As a member of the IT Leadership Team, Herff Jones is looking for a Sr. Director IT Business Relationship Manager.

This successful candidate will act as a thought partner and strategic technology advisor for one, or more, of Herff Jones’ Lines of Business (LoB) or Shared Services Executives. This role is the strategic interface for the LoB General Manager(s) and their leadership team working to converge IT and the LoB’s strategy / plan, identifying where technology can address or improve business function outcomes. This leader will advocate across the brand and enterprise for the resources necessary to deliver required capabilities.

In partnership with the Business Unit’s GM, Herff Jones’ CTO and associates across the enterprise, the leader in this role will help establish the IT Strategy, roadmap and relevant KPIs that ensure effective IT delivery and Business outcomes. Once the roadmap and KPIs are established, this role is accountable for delivering the plan and maintaining agreed KPIs. The leader in the role will be working within a matrix, and with 3rd parties, to build, test and run the required technology solutions.

Strategic Partnering and Strategy

• Partner with business leadership to plan new joint initiatives, evaluate proposals, and determine how they fit into business capability roadmaps and priorities.
• Identify and integrate business partners’ long-range plans into business capability roadmaps and priorities, as appropriate. Brief stakeholders on business partner plans.
• Focus on the business value associated with proposed solutions to develop ideas, including digital awareness, risk assessments, business continuity, and business capability requirements.
• Build and manage the relationship team to ensure convergence and strategic partnering with the business partner team, including working closely with CxO / GM leadership as executive sponsors for each business partner.
• Advocate for an awareness and focus on business partner strategic plans.
• Correlate business value and priorities to planning activities and goal-setting.
• Partner with enterprise architecture to develop and maintain multi-year business capability roadmaps.
• Partner with business transformation teams (change management) to ensure effective business transformation for all initiatives.
• Partner with the project/program/portfolio management organization (PMO) to ensure a healthy and well-managed initiative portfolio.
• Ensure that project/program managers of IT programs and projects are knowledgeable about the business partner and their objectives; engage as a project/program stakeholder, including evaluating project efforts and progress against joint strategic plans and objectives.
• Be creative and innovative with regards to your knowledge and awareness of industry trends and digital advances as they relate to new opportunities and business needs.
• At a business unit level, own the BRM’s functional operating and project/program budget, and perform accurate budgeting and forecasting across operations and projects or programs.

Partnership and Relationship Management

• Lead as the strategic interface between the BRM’s function and business partner to stimulate, surface, and shape demand and ensure that the business value from any investments and capabilities developed is identified, realized, and optimized.
• Establish and earn value-adding, strategic partner relationship maturity for yourself in the role of a BRM and for the entire function.
• Develop a deep knowledge of the business partner’s business unit and build positive relationship development, both horizontally and vertically.

• Ensure business value realization and optimization, from value plans through consultancy, business case development, financial awareness, managing expectations, and identifying opportunities to add value.

• Ensure project and initiative progress, including consistent and effective communication. This includes managing escalation and risk.
• Educate business partners about processes, roles, and capabilities.
• Establish communication processes and channels across business functions.
• Measure and communicate business value realized with the business partner on a periodic basis.

• 10+ years IT Business Relationship Management, or comparable, experience.
• 8+ years of facilitating the development and implementation of business initiatives and projects, based on management objectives.
• Consultant experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to listen, build rapport and credibility as a strategic partner within the leadership and functional teams.
• Ability to lead change using positive and collaborative methods.
• Ability to set expectations with business partners and effectively leverage governance for a positive business partner experience.
• Demonstrated ability to gain astute insight during periods of ambiguity.
• Exceptional partnering and communication skills.
• Demonstrated organizational change management leadership.

EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Technology, Computer Science or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Business Relationship Management Professional (BRMP) or Certified Business Relationship Manager (CBRM) preferred.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TABLE:

• Strategic Thinking: Can envision the future and articulate a vision and roadmap to achieve an IT strategy that enables our business strategy.
• Innovation: Able to bring technology advances to our Company and drive innovative products and services.
• Communication: Excellent communications and presentation skills, both written and verbal, including confidence and presence to engage effectively with senior executives. Must be a positive change agent and be able to influence at all levels.
• Critical Thinking & Business Acumen: Superior analytical skills, strong judgment, curious around the right questions, can quickly understand where and how an organization creates value. Able to identify insights that lead organization to better understanding of opportunities or risks.
• Ability to Work High & Low: Think strategically, but also with the ability to roll up the sleeves to ensure commitments are delivered and processes are improved.
• Leadership: Has the ability to lead people through a process or change. Possess an energetic, positive can-do attitude, influence the outcome of workstreams and recognize when to take charge.
• Influencing Skills: Able to work cross functionally at all levels of the organization and manage / prioritize multiple tasks on tight deadlines. Strong project management, strategic communications and/or change management skills are extremely important.
• Driven: Thrive in a fast-paced, deadline driven, rapidly changing environment. Maintain a positive, service-oriented attitude while managing competing priorities.
• Discretion: Exercise sound business judgement around the sensitivity of the information you are privy to and maintain the utmost confidentiality and discretion in business relationships.