Career Insight: What’s Included in the Change Manager Job Description? What Should You Really Know?
Unlocking the World of Business Change Management: Your Guide to Roles, Jobs, and Training Opportunities
Welcome to the dynamic realm of business change management! If you’re someone who thrives on steering organizations through transformative journeys, you’ve landed in the right place. Whether you’re embarking on a career change or seeking to elevate your skills in guiding businesses through transitions, this guide is your compass to understanding the diverse roles, job opportunities, and the training landscape in the exciting field of business change management.
Ever wondered what a business change manager does or how to become one?
Join us on a journey where we’ll unravel the intricacies of roles like Senior Change Manager, Business Change Project Manager, Business Change Lead, and Business Change Analyst. We’ll walk you through the responsibilities, qualifications, and experience needed for each role, giving you a clear roadmap to navigate your career path.
So, buckle up and let’s embark on this journey together and unlock the doors to endless possibilities in business change management!
Eager to embark on the journey ahead? We’ve put together a concise overview just for you. Prepare to delve into the captivating intricacies of business change manager roles, job opportunities, and training, knowing that we’re here to be your companions on this enlightening adventure.
Quick Summary
Behind the Title: Understanding the Business Change Manager
A Business Change Manager is responsible for overseeing the assessment, planning, implementation, and reinforcement of business change projects. Their role involves defining project benefits, ensuring organizational readiness, creating a comprehensive change management strategy, addressing resistance to change, managing various aspects of the change (such as training and communication), coordinating with stakeholders, measuring change success, and ensuring the change is sustained over time. Effective business change managers possess organizational skills and a desire to help others improve their work processes.
Orchestrating Progress: A Deep Dive into Business Change Manager Duties
A Business Change Manager is responsible for various activities related to change management in a business setting. Industry standards for this role typically include duties such as change project assessment, organizational impact assessment, readiness assessment, creating project roadmaps, stakeholder analysis, leadership coaching, establishing change champions networks, implementing resistance management plans, developing communication plans, conducting user training, and tracking change metrics.
In job postings for Business Change Manager positions, employers commonly seek candidates who can develop and deliver change management solutions, apply structured methodologies to projects, conduct impact analyses, assess change readiness, identify key stakeholders, provide input on documentation and training requirements, execute project plans, coach leaders and change agents, use metrics for monitoring adoption and effectiveness, manage budgets, identify and resolve risks and issues, and coordinate communication plans.
The educational and experiential requirements for Business Change Manager positions vary. A range of qualifications mentioned in job descriptions includes 3-10+ years of project or change management experience, a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, or comparable military training. Additionally, experience in implementing organizational change using defined methodologies and certification in business change (such as Prosci, CCMP™, or similar) are commonly listed requirements. The specific requirements may differ based on the organizational needs and the level of the position being applied for, with senior positions typically demanding higher levels of experience.
Navigating Change Careers: A Look at Different Types of Business Change Manager Jobs
There are four common types of Business Change Manager roles, each with distinct responsibilities:
- Senior Change Manager:
- Responsibilities: Leads and oversees the entire change management project, coordinating and directing other business change managers. Familiar with all aspects of facilitating organizational change.
- Experience Requirement: Typically requires extensive experience, often 10+ years.
- Certification: May require extensive business change manager training and certification in change management.
- Business Change Project Manager:
- Responsibilities: Focuses on project management aspects, including developing change management strategy, designating project milestones, and creating communication and training plans. Ensures the project progresses as planned.
- Certification: Certification expectations may lean towards Project Management Professional (PMP).
- Business Change Lead:
- Responsibilities: Leads either the entire change management project or coordinates and reports to the overall business change manager. Considered a senior-level change management role.
- Experience Requirement: Similar to the senior change manager, it requires significant experience and change training.
- Business Change Analyst:
- Responsibilities: Analyzes organizations to identify areas where changes in processes, software, etc., could be beneficial. Tracks change management Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor project progress and ensure alignment with timelines, budget, and expected results.
Understanding these roles helps individuals seeking a career as a change manager to identify positions that align with their skills and interests. The specific requirements, such as experience and certifications, may vary based on the type of role and the organization’s preferences within the change management structure.
Charting Your Course: A Guide on Becoming a Business Change Manager
To become a Business Change Manager, follow these steps:
- Review Your Experience for Gaps:
- Conduct a gap analysis between your current job experience and the requirements outlined in business change manager job descriptions.
- Translate project management experience into change management skills if needed.
- Ensure you meet minimum requirements before applying for business change manager positions.
- Take Business Change Training Courses:
- Enhance your qualifications by undergoing change management training.
- Consider specific courses related to a particular change methodology or general change management principles.
- Update Your Resume:
- Tailor your resume to include keywords and phrases from business change manager job descriptions, especially if you lack direct change management experience.
- Highlight relevant skills and experiences that align with the requirements of the role.
- Look for Business Change Manager Jobs:
- Utilize popular job search engines such as Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, etc., to find business change manager job listings.
- Explore various types of positions based on factors like full-time or part-time, remote or on-site, and the nature of the organization (enterprise, government, change consulting firm, etc.).
