Change Management Communications Consultant

Our client is a hugely popular Fortune 500 company seeking CHANGE MANAGEMENT/COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT to play a key role in helping change initiatives meet business objectives. The primary focus will be designing, developing and overseeing deployment of critical program messages for an HR transformation to ensure the communication processes are effectively planned to minimize the resistance to change. As a member of the change management team, this individual will manage the design and development of stakeholder messaging to support a smooth transition to the future operating model. Role model and demonstrate the company's core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion and safety of others.

This is a CONTRACT TO HIRE opportunity.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Change Management:

- Support project teams in integrating change management activities into their project plans.
- Apply the Organizational Change Management (OCM) Framework to manage the people side of change caused by change efforts.
- Identify potential people-side risks and anticipated points of resistance, and develop specific plans to mitigate or address the concerns.
- Conduct readiness assessments, evaluate results and present findings in a logical and easy-to-understand manner.
- Develop a set of actionable and targeted change management plans - including communication plan, sponsor roadmap, coaching plan, training plan and resistance management plan.
- Create and manage measurement systems to track adoption, utilization and proficiency of individual changes.
- Identify resistance and performance gaps, and work to develop and implement corrective actions.
- Guide the use of the client's project related methodologies.
- Develop training/supporting materials and deliver OCM training to the organization; both formal and informal learning events.

Communications:

- Work with communication, training, HR and communication specialists in the formulation of particular plans and activities to support project implementation.
- Draft messaging to mitigate resistance to the future state.
- Determine the extent to which stakeholders understand the delivered messages that that the messages yield the desired response.
- Provide strategic and tactical communication support for the change team; lead the creation of high-impact communication materials designed to enhance alignment of the program.
- Partner with Corporate Communications and other contributors to ensure consistency with their overarching communications objectives; facilitate sharing of content across various channels including newsletters, town halls, Intranet, webcasts for various audiences.
- Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

- Bachelor's degree in business, organizational behavior, communications, HR management, or related field, or related equivalent work experience in Organizational Change Management or Communications position
- More than 3 years of experience leading change initiatives of various sizes
- Certification from a professional Change Management organization as a Change Management Professional preferred
- Familiarity with Project Management and Process Improvement methodologies and tools preferred
- Solid understanding of how people go through a change and the change process
- Experience and knowledge of change management principles and methodologies
- Understanding of the business imperative and known challenges related to change
- Ability to consistently deliver quality products at client satisfaction, ie complete project on time and on budget; build effective relationships with customers, project teams and partners; awareness, buy-in, and understanding of benefits of the project by stakeholders
- Exceptional communication skills - both written and verbal
- Ability to work effectively at all levels in an organization
- Excellent active listening skills
- Problem solving and root cause identification skills
- Demonstrated ability to prepare, interpret and make decisions based on qualitative and quantitative data
- Demonstrated leadership capability and ability to influence others without formal authority
- Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively communicate information to customers and to all levels within the organization