A Change Management Specialist plays a key role in ensuring transformational programs and initiatives meet objectives on time and on budget by increasing employee adoption of the new solutions. A Change Management Specialist focuses on the people side of change – including changes to organizational structure, business processes, systems and technology, and job roles.
The primary responsibility involves creating and implementing change management strategies and implementation plans that maximize employee adoption and usage and minimize resistance. The Change Management Specialist works with key stakeholders and program teams to drive faster adoption, higher ultimate utilization and greater proficiency of the changes that impact employees in the organization to increase benefit realization, value creation, ROI and the achievement of results and outcomes.
Change Management Specialist Position – Supervision
While the Change Management Specialist does not have supervisory responsibility, this person will have to work through many others in the organization to succeed. The Change Management Specialist will act as a coach for senior leaders and executives in helping them fulfill the role of change sponsor. The Change Management Specialist may also provide direct support and coaching to front-line managers and supervisors as they help their direct reports through transitions. The Change Management Specialist will also support project teams in integrating change management activities into their project plans.
Change Management Specialist Roles and responsibilities
-Apply a structured methodology and lead change management activities
-Assess the change impact
-Complete change management assessments
-Create change management strategy
-Identify, analyze, prepare risk mitigation tactics
-Identify and manage anticipated resistance
-Consult and coach project teams
-Create actionable deliverables for the five change management levers: communications plan, sponsor roadmap, coaching plan, training plan, resistance management plan.
-Support communication efforts
-Support training efforts
-Support and engage senior leaders
-Coach managers and supervisors
-Support organizational design and definition of roles and responsibilities
-Coordinate efforts with other specialists
-Integrate change management activities into project plan
-Evaluate and ensure user readiness
-Manage stakeholders
-Track and report issues
-Define and measure success metrics and monitor change progress
-Support change management at the organizational level, Enterprise Change Management
-Manage the portfolio and change load
Change Management Specialist Skills and Qualifications
-A solid understanding of how people go through a change and the change process; experience with Prosci ADKAR Model is a plus.
-Experience and knowledge of change management principles, methodologies and tools.
-Exceptional communication skills – both written and verbal.
-Excellent active listening skills.
-Ability to clearly articulate messages to a variety of audiences.
-Ability to establish and maintain strong relationships.
-Ability to influence others and move toward a common vision or goal.
-Flexible and adaptable; able to work in ambiguous situations.
-Resilient and tenacious with a propensity to persevere.
-Forward looking with a holistic approach.
-Organized with a natural inclination for planning strategy and tactics.
-Problem solving and root cause identification skills.
-Able to work effectively at all levels in an organization.
-Must be a team player and able to work collaboratively with and through others.
-Acute business acumen and understanding of organizational issues and challenges.
-Familiarity with project management approaches, tools and phases of the project lifecycle.
-Experience with large-scale organizational change efforts.
-Change management certification or designation desired. Prosci Certification a plus.
Education
-Bachelor’s degree plus 3 years related experience or HS Diploma/Equivalent and 6 years of related experience