By following these steps, you can position yourself for success in securing a business change manager role. Keep in mind the flexibility in job choices, considering factors like work arrangement, duration, and the type of organizations you are interested in working for.
Empower Your Skills: Exploring Business Change Manager Training Opportunities
To enhance your knowledge and experience in change management, consider business change manager training, which can be pursued through various avenues:
- Certification in Change Methodology:
- Obtain certification in a specific change methodology (Top 8 Best Change Certifications).
- Specialized training focused on a particular approach to change management.
- Certification in Change Management:
- Acquire certification in change management without tying to a specific methodology.
- Comprehensive training covering general principles and practices of change management.
- Business Change Training without Certification:
- Participate in training programs that may not lead to a formal certification but provide valuable knowledge and skills in business change management.
- Non-methodology specific training options are available.
Training opportunities can be pursued through online or classroom formats, offering flexibility in learning. Additionally, there are free change training resources available online. Some notable platforms for business change manager training include:
- Prosci: Change Management Certification & Training
- APMG International: Business Change Manager Training
- ACMP: Change Management Certification & Training
Exploring these training options will help you better align with the requirements outlined in a business change manager job description.
Detailed Deep Dive
So, you want to become a business change manager. What does that entail? What are the key factors about a change management manager’s job description that you absolutely need to know?
Change management is a field that is in high demand and one that has many different roles under the business change manager title.
For example, you could be a business change lead in charge of all user training on a new process. Or you could be a senior change manager who is planning and directing the entire change project.
Before you start applying for business change manager jobs, it’s important to know the difference in roles, job titles, and training for positions that all fall under the change management description.
Business Change Manager Job Description
Any business change manager job description will include certain similarities, such as asking for:
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to organize and multitask
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Familiarity with the concepts of change management
- Analytical and problem-solving skills
- Leadership skills
Answering, “What is a business change manager?” can get complicated the larger the organization is. For instance, in a smaller organization, the business change manager position may be in charge of an entire change project, from start to finish.
This may include analyzing the need for change, coming up with a change strategy, assessing change readiness, and implementing the change management plan.
But in larger organizations, there may be different business change project manager roles. Some may be in charge of one area of the change, such as stakeholder management, while other senior change managers may have more responsibility for entire project oversight.
This is where you may find a difference in the requirements listed in a change manager job description. One may require a higher degree or level of experience than another, and some may ask for certified business change training.
In this OCM Solution article, we’ll dig into the business change manager job description, the different types of roles under the “change manager” umbrella, and discuss steps to take to become a business change project manager.
If you’ve ever been interested in applying for business change manager jobs, the information below will put you on the right path.
What is a Business Change Manager?
A business change manager is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and reinforcing a business change project.
Most organizational change projects involve multiple layers. Guiding the members of a company through a change successfully takes the expertise that is often described in a business change manager job description.
The answer to, “What is a business change manager?” can be summed up as the person that:
- Defines the change project benefits
- Ensures the organization is ready for the change
- Creates a detailed change management strategy
- Manages the “people” part of the change by addressing change resistance
- Implements all the moving parts involved with change (training, communications, etc.)
- Coordinates with all stakeholders
- Measures the success of the change
- Ensures that the change takes hold and is sustained
People that are organized and enjoy helping others improve the way they do things have traits that would make a good business change lead.
Next, we’ll get into more details on the business change manager job description, and then we’ll look at the different roles within the change manager position.
Got questions like “What are the types of business change director jobs?” or “How can I become a change management consultant?”. Drop us a message and let us know.
Business Change Manager Job Description
When looking for a change manager job description, you’ll want to know three things.
- The types of activities that a business change manager would typically perform according to industry standards.
- What’s included in job postings for a senior change manager or other type of business change project manager role.
- The type of education, experience, and business change training needed.
We’ve got all three detailed below to bring you the best change management job description that encompasses both industry standards and what employers are seeking.
First, we’ll look at industry standards for business change manager jobs. Then we’ll take a look at what employers are asking for when they seek a business change manager. Finally, we’ll go through the business change manager training, education, and experience requirements.
Industry Standard Job Description Duties
These are the typical duties that a senior change manager will be responsible for in a change project:
- Change project assessment
- Organizational impact assessment
- Organizational readiness assessment
- Creating a change management project roadmap
- Stakeholder analysis & management
- Leadership coaching
- Creating a change champions network
- Implementing a resistance management plan
- Creating a communication plan
- Implementing user training
- Tracking change metrics
Job Descriptions in Business Change Manager Jobs Postings
Here are some of the most often used descriptors from employers writing a business change manager job description in a job posting.
- Develop and deliver business change management solutions
- Apply a structured change management methodology to change projects
- Conduct impact analysis, assess change readiness, identify key stakeholders
- Provide input on documentation and training requirements to support change
- Develop and execute change project plans
- Coach leaders and change agents
- Utilize metrics to monitor the adoption and effectiveness of a change project
- Budget development and tracking
- Risk and issue identification and resolution
- Coordinate and execute a communication plan
- Managing change management teams
Education, Experience, and Business Change Training
The requirements for education, experience, and business change manager training can vary according to the organizational requirements and the level of position you’re applying for.
