will work with both Global IT and the FLT members to co-create business cases to justify IT investments.

The role requires strategic thought leadership and a substantive personal contribution to empower the thinking of the
FLTs in defining the business, technology and information capabilities required.

The Senior IT BP will be accountable and coordinate with Global IT Solution Delivery for IT project delivery to the business functions. The Senior IT BP is faccountable for business change management required to adopt to global processes and new technology. The Senior IT BP will also be accountable for benefit realisation in line with business case, and financial management of IT investments supporting the FLT’s business plan.

From a day to day IT operations point of view, the Senor IT BP will coordinate with Global IT Solution Delivery and Global IT Operations to ensure FLT receives regular updates on IT service performance, IT investment portfolio status, IT run costs and is aware of ongoing Global IT efforts to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of IT to support the business. The Senior IT BP role is a critical role to communicate back to Global IT leadership and/or relevant forums of any emerging business issues, business concerns or IT issues within the functional business areas that may shape direction of Global IT Strategy and the ongoing delivery of IT Solutions and IT Operations to support the business.

As Senior IT BP Insights with a deep understanding of the data domain, execution of the company data strategy into operational usable technology will be the main focus. Together with the FLT and the Data Strategy & Governance team, you play a key role in driving the adoption of data as an asset by initiating and shaping the delivery of new data solutions. 

Key accountabilities

• Develop and execute a plan for stakeholder engagement with the FLT and key direct reports of the FLT, including formal periodic reviews of progress on delivery of priorities as set out in an agreed annual IT account plan.
• Ensure delivery of Global IT services and fit-for-purpose IT solutions as agreed in the account plan in coordination with Global Solutions Delivery and Global IT Operations.
• Capture, assess and drive prioritisation of technology demand for the business functions to validate, identify solutions, develop business cases and finalise the optimum set of priorities to be taken forwards for funding. In this regard, promote sensible exploitation, re-use and extension of existing solutions to meet business needs.
• Promote a “business-first” mentality at all levels of the Global IT organization.
• In cooperation with Global IT Enterprise Architecture and Strategy provide insight and advice to stakeholders on relevant opportunities, alternatives, risks and benefits of using technology to build competitive advantage and improve business performance.
• Work with business stakeholders in the business functions to manage project delivery, lead change management and drive benefits realisation via solutions delivered.
• Liaise with business stakeholders and colleagues in Global Solution Delivery and Global IT Operations to act as a point of escalation and coordination on significant business impacting service incidents and service improvement requirements.
• The jobholder must act as a change agent, proactively driving the Global IT change agenda and ensuring its successful implementation.
• Lead and coach internal and external resources.

Skills & Experience

Essential:

• Educated to degree level (bachelor degree), ideally in Information Technology and/or Business management.
• Substantial knowledge of the functional business processes in the assigned area of accountability (Insights)
• Deep understanding of Data strategies, Analytics, Data science, Reporting, Data platforms (data lake), (External) Data source partners, Data transformation
• Understand relevant technologies choices and market trends relevant to the assigned function.
• Experience in strategic planning, business development or client management.
• Gravitas to be accepted and challenge at senior levels in both commercial and IT contexts.
• Commercial mind-set, considerable business acumen and literacy, able to manage a high degree of business interaction, engaging business and IS personnel.
• Highly capable and adept stakeholder manager, credible operator and influencer.
• Service-minded attitude with the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships.
• Business case development, budgeting /forecasting, financial analysis.
• Programme management and/or project management and/or solution delivery experience.
• Excellent English Language skills with experience of working in a global and culturally diverse environment. 

Desirable:

• Experienced in the selection and implementation of software, hardware and IS services.
• Experience of leading teams of technology subject matters experts.
• Experience with data management, BI and advanced analytics projects. The ideal candidate is able to translate business requirements and brings innovative ideas on how big data and other innovative technologies can contribute to achieve business objectives. The candidate is able to manage projects efficiently involving the right stakeholders and putting together the right internal and external expertise to deliver successfully.
• Expert in development and realisation of digital strategies in a global business context.
• Experienced in the review, critique and assessment of technology architecture.
• Extensive knowledge of business and IT processes and their inter relationships in B2C and / or B2B contexts.
• Experience in Tobacco industry & Next Generation tobacco products. 

What we offer

Imperial Brands offer a competitive package of salary, bonus scheme, pension and 25 days holiday (with an additional 4 days on top to cover the Christmas period and bank holidays). and hybrid work.

Next steps

Interested applicants should apply with their CV highlighting their suitability for the role.