Change & Communications Manager

Purpose of role

The Business Change Delivery team is an engaging, personable, and highly motivated team entrusted by senior leadership with the identification and end-to-end delivery of the most strategically important projects for the firm.

Projects that our team lead include strategy development and execution, regulatory change, organisational design, merger & alliance, technology-enabled change, and end-to-end, cross-functional business process transformation.

As a key member of our growing Change & Communications community, the Change & Communications Manager is responsible for managing the design and implementation of a comprehensive change and communications strategy and associated plans for one or more of the most strategically important projects or programmes for the firm.

You will work day-to-day with our team of Project and Programme Managers, senior leaders across all our Business Teams functions e.g. Finance, Business Development & Marketing, Technology, and of course, our partners and lawyers to land change effectively.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Developing robust change management and communications strategies applying industry leading techniques to ensure projects deliver on intended outcomes.
• Developing and implementing supporting change management and communications plans, aligned with the programme objectives, scope and timelines.
• Conducting stakeholder analysis and change impact assessments to identify key audiences, needs and identify key programme risks.
• Evaluating and monitor organisational change readiness, including identifying and mitigating cultural and behavioural challenges.
• Developing and owning programme stakeholder management plans, engaging with key stakeholders to build awareness, generate interest and drive commitment to the programme.
• Creating and delivering engaging and impactful communications, tailored to different stakeholder groups.
• Working closely with other programme teams and our Corporate Affairs team to align the timing and key messages of programme communications with other strategic change projects and ‘business-as-usual’ communications priorities across the firm.
• Using data and metrics to monitor and measure the impact and effectiveness of the change and communications activities and adjust the plan as needed.
• Designing and implementing a post-implementation support strategy to ensure changes are embedded.
• Providing change management and communications guidance and support to key stakeholders including Business Teams leadership.

Characteristics, skills, and experience required:

• A minimum of five years’ change management and communications experience, preferably with direct experience of managing transformational change through new target operating model design and implementation of end-to-end, cross-functional business process transformation.
• Experience developing and implementing change and communications strategies and plans in complex, global organisations. Experience in legal services or a professional services partnership environment is preferred.
• A change management certification (e.g. APMG or similar) with knowledge of change management principles, methodologies, and tools.
• Familiarity with project management approaches, tools and phases of the project or programme lifecycle.
• Ability to understand different cultural / local issues, whilst maintaining a focus on global solutions.
• A proactive and action-oriented approach, driving progress via self and others.
• Excellent attention to detail and able to communicate effectively at all levels - clearly and succinctly conveying ideas and options.
• An inclusive style, aware of the needs of, and supportive of, team members.

Technical Skills

This list of duties and responsibilities above is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for, the performance of this job. As such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Application Policy

Applications and CVs (direct or via agency) are only accepted online via the portal. Queries related to our roles must be directed to the relevant recruitment team and not the partners, practices or stakeholders ([email protected] for legal roles or [email protected] for business team roles).