Manager Business Unit IT

The Manager BU IT is end-2-end responsible for the IT function within a business unit, enabling the company blueprint (strategy) and global & local business strategies through the delivery of direct IT services provided by BU IT and Global IT and thus ensuring value delivery.

The Manager BU IT owns the relationships with the BU Leadership team and specific country management teams and sits on the BU Leadership team. The Manager BU IT owns the relationship with local IT partners and is responsible for contracting, licensing, and vendor eco-system management within the guidance of the CIO office. The Manager BU IT is the business partner and service manager for all IT services provided to the BU via Group IT.

Principal accountabilities:

• Contributes actively to the BU strategy and business capability strategic planning.
• Leads the development of the IT strategic plan and roadmap for the BU. Ensures integration with the company’s strategic planning process, and the resulting business strategy and plans.
• Establishes active relationships with BU executives and members of their teams. Contributes as a business executive. Acts as a trusted advisor to ensure all executive leaders can make confident decisions about the application of information and technology within their units and across the company.
• Ensures IT capabilities are delivered reliably, sustainably, cost-effectively, and securely within the global frameworks.
• Ensures the IT contributions are delivered with agility based on changing business objectives, goals, and strategies.
• Collaborates with BU executive leadership and business partners to define and execute the transformation strategy. Participates in and contributes to the assessment of external digital opportunities and threats, and internal technology capabilities required to achieve desired competitive positioning.
• Provides strategic direction and oversight for the design, development, operation, and support of local IT systems and programs that fulfill the needs of the business, including application management, (cyber) security and risk management, and infrastructure and operations support management within the global frameworks.
• Develops and controls annual operating and capital expenditure budget for BU IT to ensure the investment in technologies is consistent with companies’ overall strategic objectives and is within the plan.
• Identifies and oversees the development of talent strategies, workforce planning, succession planning, and career development for the department, keeping in mind talent and opportunities within company IT and digital functions.
• Actively evaluates and develops people and organizational capabilities to set and execute a human resource strategy that accelerates business growth and drives value.

Education, qualifications, and training:

• Degree in Information Technology, Computer Sciences, or related field.
• MBA preferred.

Experience required:

• 12 years of related experience leading IT/Digital teams, including senior-level leadership experience.

Specialized knowledge or skills required:

• Ability to develop and execute a digital/IT strategic plan and be a leader on the senior business staff.
• Possess a thorough understanding of the long-term vision for all business areas supported, making decisions that support the company’s strategic priorities, and helping shape these priorities through influence.
• Knowledge of the information technology industry and the direction it is headed.
• Knowledge of customer engagement digital capabilities in the consumer goods business leadership and management ability.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a highly matrixed environment.
• Ability to translate technical terminology into terms understandable to management, customers, and employees.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with other senior leadership members.
• Effective team building, organizational, and staff development skills.

Critical technical-functional (professional) competencies:

• A trusted advisor and business partner to the CIO, Group IT Heads as well as for business unit management.
• Developing and optimizing strategic and operational excellence capabilities (organization, process, and tools/systems) to support and grow the business, and accountable for providing IT process, application, and project management leadership for new and existing technology solutions.
• Advanced relationship management with (local) IT vendors & local media.

Other relevant information:

• Travel required.