Business relationship manager

Find out what a business relationship manager in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.

Last updated 30 November 2024 — See all updates

Contents

— What a business relationship manager does
— Business relationship manager role levels

— 1. Business relationship manager
— 2. Senior business relationship manager
— 3. Lead business relationship manager

— Roles that share business relationship manager skills

What a business relationship manager does

A business relationship manager acts as the liaison between the business and a selected customer group within a department, to understand the operational and developmental needs of the business.

Business relationship manager role levels

There are 3 business relationship manager role levels, from business relationship manager to lead business relationship manager.

The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.

1. Business relationship manager

A business relationship manager is responsible for the day-to-day relationships with business stakeholders, ensuring consistency in engagement across the business.

At this role level, you will:

act as a translator and mediator between IT operations and the business
be the single point of contact for the business

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

EO (Executive Officer)
HEO (Higher Executive Officer)

Skill	Description
Asset and configuration management Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: track, log and correct information to protect assets and components
Business analysis (IT operations) Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: investigate problems and opportunities in existing processes, and contribute to recommending solutions work with stakeholders to identify objectives and potential benefits
Continual service improvement Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions
IT service reporting Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: produce relevant reports in an appropriate format and agreed timeframe work with stakeholders to discuss any changes in the reporting processes interpret a data set and communicate this to others
Ownership and initiative Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: own an issue until a new owner has been found or the problem has been mitigated or resolved
Service focus Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work
Service management framework knowledge Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show you have a Level 3 service management framework qualification
Stakeholder relationship management (IT operations) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: negotiate with and influence stakeholders, and manage relationships effectively influence decisions, deal with challenging situations and remove blockers build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders, supporting mutual needs and commitments while focusing on user needs
Strategic thinking Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals contribute to the development of strategy and policies
Technical understanding Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: understand the core technical concepts related to the role, and apply them with guidance
User focus Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: identify and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence understand and define research that fits user needs use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes

You can:

track, log and correct information to protect assets and components

You can:

investigate problems and opportunities in existing processes, and contribute to recommending solutions
work with stakeholders to identify objectives and potential benefits

You can:

identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions

You can:

produce relevant reports in an appropriate format and agreed timeframe
work with stakeholders to discuss any changes in the reporting processes
interpret a data set and communicate this to others

You can:

own an issue until a new owner has been found or the problem has been mitigated or resolved

You can:

take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work

You can:

show you have a Level 3 service management framework qualification

You can:

negotiate with and influence stakeholders, and manage relationships effectively
influence decisions, deal with challenging situations and remove blockers
build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders, supporting mutual needs and commitments while focusing on user needs

You can:

work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals
contribute to the development of strategy and policies

You can:

understand the core technical concepts related to the role, and apply them with guidance

You can:

identify and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence
understand and define research that fits user needs
use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes

2. Senior business relationship manager

A senior business relationship manager is responsible for managing the directorate’s communication plan and its delivery.

At this role level, you will:

attend business meetings and management forums
provide communications and information for all related digital and technology activities

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
G7 (Grade 7)

Skill	Description
Asset and configuration management Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: track, log and correct information to protect assets and components
Business analysis (IT operations) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes lead the collection of information and creation of recommendations for improvements absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to produce solutions
Continual service improvement Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions
IT service reporting Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: produce relevant reports in an appropriate format and agreed timeframe work with stakeholders to discuss any changes in the reporting processes interpret a data set and communicate this to others
Ownership and initiative Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: take accountability for issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems achieve excellent user outcomes
Service focus Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work
Service management framework knowledge Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show you have a Level 3 service management framework qualification demonstrate knowledge of the life cycle or capability elements of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
Stakeholder relationship management (IT operations) Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: negotiate with and influence stakeholders, and manage relationships effectively influence decisions, deal with challenging situations and remove blockers build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders, supporting mutual needs and commitments while focusing on user needs
Strategic thinking Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals contribute to the development of strategy and policies
Technical understanding Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show a thorough understanding of the technical concepts required for the role, and can explain how these fit into the wider technical landscape
User focus Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user champion user research to focus on all users prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

You can:

track, log and correct information to protect assets and components

You can:

lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes
lead the collection of information and creation of recommendations for improvements
absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to produce solutions

You can:

identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions

You can:

produce relevant reports in an appropriate format and agreed timeframe
work with stakeholders to discuss any changes in the reporting processes
interpret a data set and communicate this to others

You can:

take accountability for issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems
achieve excellent user outcomes

You can:

take inputs and establish coherent frameworks that work

You can:

show you have a Level 3 service management framework qualification
demonstrate knowledge of the life cycle or capability elements of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)

You can:

negotiate with and influence stakeholders, and manage relationships effectively
influence decisions, deal with challenging situations and remove blockers
build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders, supporting mutual needs and commitments while focusing on user needs

You can:

work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals
contribute to the development of strategy and policies

You can:

show a thorough understanding of the technical concepts required for the role, and can explain how these fit into the wider technical landscape

You can:

collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
champion user research to focus on all users
prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

3. Lead business relationship manager

A lead business relationship manager leads engagement with directors, corporate senior leaders, service managers and external stakeholders to ensure their complex needs are understood, prioritised and incorporated into directorate plans. They ensure that progress is communicated throughout the delivery process.

