IT Business Partner – Engineering / R&D

We're looking for an IT Business Partner for Engineering/R&D who will be the the primary point of contact between the business and IT for applications and technology tools within their remit. 

This role partners closely with business leaders and subject matter experts to understand processes, shape requirements, and ensure systems are implemented and optimised to meet business needs. Combining the skills of a business analyst, functional consultant, solution consultant, and solution architect, the role also provides direction to one or more system administrators or application specialists supporting the domain.

Location & working model: London, Hybrid (flexible)

• 8+ years in IT business-partnering, systems ownership, or platform product management, ideally in a PE-owned or high-growth software company.
• Experience and knowledge of Product and Engineering processes in a software delivery environment
• Strong experience in enterprise applications, business systems, or technology partnering roles.
• A blended skill set spanning business analysis, functional consulting, solution design, and systems optimisation.
• Proven ability to work with business stakeholders to understand requirements and deliver practical technology solutions.
• Experience with platforms relevant to the assigned domain
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading or coordinating the work of administrators, analysts, or third-party partners.
• Comfortable working across both strategic planning and hands-on functional leadership.
• A degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience; relevant certifications are an advantage.
• Proven track record working for a Born-in-the-Cloud or Cloud-Native technology company — must have.

• Act as the lead IT partner for the R&D Engineering and Product Development teams, building strong relationships with stakeholders and subject matter experts.
• Understand business processes, challenges, and priorities, and translate these into clear system and technology requirements.
• Recommend fit-for-purpose solutions and improvements across applications, workflows, integrations, reporting, and controls.
• Own and shape the application roadmap for the domain, including enhancements, optimisation opportunities, and longer-term change.
• Direct the day-to-day work of system administrators and application specialists.
• Collaborate with central IT functions such as infrastructure, security, data, integration, support, and architecture to ensure solutions are aligned with enterprise standards.
• Engage third-party vendors and implementation partners where required for delivery, support, or specialist expertise.
• Manage application upgrades and corresponding communication and change management to the business.
• Manage incidents related to the applications in your domain.
• Manage license utilisation and facilitate purchase and renewals.
• Provide direction and prioritisation to system administrators or application specialists delivering configuration, support, and maintenance activities.
• Work with technical teams, vendors, and delivery partners to ensure solutions are implemented effectively and aligned with business needs.
• Support testing, business readiness, user adoption, and continuous improvement across the application landscape.
• Monitor application performance, service issues, adoption, and user feedback to drive continuous improvement.
• Act as a trusted advisor and escalation point for business system needs within the domain.

Scope and Remit
This role is aligned to a specific business domain.
Functional remit: R&D including Product and Engineering and R&D Ops

Applications in scope:

• Atlassian Suite including Jira, Confluence and various Atlassian add-ons

Key stakeholders:

• Chief Technology Officer
• Head of Strategy & Operations, Technology & Product
• SVP Head of Products
• R&D Team Leads
• Project Directors and Managers
• Other IT Business Partners

Key processes supported:

• Idea to Market
• Plan to Deliver
• Operate and Maintain

 
Team structure: The IT Business Partner has leadership responsibility for one or more system administrators or application specialists who carry out configuration, maintenance, support, and administrative tasks under the direction and prioritisation of this role.