Business Engagement Manager

Smiths Detection; Edgewood (MD); On-site; USD 136,000 - 204,000; Full time

Job summary

Smiths Detection is seeking an IT Business Partner to align technology investments with business goals, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and translating strategy into actionable technology roadmaps.

The role partners with IT to deliver measurable value, shape demand, and oversee a multi-year portfolio while ensuring service excellence and effective governance throughout delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or equivalent in IT Systems or Business Administration.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in IT partnering or related roles.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to translate strategy into tech plans.

Responsibilities

• Build strategic partnerships with senior leaders.
• Serve as IT contact for designated business units.
• Translate business strategies into technology opportunities.
• Shape multi-year roadmaps and demand management.
• Evaluate business cases for ROI and alignment.
• Oversee intake for new initiatives and dependencies.
• Collaborate with PMO and delivery teams to track portfolio.
• Ensure high-quality IT services and escalate issues.
• Review SLAs and customer feedback for improvements.
• Collaborate with IT operations for stability.

Skills

IT Business Partnering

Stakeholder Management

Strategy Translation

IT Delivery Models

PMO & Governance

Portfolio & Roadmaps

Communication

ROI Evaluation

Requirements Translation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology Systems or Business Administration

Job description

Every minute of every day, Smiths Detection’s threat detection and security screening technology helps to protect people and infrastructure, making the world a safer place.

Smiths Detection is a global leader in the development, manufacture and management of security and detection solutions designed to make the world a safer place. Our technology provides threat detection and screening solutions for customers in our key markets: aviation, ports and borders, defense, and urban security.

Our expertise spans 21 global offices, seven manufacturing sites and five R&D centers, with a global network of 3,500 dedicated colleagues contributing towards over 40 years at the frontline of advances in safety and security.

This results in careers built on variety and the opportunity to work on a range of state‑of-the-art solutions, where you can develop your knowledge and experience every day.

Job Description

The Business Engagement Manager acts as the strategic interface between IT and the business. The role ensures technology investments, digital initiatives, and operational services directly support organizational goals. This leader builds trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, shapes demand, translates business strategy into technology roadmaps, and ensures IT delivers measurable value. The position blends strategic advisory, relationship management, and delivery oversight. It requires a deep understanding of business priorities, processes, and pain points, combined with the ability to translate these into actionable technology roadmaps and initiatives. The IT Business Partner champions the voice of the business within IT, ensuring that demand is understood, prioritized, and delivered effectively. At the same time, they represent IT to the business, communicating strategy, capabilities, constraints, and opportunities in a clear and compelling way

SPECIFIC DUTIES, ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Strategic Partnership & Stakeholder Management
• Serve as the primary IT point of contact for designated business units.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with senior leaders, understanding their goals, challenges, and priorities.
• Translate business strategies into technology opportunities, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, cyber and the IT strategy.
• Facilitate strategic planning sessions, shaping multi‑year roadmaps.
• Demand Management & Portfolio Shaping
• Capture, assess, and prioritise business demand for technology solutions.
• Evaluate business cases, ensuring clear value, ROI, and alignment with strategic objectives.
• Manage the intake process for new initiatives, ensuring clarity of scope, benefits, and dependencies.
• Work with PMO and delivery teams to maintain an accurate view of the IT portfolio.
• Service Excellence & Operational Alignment
• Ensure business units receive high‑quality IT services, acting as escalation point for service issues.
• Review service performance, SLAs, and customer feedback, driving improvements where needed.

Work closely with IT operations to ensure stability, resilience, and proactive service management.

Qualifications

Education/Training: Bachelors or equivalent experience in Information Technology Systems or Business Administration

Experience: Minimum 5 years’ experience

Knowledge/Skills:

Knowledge

• Proven experience in IT Business Partnering, IT Engagement, or senior Business Analysis/Consulting roles.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship‑building skills at senior leadership level.
• Ability to translate business strategy into actionable technology plans.
• Solid understanding of IT delivery models (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid).
• Understanding of PMO processes, governance frameworks, and stage‑gate controls.

Skills

• Experience managing portfolios, roadmaps, or complex multi‑team initiatives.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capability.
• Ability to shape business cases, define scope, and evaluate ROI and benefits.
• Ability to oversee multiple initiatives, manage dependencies, and support prioritization.
• Ability to translate business needs into functional and non‑functional requirements.

Additional Information

We offer…

Join us and we’ll help build your career, with excellent training and opportunities for career growth across the business, both locally and globally. You’ll experience an inclusive environment, with strong leadership and a focus on safety and wellbeing. You’ll also have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of benefits to suit your lifestyle, offering you and your family support from a health and wellbeing, financial andlifestyle perspective.

Join us and work for a world‑leader, with the benefits and training to reward your dedication and skills. Be part of a team where we are making the world a safer place.

The total compensation for this position ranges from$136,050 - $204,076/yr (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, & abilities of the applicant and the alignment with the internal team & market data). This role offers a competitive Business Profit Plan. This position includes a competitive benefits package. The comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental & vision insurance; 401(k) with company match; paid time off; and other benefits. For details, please visit the Rewards & Benefits tab on our main careers page atCareers | Smiths Detection .

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic.

If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please e‑mail [emailprotected] or call toll‑free 877-703-1029. This email and phone number is created exclusively to assist disabled job seekers whose disability prevents them from being able to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or technical issues not related to a disability, will not receive a response. Smiths Detection participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program.

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment based solely on their skills, experience, and ability to perform the job. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We value professionalism, integrity, and respect in our workplace, and we strive to maintain an environment where every employee can contribute effectively to our mission.

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment based solely on their skills, experience, and ability to perform the job. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We value professionalism, integrity, and respect in our workplace, and we strive to maintain an environment where every employee can contribute effectively to our mission.