Business Solution Manager – Data
WBA is actively recruiting a Solution Manager to join the Nottingham-based International Data Office Platform team. We have built a scalable cloud data platform for centralised business reporting, data science & advanced analytics engineering. Our data platform is a significant enabler allowing Boots, No.7 Beauty Company and Boots Opticians to use our unrivalled customer data to make customers’ lives better.
Who we are
International Technology & Advanced Analytics (IT2A) is a multi-national function of Walgreens Boots Alliance based in the UK, Europe, Asia, South America and the USA. We leverage emerging technology and robust data to transform our pharmacy and retail offerings, improve experiences for customers and patients and enhance operational effectiveness for team members. Partnering with some of the finest tech providers and utilising a cutting-edge tech stack, we support two of the UK’s most trusted and established brands - Boots and No7 – in personalising their customer interactions. We’re an innovative team of specialists spanning security, hosting, architecture, software engineering, networks, project delivery and more. A proud equal opportunity employer, we passionately embrace team member diversity and provide a positive and inclusive working environment for all.
About the role
The Solution Manager is responsible for working across our business units, aligned to No.7 Beauty Company, to deliver their enterprise data strategy through our IT delivery teams and external partners.
The Solution Manager works closely with business partners to understand business requirements and map them to the technical and data architectures of the data platform.
Critical skills for this role include interpersonal communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to coordinate inputs and views/opinions across business and IT teams.
Leadership and management of permanent and contract resources such as Project Managers, Business Analysts, Data Managers, and Solutions Architects is required to balance the pipeline of active new projects and solutions simultaneously.
What you’ll be doing:
- Become a data platform subject matter expert to our business partners and IT teams to shape their data and analytics strategies into tangible business cases and delivery plans.
- Being an evangelist for the data platform to drive engagement and alignment and deliver on our business’ strategic priorities to becoming a data-led organisation.
- Lead the scoping and elaboration of new projects, setting out project charters that detail the requirements, solutions, delivery plans, and estimates.
- Collaborating with business & IT subject matter experts to ensure requirements are agreed upon to deliver the benefits and ensuring our solutions and plans are fit for purpose.
- Support the business units with creating business cases to secure project funding.
- Task managing resources for the project scoping and mobilisation.
- Work with data security, privacy, and data owners to ensure compliance with company data governance and security policies.
About you:
- Understanding industry trends for data & analytics and best practices – ensuring our businesses understand the ‘art of the possible’ and are strategically aligned to be market leaders
- 5+ years of experience in the design and development of Data Warehouse, BI, Analytics, Master Data or similar data solutions in a global, federated and local context
- Must have experience in delivering and leading data and analytics-related IT and business transformation projects
- Previous experience in project delivery and/or as a senior business analyst
- Previous experience working in a global matrix-led environment with multiple suppliers, project functions and locations.
- Solid understanding of financial processes, business case development and benefits analysis.
- Strong interpersonal skills are critical as the candidate will need to navigate a and manage teams and relationships in a matrix environment
- Good presentation skills
- Excellent senior/exec stakeholder management skills – must be very comfortable communicating and presenting to senior stakeholders
Hybrid Working – 3 days in office, 2 days from home
We currently operate a fixed hybrid working approach for Support Office team members with a mix of remote and office-based working. Our set office days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with team members able to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.
Our benefits
- Boots Retirement Savings Plan
- Generous employee discount plus enhanced discounts for Boots brands, Boots Opticians and Boots Hearingcare
- Excellent onsite facilities including staff shop, opticians (including free eye tests for team members), gym, cafeteria and outdoor seating
We have a great range of benefits in addition to the above that go beyond salary and offer flexibility to suit you; click here to view our full list of company benefits (all rewards and benefits are subject to change and eligibility).
What’s next?
If your application is successful, our recruitment team will be in touch to arrange an interview and to answer any initial questions you have. If you have not been successful on this occasion, you will be notified by email.
We are always open to discussing possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you, including job share and reduced hours. If you require additional support as part of the application and interview process, we are happy to provide reasonable adjustments to enable you to be at your best.
We are proud supporters of Women in Data®. Connect, engage and belong to the largest free female data community in the UK – visit: www.womenindata.co.uk to join our community.