Change Management / Communications Lead

Job Description:

Seeking a Change Management / Communications Lead to oversee critical finance, payroll, timekeeping, and scheduling projects to ensure alignment with project goals and timeline.

The Change Management / Communications Lead will be an integral member of the project team championing public relations effort, developing the Communications Strategy to guide its overall execution, and providing direction to the Training Lead. This role will support Change Management discovery and execution with special attention to elements related to communications and training.

Communications & Training

• Lead public relations efforts, working closely with the Enterprise System Renewal Program team, leadership, and vendor consultants to develop brand, and voice

• Provide Communications expertise and support for all Change Management activities including, but not limited to, stakeholder analysis, recommendations for structure and cadence of engagement across stakeholder groups, etc.

• Create Communications and Training Workstream plans inclusive of identifying key campaigns, activities, deliverables, interdependencies, and durations

• Ensure execution of Communication Workstream deliverables and events across key project phases including, but not limited to, email announcements, websites, newsletters, social media presence, FAQs, presentation materials, leadership talking points, and project materials and documentation

• Implement and maintain processes for monitoring project email inbox, JIRA, and other communications channels with stakeholders

Change Management

• Evaluate organizational readiness via roadshows/townhalls, assessments/surveys, and departmental meetings to identify risk and manage resistance

• Assess the organizational change impacts and develops strategies to promote readiness and adoption

• Manage the Change Leader relationship and guide this leadership group through recommendations for department readiness actions

• Consult on project interactions with the Subject Matter Expert (SME) group as they are engaged to participate in Project Activities

• Collect feedback on the most significant/risky processes, roles, and duty changes from the current state, which will require targeted change management support

Leadership & Collaboration

• Provide direction to the Training Lead and oversee the Training team’s delivery plan and work product quality

• Collaborate with vendor consultants to oversee activities of other change management team members

• Support process improvement efforts within the change management team and across the various teams

• Serve as a strategic thought partner Project Leadership teams and vendor consultants

• Track output in alignment with measurement and project reporting strategy

• Report clear status to project management, including priorities, issues, and risks promptly

• Build confidence and trust with department leaders

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as communications, marketing, or equivalent background

• 5+ years of experience in one of the following fields: communications, marketing, information technology or higher education

• Experience managing a change management or training team

• Proven expertise in Strategic Communications approaches and standards in business communications

• Proven ability to guide execution of communication content to consistently optimize messaging, enhance program goals, and adhere to established standards

• Exceptional general communication skills including writing, copyediting, presentation, and session facilitation

• Proven ability to lead and coordinate collaborators in the execution of multiple and interdependent deliverables

• Demonstrated experience building and managing exceptional relationships to achieve results in line with strategic goals

• Experience supporting customer needs and articulating a strategy that motivates others to action

• Ability to manage necessary resources to resolve problems in a timely and effective manner

• Ability to synthesize complex materials and craft creative, persuasive messaging for a variety of audiences including the presentation of technical topics to general audiences

• Ability to understand and work with large, complex systems

• Proven ability to comply with and enforce pertinent policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements

• Ability to effectively utilize common office productivity software such as MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), MS Outlook, and internet browsers