At this role level, you will:

be responsible for ensuring that strategic demands - such as the spending review and services strategy commitments - are met and communicated to the appropriate IT operations functions
make a positive impact on the business through reduction of costs arising from service issues, increased efficiency and improved communication (through better understanding of users’ needs and championing departmental commitment to continual improvement)

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

G7 (Grade 7)
G6 (Grade 6)

Skill	Description
Asset and configuration management Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: track, log and correct information to protect assets and components
Business analysis (IT operations) Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: direct business analysis, including the collection of information and evidence and the identification of problems and opportunities ensure that recommendations fit with strategic business objectives communicate recommendations persuasively to important stakeholders identify the simplest of a variety of approaches
Continual service improvement Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: analyse current processes, and identify and implement opportunities to optimise them lead and develop a team of experts to deliver service improvements help to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards
IT service reporting Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: use data analytics skills to make decisions that enhance business performance
Ownership and initiative Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: take accountability for issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems achieve excellent user outcomes
Service focus Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: see the bigger picture by taking groups of services and investigating how to get the best of underlying services
Service management framework knowledge Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show you have a Level 3 service management framework qualification demonstrate knowledge of the life cycle or capability elements of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
Stakeholder relationship management (IT operations) Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: manage long-term strategic relationships with stakeholders, identifying where new connections need to be made and existing ones nurtured direct the strategic approach for stakeholder relationships, establishing stakeholder objectives and ensuring these are clearly represented act as a point of escalation if stakeholder relationships break down or become challenging for more junior members of the team influence important senior stakeholders and arbitrate when blockers are escalated facilitate discussions across high risk and complex areas or projects under constrained timelines
Strategic thinking Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals contribute to the development of strategy and policies
Technical understanding Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show a thorough understanding of the technical concepts required for the role, and can explain how these fit into the wider technical landscape
User focus Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: give direction on which tools or methods to use demonstrate experience in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure they're met by the business apply strategic thinking to provide the best service for the end user

You can:

track, log and correct information to protect assets and components

You can:

direct business analysis, including the collection of information and evidence and the identification of problems and opportunities
ensure that recommendations fit with strategic business objectives
communicate recommendations persuasively to important stakeholders
identify the simplest of a variety of approaches

You can:

analyse current processes, and identify and implement opportunities to optimise them
lead and develop a team of experts to deliver service improvements
help to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards

You can:

use data analytics skills to make decisions that enhance business performance

You can:

take accountability for issues that occur and be proactive in searching for potential problems
achieve excellent user outcomes

You can:

see the bigger picture by taking groups of services and investigating how to get the best of underlying services

You can:

show you have a Level 3 service management framework qualification
demonstrate knowledge of the life cycle or capability elements of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)

You can:

manage long-term strategic relationships with stakeholders, identifying where new connections need to be made and existing ones nurtured
direct the strategic approach for stakeholder relationships, establishing stakeholder objectives and ensuring these are clearly represented
act as a point of escalation if stakeholder relationships break down or become challenging for more junior members of the team
influence important senior stakeholders and arbitrate when blockers are escalated
facilitate discussions across high risk and complex areas or projects under constrained timelines

You can:

work within a strategic context and communicate how activities meet strategic goals
contribute to the development of strategy and policies

You can:

show a thorough understanding of the technical concepts required for the role, and can explain how these fit into the wider technical landscape

You can:

give direction on which tools or methods to use
demonstrate experience in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels
bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure they're met by the business
apply strategic thinking to provide the best service for the end user

Role	Shared skills
IT service manager	Asset and configuration management Business analysis (IT operations) Continual service improvement IT service reporting Ownership and initiative Service focus Service management framework knowledge Stakeholder relationship management (IT operations) Strategic thinking Technical understanding User focus
End user computing engineer	Asset and configuration management Continual service improvement IT service reporting Ownership and initiative Service focus Service management framework knowledge Technical understanding User focus
Service desk manager	Asset and configuration management Continual service improvement IT service reporting Ownership and initiative Service focus Service management framework knowledge Technical understanding User focus
Application operations engineer	Asset and configuration management Continual service improvement Ownership and initiative Service focus Service management framework knowledge Technical understanding User focus
Change and release manager	Asset and configuration management Continual service improvement Ownership and initiative Service focus Service management framework knowledge Technical understanding User focus

Updates

Published 7 January 2020

Last updated 30 November 2024

30 November 2024

The skill 'asset and configuration management' has been updated. The level descriptions were edited to improve clarity and to better meet the definitions for each level.
The 'service reporting' skill has been renamed 'IT service reporting' to better reflect the requirements of the skill level descriptions. Its level descriptions have been updated to improve clarity. Awareness level now refers to 'key performance indicators' to align with the general skill description.
The skill 'service management framework knowledge' has been updated to improve clarity. No change was made in the meaning of the skill level descriptions.

30 August 2022

The ‘relationship management’ skill has been renamed ‘stakeholder relationship management (IT operations)’ to ensure consistency across the DDaT Profession Capability Framework.

7 January 2020

First published.

Business relationship manager

What a business relationship manager does

Business relationship manager role levels

1. Business relationship manager

2. Senior business relationship manager

3. Lead business relationship manager

Updates

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Business relationship manager

What a business relationship manager does

Business relationship manager role levels

1. Business relationship manager

2. Senior business relationship manager

3. Lead business relationship manager

Roles that share business relationship manager skills

Updates

Is this page useful?

Thank you for your feedback