Change & Communications Lead - (F&B/FMCG)

Change & Communications Lead - (F&B/FMCG)

Permanent Hybrid/On-site - Travel to Leicestershire will be required 2/3 days per week

Must have right to work and be a UK Citizen

As the Change & Communications Lead, you will oversee organisational change initiatives, aiming to ensure that business transformation projects achieve their objectives by fostering employee adoption and enhancing the overall experience for all stakeholders. This role requires collaboration with project teams, stakeholders, and senior leadership to plan, implement, and assess changes that impact business processes, systems, and technology.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Change Management Strategy: Develop and implement change management strategies and plans that maximize employee adoption and minimize resistance. Utilise structured tools, frameworks and methodology to lead change management activities. Develop strategies to cater to the different needs of Business-as-Usual change needs vs specialist skills needed for large complex transformation Program led change. Create and maintain a portfolio view of change within the organisation with a focus on the impact to people, identifying any challenges that exist at a portfolio level and facilitating resolution of these challenges.
2. Stakeholder Management & Engagement: Identify the different personas and groups of stakeholders across the business and cluster their needs to ensure change will be adopted in a sustainable manner. Identify, analyse, and prepare risk mitigation tactics for stakeholders including resistance to change by understanding concerns and aligning them with the change goals. Conduct stakeholder analysis and manage relationships to ensure buy-in and support. Develop contingency plans by stakeholder groups in case the change does not go ahead as planned.
3. Communication: Design and deliver effective communication plans to convey changes, benefits, and impacts to all relevant parties. Ensure communication is clear, concise, and tailored to various audience segments.
4. Training and Development: Develop training programs and materials to support change initiatives. Work with training teams to ensure employees have the knowledge and skills needed to succeed during transitions.
5. Impact Analysis: Conduct portfolio level impact analyses and assess change readiness in functions where high levels of change are expected. Conduct impact analyses, assess change readiness, and identify key stakeholders. Analyse and manage anticipated resistance and develop strategies to address concerns.
6. Project Management: Define the scope of change, identify the impacted stakeholders and create an implementation plan. Work with the Project managers to integrate change management activities into the overall project plans and roadmaps. Track and report on change management progress, issues, and risks to project leadership.
7. Measurement and Evaluation: Define and measure success metrics. Monitor change progress and evaluate the effectiveness of change efforts. Implement corrective actions as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
8. Support and Coaching: Provide direct support and coaching to all levels of managers and supervisors to help them transition through changes. Serve as a coach for senior leaders in helping them fulfil their role as change sponsors.
9. Change Networks: Establish and run Change Networks during/post implementation of change (eg Communities of Practice) to serve as conduits to a cyclical approach to learning and ensuring the adoption to change is sustained long-term.
10. External Partner Collaboration: When specialised expertise is required, coordinate and manage external consultants or service providers for large complex change management initiatives ensuring agreed deliverables are met along with suitability for company-wide culture and adherence to agreed ways of working across the varied stakeholder groups.

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Organisational Development, Human Resources, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 10-15 years of experience in change management, organisational development, or a related field. Proven track record of managing change in large, complex and matrixed organisations.

Certifications: Change Management certification (eg, Prosci, ACMP) preferred.

Skills:

• Strong understanding of change management principles, methodologies, frameworks and tools.
• Experienced in delivering large programs and managing change portfolios ensuring a standardised Change approach across multiple programs.
• Ability to liaise with internal and external partner organisations, for the provision of consulting or delivery services that require specialist Change skillsets.
• Deep expertise in initiating, leading, managing and delivering new innovative process/technology-led change and adoption programs.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to influence and work effectively with all levels of the organisation.
• Highly organised with an ability to meet tight deadlines and deliver what was promised.
• Strong project management skills preferred and the ability to manage multiple change projects simultaneously.
• Courage and determination to challenge current practices.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to assess and measure change impacts.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and change management software/tools/frameworks at industry standard.
• Leading and managing a team of direct reports and ability to work cross-functionally with supporting members towards the overall goal for change.