Purpose of the Role
R&D IT Software Tools Specialist – Business Partner
Location: Primary – Coventry/Oxford
Powering the Future of Clean Energy
Agratas is building one of the world’s most advanced EV battery businesses—designed from the ground up to accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility. Our R&D teams are pioneering next‑generation cell technologies, and we’re looking for an exceptional IT specialist to help equip them with the tools, platforms, and digital ecosystem they need to innovate at speed.
If you thrive at the intersection of engineering, software, and enterprise technology—and you love shaping the toolchain that enables world‑class R&D—this is your opportunity to make a real impact.
The Role
As our R&D IT Software Tools Specialist – Business Partner, you will be the strategic bridge between R&D engineering teams and the enterprise functions that support them. You will define the software tools roadmap, evaluate and onboard best‑in‑class solutions, and ensure every tool in the chain is secure, compliant, cost‑effective, and delivering measurable value.
You will own the full software lifecycle—from sourcing to renewal—and act as the single point of accountability for governance, alignment, and adoption across the Pack software organisation.
This is a role for someone who loves solving complex problems, influencing across functions, and building a connected digital thread for engineering excellence.
Key Responsibility Areas
What You’ll Do
Partnering & Roadmapping
• Build a unified, enterprise‑aligned roadmap for R&D software tools, ensuring seamless integration across the digital ecosystem.
• Lead tool standardisation and rationalisation to reduce sprawl, improve governance, and optimise cost.
• Engage deeply with Embedded Software, AUTOSAR, BMS, Controls, Test Automation, Virtual Validation, and Industrialisation teams to understand evolving needs.
• Translate technical requirements into vendor‑neutral capability definitions and measurable outcomes.
Vendor & Evaluation Management
• Identify and assess industry‑leading tools across embedded software, AUTOSAR, CI/CD, test automation, virtual validation, diagnostics, calibration, and engineering analytics.
• Run RFI/RFP/RFQ cycles, proof‑of‑concepts, demos, and hands‑on evaluations.
• Maintain competitive intelligence and TCO models to support strategic decision‑making.
Stakeholder Alignment & Governance
• Orchestrate approvals across Cybersecurity, Infrastructure/Cloud, Procurement, Finance, and Licensing Compliance.
• Ensure all tools meet enterprise standards for security, data residency, export control, and IP protection.
• Serve as the single point of accountability for tool governance and decision alignment.
Onboarding & Adoption
• Lead onboarding activities including environment readiness, licensing, integrations (SSO, RBAC, data pipelines), and change management.
• Build adoption plans with training, playbooks, office hours, and success metrics.
• Support Communities of Practice across Pack software teams.
Software Asset & Financial Management
• Maintain a single source of truth for software inventory, licenses, contracts, POs, and invoices.
• Monitor utilization, right‑size entitlements, and drive cost optimisation.
• Own the renewal calendar and proactively identify consolidation opportunities.
Reporting & Compliance
• Publish dashboards on adoption, utilization, spend, license efficiency, SLAs, and support metrics.
• Ensure compliance with ITIL processes, vendor SLAs, and audit requirements.
Job Context
What You Bring
Primary Expertise
• Strong working knowledge of embedded software and AUTOSAR development workflows.
• Understanding of CI/CD concepts for embedded and controls software.
• Familiarity with test automation, HIL/SIL, virtual ECUs, and validation environments.
• Exposure to Azure/AWS for engineering or DevOps workloads.
• Scripting or automation experience (Python, PowerShell).
Secondary Knowledge (Conceptual)
• CAD/CAE/Simulation tools (NX, Ansys, Abaqus, Star‑CCM+, Altair, etc.).
• Diagnostics and calibration workflows for ECUs and networks.
• Security and compliance frameworks (SSO, RBAC, vendor risk, open‑source compliance).
Qualifications
Must Have:
• Experience within R&D IT, Engineering Applications, or Digital R&D Enablement—ideally in EV, automotive, or embedded systems.
• Strong exposure to embedded software and AUTOSAR toolchains.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and change‑management skills.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in:
• Electrical / Electronics Engineering
• Embedded Systems
• Mechatronics
• Control Systems
• Mechanical Engineering (with strong software exposure)
How Success Will Be Measured
• Reduced time to approve and onboard R&D software tools.
• Adoption and utilization versus plan; improved license efficiency.
• Cost optimisation through consolidation and right‑sizing.
• Stakeholder satisfaction across R&D, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, Finance, and Procurement.
• Zero unplanned renewal lapses; audit readiness.
• Roadmap execution and milestone delivery.
Join Us
At Agratas, you’ll help build the digital backbone of a next‑generation battery business. You’ll shape the tools that empower engineers to innovate faster, collaborate better, and deliver breakthrough technologies that accelerate the world’s transition to clean energy.
If you’re ready to influence at scale and build something that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.
