Change Consultant

Essex County Council; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Essex County Council seeks a Change Consultant for a 6-month fixed-term contract. This role involves providing specialist change management expertise to support large-scale transformation initiatives. The successful candidate will work collaboratively, engage with stakeholders, and use proven change management frameworks to ensure effective outcomes. The position is hybrid, requiring office attendance in Chelmsford 2 days a week.

Benefits

Flexible Working Arrangements

Support for Unpaid Carers

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
• CIPD or Change Management qualification is desirable.
• Proven experience in delivering large scale change and effective change management.

Responsibilities

• Provide expertise and guidance in complex change initiatives.
• Work collaboratively to influence and shape change programmes.
• Evaluate and measure the impact of change initiatives.

Skills

Change Management

Communication

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Degree Level Education

CIPD or Change Management qualification

Job description

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Fixed Term Contract / Secondment, 6 months

Full Time, 37 hours per week

£49,051 to £57,706 per annum

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 20th July 2025

*Please note this is a hybrid-working role, with a requirement to work in the Chelmsford office 2 days per week on average, depending on business need.

This role will be offered as a 6 month fixed-term contract or secondment.

Essex County Council has an ambitious journey of transformation that involves large scale people change. This role will create and establish plans for large scale change, which will enable the organisation to achieve transformation ambitions - engaging and influencing stakeholders at all levels and working collaboratively to achieve outcomes.

This role will provide highly specialist change expertise, advice, guidance, and challenge within large and transformational programmes of work, which will enable the council to achieve its strategic aims and deliver our organisation plan.

The Change Consultant will work collaboratively with other specialist teams, wider People and Organisational Development and Transformation Delivery & Support to influence and shape change initiatives and programmes. Using proven change management frameworks, tools and resources the role holder will drive the right change outcomes across various transformation programmes to drive maximum business benefit, minimise resistance and effectively embed change.

The Change Consultant will have a deep understanding of the impact that change has on people and organisations and will be able to make recommendations and take ownership for the interventions and activities that ensure that people are ready for change and are effective in handling resistance to change.

Accountabilities

· Provide highly specialist subject matter expertise, thought leadership, practical advice, and guidance to programme and functional leadership teams, ensuring alignment between change initiatives and programme outcomes.

· Manage highly complex and difficult conversations; Present, explain, motivate, engage, influence, persuade and challenge at all levels. Embed a relational and people-centred approach to change by fostering a culture of challenge, support, and values-led change and transformation.

· Deliver practical and impactful change solutions by transforming complex concepts, leveraging innovative thinking to lead change initiatives effectively, ensuring successful outcomes and continuous improvement.

· Support in creation and implementation of impactful change management strategies, including stakeholder engagement, communications, change impact and readiness assessments, training, and transitioning to BAU, to support complex and transformational change.

· Work closely with key organisational leaders and stakeholders to analyse and manage the organisation-wide change landscape, ensuring effective prioritisation and management of change.

· Evaluate the impact of change initiatives, measuring key performance indicators and providing recommendations for continuous improvement and refinement of organisational processes

· Develop and drive the organisation's change capability strategy by coaching and mentoring leaders and role-modelling continuous learning and development, demonstrating leadership and organisational behaviours, and whole system change leadership.

· Regularly update knowledge and skills to meet the evolving standards set by the CIPD at standards level of Chartered Membership or above. Integrate the CIPD profession map and its framework into all actions, including participation in continuous professional development activities and ensuring that ECC's HR practices and strategies are in accordance with the CIPD's professional standards and ethical guidelines.

· Actively participate in the development and continuation of communities of change practice and networks to share best practices, ensuring a cohesive approach to change and employee experience across the organisation.

· Meet specific individual and shared targets and objectives as defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

· Educated to degree level (RFQ Level 6) or equivalent by experience; CIPD or Change Management qualification desirable with ongoing professional development.

· Demonstrable knowledge of the critical factors in leading change and practical experience of applying project and programme management approaches taking ownership for identifying risks and creating mitigation plans, evidence of delivering large scale change on time and to quality and budget.

· Expert knowledge in change management and organisational development theories, with successful application in complex environments and/or transformation programmes.

· Excellent communication and influencing skills with the ability to tailor approaches to meet the needs of diverse audiences with differing levels of understanding, including the creation of engaging and tailored materials.

· Effective in engaging with partners and stakeholders, confident in managing multiple and conflicting stakeholder expectations.

· Planning, facilitating, and delivering stakeholder workshops and individual interventions for engagement, training, and coaching.

· Experienced in managing change programmes and projects, developing business cases, identifying risks, and creating mitigation plans.

· Delivering change readiness, maturity, and impact assessments to develop integrated people change plans.

·Experienced in managing diverse workloads through prioritisation, remaining credible under pressure, and working effectively in ambiguous situations.

Further Information

In February 2025 , Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government's devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR ) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email [emailprotected]

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