A day in the life of a Technology Business Partner

Sarah Andrekus, Technology Business Partner, spoke to myGwork about what a typical day in the life at translation company RWS looks like. From the skills required for this role, to the challenging aspects to overcome, Sarah discusses how RWS strives for inclusivity.

Hi Sarah! Can you tell us a bit about your role and how you got here? 

My journey to my current role as a Technology Business Partner at RWS has been both unexpected and rewarding. As an undergrad, I pursued a degree in linguistics out of sheer fascination for languages. Unsure of where this path would lead me, I stumbled upon a job opportunity in the localization industry that specifically mentioned linguistics in the job description. 

Joining a small Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Translations company as a Project Coordinator after graduation, I delved into the intricacies of localization, gaining invaluable insights into how content is translated for global markets. This exposure sparked my interest in the intersection of language, technology, and business. 

In 2015, I joined RWS as a Localization Project Manager. After gaining experience in this role (and especially with using the company’s proprietary project management platform), I transitioned to the company's tech side as a Technical Project Manager. This move allowed me to apply my project management skills to software development projects, broadening my expertise and contributing to the company's technological initiatives.  

In this capacity, I served as a bridge between the development team and business stakeholders, facilitating clear communication and collaboration. Recognizing the importance of strengthening the relationship between technology and business functions, I recently embraced the opportunity to take on the role of Technology Business Partner. 

Today, in my role at RWS, I leverage my diverse background in linguistics, project management, and technology to drive strategic alignment between the Group Technology department and the Regulated Industries Strategic Business Unit. It's a role that allows me to blend my passion for languages with my aptitude for technology and my commitment to driving business success through innovative solutions. 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

In 10 years, I envision myself leveraging my accumulated experience to tackle challenges with greater confidence. What drives me most in my work is the ability to add value, whether through answering questions or optimizing processes. I hope that I am able to continue to make meaningful contributions, wherever my career path may lead. 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

I have a distributed global team so since I live on the east coast of the US, I try to start my day on the early side to maximize the overlap with the UK, Europe, and India. Luckily, I have the flexibility of working from home most of the time so my commute from my living room to my office is about 30 seconds!  

Although every day is different, my mornings are typically filled with meetings that are either working with the technical teams to identify and plan solutions or connecting with business stakeholders to understand and define problems or requirements.  

During the afternoons, I respond to urgent inquiries and provide updates to various stakeholders regarding our roadmap items.  

What part of your role do you enjoy the most? 

I value the connections I make across different departments in my role. Interacting with people that hold diverse perspectives and invaluable knowledge keeps my work engaging and enriching! 

Which top three skills are vital for this role and why? 

The top 3 skills for this role are: 

Communication: In this role, effective information sharing is crucial, especially among individuals with diverse backgrounds. Articulating technical challenges to those less familiar with the tech landscape can be challenging but essential for collaboration and problem-solving.  

Relationship Management: As a Business Partner, fostering strong relationships between teams and individuals is paramount. Instead of fostering a competitive culture when technology and business priorities clash, emphasis should be placed on mutual support and collaboration toward shared goals. 

Strategic Thinking: Those in this role must not only consider multiple solutions for various scenarios but also possess industry and market understanding. This allows for informed decision-making that ensuring alignment with overarching business objectives. 

What’s the most challenging aspect of your role? 

The most challenging aspect of my role is balancing competing business and technology priorities. Fortunately, I have a strong team supporting me, and while it sometimes involves difficult conversations, we consistently find common ground to move forward effectively. 

How do you help others feel like they belong in your team/promote inclusion? 

I am lucky to have a team that contains a great deal of diversity and I try to promote inclusion by making personal connections with everyone on topics outside of work. Whether it is encouraging them to share pictures from the most recent Holi festival or sharing stories about my 2 dogs and partner, I feel that having a level of human connection on the team is very important.  

Which podcast/Youtube series would you recommend to someone interested in pursuing a career in this area to help develop their skills/prepare them for the role? 

To be completely honest, I typically only listen to podcasts for fun and relaxation and not for career growth. The places I have found the most information for developing skills has been the following: 

Project Management Institute – there is a wealth of resources on here from live events to webinars and articles. For access to everything, a membership is needed but occasionally they do have free events that are open to everyone. 

Udemy– this requires a bit of research on the presenter/topic but I took a course on being an Agile Practitioner on here that was fantastic. 

Learning & Development resources at my company. I am lucky to be at a company that has excellent resources for career growth, and I try to take advantage of these as often as I can!