Business Partner – R&D Business Excellence (RBE)

Takeda•Boston, MA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The DD&T Business Partner for R&D Business Excellence (RBE) is a strategic role responsible for ensuring that digital, data, and technology capabilities fully support the priorities of the RBE organization. RBE functions span strategy and operations, finance, global portfolio strategy, and external innovation—areas that depend on strong data foundations, integrated processes, and adaptable digital capabilities. The Business Partner ensures these needs are fully understood and reflected in DD&T’s strategy, planning, and delivery. This role provides thought leadership in how digital and data solutions can enhance RBE’s effectiveness and long-term success. As RBE teams lead critical activities such as driving operational excellence, enabling strategic financial planning and analytics, supporting portfolio governance, and advancing external innovation, the Business Partner plays a central role in ensuring that digital and data capabilities evolve to meet these needs. The position anticipates future business requirements, identifies areas where technology can improve efficiency or decision-making, and ensures that DD&T initiatives align with RBE’s broader strategic vision. The Business Partner also plays a vital role in connecting business strategy with technology execution. By bringing together business insight and technical fluency across DD&T’s strategic planning and delivery cycles, the role ensures that digital and data solutions meaningfully advance business processes while establishing a scalable platform for future growth

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, information systems, data/analytics, life sciences, or a related field required
10+ years of experience in digital, data, technology, consulting, or business partnering roles within complex, matrixed, or global organizations
Strong relationship-building and stakeholder-management capabilities
Ability to translate complex business needs into clear digital and data requirements
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and confidently
Strong analytical and critical-thinking abilities
Ability to influence without authority across diverse stakeholder groups
Comfort navigating ambiguity and managing shifting priorities
Demonstrated ability to drive alignment across business and technology teams
High accountability, ownership, and follow-through
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple initiatives concurrently

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA, MS, PhD, or equivalent) preferred
In-depth Pharmaceutical industry and drug development experience.
Professional certification in project management, business analysis or related areas.
Knowledge and experience in computer validations.
Experience supporting functions such as strategy and operations, financial planning, portfolio governance, or external innovation
Experience contributing to or shaping technology and data roadmaps
Background supporting process improvement or workflow enablement initiatives
Experience supporting adoption of new digital or data capabilities
Understanding of data governance, information management, and analytics concepts
Experience collaborating across global or cross-functional environments

Responsibilities

Business Partnering: The Business Partner serves as the primary DD&T advisor to RBE leadership, developing a strong understanding of the processes, decisions, and challenges across each business group. Through ongoing engagement with leaders in strategy and operations, finance, portfolio management, and external innovation, the Business Partner ensures that business needs are accurately captured and translated into actionable digital and data priorities. They act as the bridge between business teams and DD&T delivery organizations, ensuring that plans, expectations, and outcomes remain aligned.
Strategy & Roadmap Development: A core responsibility of the role is shaping the digital, data, and technology roadmap for RBE. The Business Partner works with functional leaders to identify opportunities where improved data quality, analytics, workflow efficiencies, or modernized digital capabilities can create meaningful value. This involves supporting the definition of future-state processes and ensuring that DD&T roadmaps reflect RBE’s priorities while staying aligned with broader R&D and enterprise strategies.
Process Enablement & Optimization (In Partnership with Business Owners): While the Business Partner does not own RBE’s business processes, they play an important role in partnering with functional leaders to identify where digital or data enhancements can improve operational effectiveness. This includes helping evaluate current-state workflows, diagnosing friction points, and identifying opportunities where technology can enhance transparency, accuracy, or efficiency. The Business Partner guides the translation of these opportunities into well-defined DD&T requirements and collaborates with teams throughout implementation to ensure solutions meet intended business outcomes.
Stakeholder Management: Building and sustaining strong, trust-based relationships across RBE, DD&T, and adjacent R&D functions is central to this role. The Business Partner must skillfully manage expectations, communicate risks and decisions, and navigate competing priorities across a diverse stakeholder landscape. Through open communication, influence, and credibility, the Business Partner helps maintain alignment and fosters a collaborative environment focused on outcomes and continuous improvement.
Portfolio & Delivery Oversight: The Business Partner oversees the digital and data initiative portfolio supporting RBE, ensuring alignment between business priorities and DD&T resources. This includes guiding the intake and prioritization process, maintaining visibility into timelines and dependencies, and assessing progress and value realization. During annual planning cycles, the Business Partner contributes to investment proposals that clearly articulate business value and resource needs. They work closely with DD&T delivery teams and external partners to ensure that commitments are met and that solutions are high quality and fit for purpose.
Adoption, Enablement & Continuous Improvement: The Business Partner supports the successful rollout and long-term adoption of digital and data enhancements across RBE. This includes coordinating change management, training, and communication efforts to prepare teams for new capabilities. After implementation, the Business Partner monitors performance, gathers feedback from users, and supports continuous improvement. Their focus on long-term value ensures that digital solutions remain relevant, effective, and aligned with evolving business needs.

Benefits

U.S. based employees may be eligible for short-term and/ or long-term incentives.
U.S. based employees may be eligible to participate in medical, dental, vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, a tuition reimbursement program, paid volunteer time off, company holidays, and well-being benefits, among others.
U.S. based employees are also eligible to receive, per calendar year, up to 80 hours of sick time, and new hires are eligible to accrue up to 120 hours of paid vacation.

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