Change Manager

Serco Limited; Bristol; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading service provider based in Bristol is seeking an experienced Change Manager to drive change initiatives for the Armed Forces Recruitment Service. The role involves developing strategic change processes and ensuring effective stakeholder engagement for organizational transformation. The ideal candidate has a strong background in change management, leading successful projects within budget and timelines, and excels in relationship building across all levels.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading change initiatives within organizations.
• Strong influence and management skills with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to deliver on time, within budget, and meeting quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the delivery of internal change initiatives.
• Develop and implement robust change processes.
• Build and maintain client relationships at Senior Management level.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Risk management

Job description

Serco Limited

Change Manager– Armed Forces Recruitment Service

Based at Abbey Wood, Bristol

- flexible to travel across AFRS UK sites Full Time/ 2 Year fixed term contract Competitve salary plus excellent benefits

At Serco, we are proud to partner with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) in providing critical recruitment services for the UK’s Armed Forces. This new approach will, for the first time, see the Royal Navy, the British Army, and the Royal Air Force have a joint Armed Forces Recruitment Service (AFRS). Delivered through a partnership of the MOD, Serco, and our consortium of partners, this service will provide end-to-end support from candidate attraction to assessment, onboarding, and Phase 1 training. Our team brings together best-in-class integrated technology and specialist partners to offer a holistic recruitment and skills solution for the UK Armed Forces, designed to modernise and improve the overall candidate experience. We are driven by the values of doing the right thing for our people, the MOD, His Majesty’s Government (HMG), broader society, and the candidates we source.

We're looking for an experienced Change Manager to lead contract-wide change initiatives across AFRS. In this pivotal role, you'll shape and deliver internal and external change strategies, build organisational capability, and ensure smooth transitions to business-as-usual. Working closely with consortium partners and client stakeholders, you'll play a key role in managing reputation, communications, and stakeholder engagement to ensure change is understood, supported, and successful.

AFRS brings together the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force under a single, strategically important defence recruitment programme. This integration marks a significant cultural transformation for both civilian and military personnel. To support this change, we are seeking a dedicated Change Manager to provide clear, consistent leadership across the entire AFRS programme. The successful candidate will play a key role in minimising disruption, enabling successful adoption of change, and positioning AFRS for long‑term success. This role requires strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and manage senior internal and external (client) stakeholders throughout the change journey.

At Serco, we proudly welcome and actively support applications from veterans, military spouses, and reservists—valuing the unique skills, dedication, and experience they bring to our team.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the delivery of internal change by following contractual and internal processes for identifying and impact assessing proposed changes; planning the implementation of changes; and delivering the change against an agreed schedule.


• Develop and implement change processes that supplement existing contractual and internal processes.


• Ensure change is delivered on time, within scope and budget, while meeting quality and approved targets / deadlines.


• Track the progress of change requests through to implementation, providing status reports to stakeholders using agreed formats and metrics.


• Identify, own, and manage the risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies associated with change and the implementation of change. Work across AFRS, engaging a range of stakeholders, to mitigate risk, validate assumptions, resolve issues, and manage dependencies.


• Build and maintain positive client relationships with internal and external clients at Senior Management level or Heads of Service/department). Liaise with internal teams, consortium team members, subcontractors and the client as required.


• Proactively provide change management consultancy/advice to colleagues, operational staff, sub-contractors, and the client as required.


• Provide guidance and create content, briefing materials etc. for all stakeholders as required.


• Overall accountability for AFRS communications, and specifically for change communication ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the high level and product‑specific planning, scheduling coordination and communication of changes. Ownership of messaging related to change, ensuring it is accurate and reflects the principles of AFRS.


• Ensure that key stakeholders are kept informed through the Service and change lifecycle and that expectations are managed.

What you’ll need to do