Digital & Tech Business Partner - Category & Advanced Research

About the role

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.

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 - Oral Health, VMS, Pain, Respiratory, Digestive Health, and Skin.
• Shape category specific value cases integrating consumer, scientific, and technology insight.
• Ensure all roadmaps align with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, and data governance standards.

• 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.

• 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.

• Partner with R&D Portfolio, Digital & Tech Portfolio Management, Finance, and Strategy to shape a category‑aligned technology investment portfolio across Growth and Future Horizons.
• Apply consistent evaluation frameworks that consider business value, technical complexity, re‑use of platforms, risk, and time‑to‑impact.
• Contribute to annual operating plans and long‑range planning with clear technology and data perspectives for each category and Future Horizons initiative set.
• Define, track, and communicate value realization metrics for key initiatives (e.g.,…