Digital & Tech Business Partner - Category & Advanced Research

Haleon is hiring a Director, IT Business Partner – Category Growth & advance technology Future Horizons to translate category ambition into technology reality. You will partner with Global Category Leads, R&D, Markets and D & T to build multi‑year digital and data roadmaps that accelerate innovation and growth across Oral Health, VMS, Pain, Respiratory, Digestive Health and Skin. You’ll lead Future Horizons technologies (RWD, AI/ML, sensory/virtual testing, external innovation systems), shape portfolio investments with Strategy and Finance, and act as the enterprise integrator across scientific, commercial and technology teams. We’re looking for a senior techno‑functional leader with deep experience in digital products, data/AI and consumer health/R&D ecosystems—someone who can influence executive stakeholders, drive adoption and deliver measurable business impact.

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• Category Strategy & Tech Enablement: Serve as the primary IT Business Partner and unified owner at the category interface in enabling capabilities required to support whitespace identification, innovation prioritization, consumer insights integration, and functional investments; translate category strategies into multi‑year digital & technology roadmaps spanning platforms, data assets, AI/ML, automation, and advanced analytics; identify digital enablers, capability gaps, and cross‑category reuse opportunities needed to power innovation pipelines across categories; shape category specific value cases integrating consumer, scientific, and technology insight; ensure all roadmaps align with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, and data governance standards.
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• Breakthrough and competitive business‑Technology innovation thought Leadership: Connect breakthrough sciences to scalable tech to minimize fragmentation and maximize value creation; lead the identification and evaluation of category enabling futuristic digital platform and services including Rx to OTC switches opportunities (AI/ML, digital health, advanced data platforms, sensors, virtual testing, etc.) that support Real World Data, Consumer Sensory, and External Innovation; partner with RWD and Data Science teams to define technology needs for acquisition, integration, and analysis of real‑world data (ideation, concepts, claims, packaging innovations, panels, digital health, etc.); support Consumer Sensory and Insights teams with digital tools for sensory panels/Observatory, experiment design, virtual shelves, and preference modelling; ensure outputs are integrated into data products used by R&D and Category teams; work with External Innovation team to define systems supporting opportunity scouting, evaluation, due diligence, and partnership management; ensure future‑horizon insights are incorporated into category strategies, R&D and Digital & Tech planning cycles, and enterprise technology roadmaps.
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• Cross‑Functional stakeholder influence and Techno‑Functional Leadership: An enterprise growth role elevating technology as strategic growth lever going beyond the enabler and support function by partnering globally, shaping long‑range tech investment, and driving measurable growth outcome; act as the “connective tissue” across R&D, Category, Commercial, Regulatory, Medical, Supply Chain, and Digital & Tech to align on technology‑enabled innovation priorities; facilitate and chair cross‑functional forums to assess technical feasibility, digital readiness, data requirements, and resource implications for key initiatives; negotiate platform prioritization, sequencing, and trade‑offs with senior leaders, balancing short‑term delivery and long‑term strategic investments; build strong, trust‑based relationships across scientific, commercial, and technology stakeholders to drive adoption of digital and data‑enabled ways of working.
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• Portfolio, Investment & Roadmap Governance: Provides senior governance required to harmonize platform strategies, avoid duplicative investments, improve sequencing and prioritization.
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