For example, a senior change manager position would most likely require a higher level of experience than a junior business change lead.
We’ll give a range below of the typical requirements noted across several change manager job post descriptions on sites like LinkedIn and Monster.com.
- 3-10+ years of project or change management consulting, advisory, or equivalent
- Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree or comparable military training
- Experience implementing organizational change using a defined change methodology
- Business change training and certification (Prosci, CCMP™, or similar)
We’ll get into the different types of business change training you can find shortly. Next, we’ll take a look at the different types of job roles that can be considered in the business change project manager description.
Are you looking answers to questions like “What are the types of business change lead jobs?” or “What is business analyst change management?”. Send us a message with your questions or comments.
Types of Business Change Manager Jobs
“Business change manager” is a general term that can mean different things to different types of organizations. It helps to know the standard types of roles contained in the business change manager job description so you can zero in on the ones that fit you best.
We’ll take a look below at four common types of business change manager jobs that you can find when seeking a career as a change manager.
Senior Change Manager
The senior change manager is going to be someone with extensive experience executing change management projects and be familiar with all aspects of facilitating organizational change.
They’ll typically be in charge of other business change manager roles and may either head up the change project, coordinating and directing everyone else, or be the second in command to a business change lead.
A senior change manager will typically have a higher experience requirement, 10+ years, for example, and may also be required to have extensive business change manager training and hold a certification in change management.
Business Change Project Manager
A business change project manager is typically more involved with the project management part of the change project. This can include developing the change management strategy, and designating project milestones.
This position may also take the lead in creating the communication and training plans that are then implemented by others on the change management team. They’ll typically ensure the project is going along as planned.
Certification expectations for a business change project manager may be more along the lines of a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Business Change Lead
The business change lead can be a position either leading up the entire change management project or coordinating the project and reporting back to the overall business change manager.
Different organizations will put the business change lead role in different leadership positions within the change management structure, but it is considered a senior-level change management role.
The business change lead will have similar requirements for experience and change training, as does the senior change manager.
Business Change Analyst
The business change analyst position will typically perform two key functions. One is to analyze organizations to see where a change in a process, software, etc. may be beneficial and improve the company’s bottom line.
The other function would be to keep track of change management KPIs to help the others on the change management team know how the project is progressing and ensure they stay on track with timeline, budget, and expected results.
Are you looking for more information on questions like: “What are the responsibilities of a business change director?” or “What is the role of change management in business?”. Send a message to our change management team.
How to Become a Business Change Manager
What is a business change manager’s career path? If you’re interested in business change manager jobs, here are some of the steps you can take to become a business change manager.
What is the Change Manager Job Description?
Review Your Experience for Gaps
Do a gap analysis of your job experience and the business change manager job description requirements. See if you lack in any areas.
If you need more experience, you can potentially translate project management to change management experience, depending upon the employer.
You want to ensure you meet minimum requirements before applying for business change manager jobs.
Take Business Change Training Courses
You can improve your chances of finding a job as a business change lead or business change manager by going through change management training. You can take training specific to a particular change methodology or change management in general.
Update Your Resume
If you haven’t worked in change management before, then you’ll most likely need to update your resume to include some of the keywords and phrases used in change manager job description listings. This will help give your resume a better chance of getting you the position you want.
Look for Business Change Manager Jobs
There is no lack of listings for business change manager jobs. You can find them on all the popular job search engines like Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and others.
You’ll also have plenty of choices when it comes to the type of business change manager jobs you’re looking for, such as:
- Full-time or part-time
- Remote (work from home)
- Ongoing or short-term
- Enterprise, government, change consulting firm, etc.
Are you looking for more information on business change consultants or more details on business process change management? Send a message to our change management team.
Business Change Manager Training Opportunities
A great way to fill any gaps in your knowledge or experience with change management is to go through business change manager training.
We have an extensive article on business change training here that you can review. Below, we’ll go over the basics of change training opportunities.
Business change training can be done a few different ways:
- Certification in a change methodology (See Top 8 Best Change Certifications)
- Certification in change management, not a specific methodology
- Business change training without certification (methodology or non-methodology specific)
There are plenty of online and classroom opportunities for training that can help you better meet the requirements of a business change manager job description. You can also find multiple free change training resources on our website.
A few other places to find business change manager training online are:
- Prosci: Change Management Certification & Training
- APMG International: Business Change Manager Training
- ACMP: Change Management Certification & Training
Conclusion: Business Change Manager Job Description, Training, Roles
If you’re interested in a career as a business change manager, there are multiple opportunities as far as scope and role. This means there are chances to specialize in an area such as a change management analyst and move into higher positions, such as a senior change manager.
But “What is a business change manager?” ultimately is the person responsible for helping an organization plan for, implement, and successfully navigate through any type of organizational change.
If you have the background training and knowledge on change management, in addition to the right experience, you can choose from any number of classifications within the change manager job description to chart your future career path.
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