People Consulting - Associate Director

Iris Software; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm is seeking an Associate Director in People Consulting to design and implement large-scale transformation programs. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in Change Management, capable of leading teams and driving significant business changes. This role involves strategic oversight of Change Management initiatives and requires advanced analytical and communication skills.

Qualifications

• At least 8 to 10 years’ experience in Change Management.
• Previous Consulting experience and/or experience in leading Change Management programmes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a Change Management strategy.
• Lead Change Management initiatives across the organisation.
• Oversee a team of Change Management professionals.
• Conduct impact analyses and stakeholder management.
• Design communication and engagement plans.
• Create training programmes and materials.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Monitor the adoption of changes and measure effectiveness.

Skills

Technical competence in Change Management

Leadership abilities

Collaboration skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Relevant postgraduate qualification

Tools

Change Management certification (e.g. Prosci)

Job description

People Consulting – Associate Director

People Consulting shapes and delivers the part of business strategy that depends on people. As a People Consulting professional, you will have the opportunity to work with global clients to understand and address some of their largest and most complex people-related challenges, and ultimately improve and drive sustainable business results. We focus on engagements that relate to the Human Capital value chain in totality, including, but not limited to, Organisation Design, Change Management, Talent Management, Learning, Transactions and Reward.

In joining EY, you will gain access to valuable experiences and a wealth of knowledge and thought leadership by working across capabilities, service offerings, sectors and geographies. Whenever you join, and no matter how long your stay, the exceptional EY experience lasts a lifetime.

Job summary:

As a member of the People Consulting team, focused on designing and implementing large-scale, complex, global transformation programmes across various sectors, you will join a talented group of professionals that help support and improve businesses through their various types of transformation.

Key responsibilities:

As a Senior Manager specialising in Change Management, you will be a key resource on business transformation projects for our clients. From a technical perspective, you will be responsible for the following:

• Developing and implementing a Change Management strategy that supports the organisation's vision and business objectives
• Leading Change Management initiatives across the organisation, including technology rollouts, process improvements, organisational restructuring, cultural change, etc.
• Overseeing a team of Change Management professionals, providing guidance, training and performance management
• Conducting impact analyses, assessing change readiness, and identifying and actively managing key stakeholders
• Designing and executing communication and engagement plans to ensure all affected parties are aware of the changes and understand their roles within the transition
• Creating training programmes and materials to facilitate effective knowledge transfer and skill development for changes
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including IT, HR, project management, and departmental leaders, to align Change Management activities with business goals
• Monitoring the adoption of changes and gauging the effectiveness of Change Management activities, making adjustments as necessary
• Managing resistance to change through proactive engagement, negotiation and conflict resolution
• Establishing metrics and KPIs to measure the success of Change Management efforts and report regularly to senior leadership
• Acting as a Strategic Advisor to the client, integrating knowledge and insights from all areas of the business and streams of the transformation project to deliver an all-encompassing and seamless change experience for stakeholders
• Developing and coaching leaders of the organisation to be true Change Leaders who drive the change through all levels of the business

In this role, you should be able to deliver quality client service, analyse complex problems and deliver insightful solutions, while also managing resources to deliver on the project objectives. You will also be expected to have advanced written and verbal communication skills, excellent attention to detail, be able to engage in critical thinking, take initiative, and be able to quickly integrate into new teams and rapidly establish relationships both internally and externally. More specifically, the successful candidate should:

• Demonstrate technical competence in Change Management and take a practical / business-driven approach to solving complex client challenges
• Lead multi-disciplinary teams and engagements
• Stay up-to-date with key technical and functional skills, as well as industry trends
• Go the extra mile to deliver high-quality deliverables
• Be able to influence and persuade clients and stakeholders to gain support for any major change initiatives and/or decisions
• Demonstrate leadership abilities and be able to coach and manage members of the team
• Encourage and facilitate collaboration amongst team members, and promote an inclusive working environment
• Be able to identify and help manage any potential issues and risks during a client assignment
• Lead business development and client pursuit activities
• Identify and flag any follow-on engagement opportunities
• Support and lead certain engagement activities from planning through to implementation
• Be able to remain calm and composed in stressful situations
• Be proactive and take initiative
• Be comfortable dealing with ambiguity, embrace uncertainty and adapt swiftly to changing situations
• Be able to work in a fast-paced environment

To qualify, candidates must have:

• Relevant postgraduate qualification
• Certification in Change Management methodology (e.g. Prosci) is advantageous
• Relevant professional experience, for example, previous Consulting experience and/or experience in successfully leading and implementing Change Management programmes for large-scale transformation projects
• At least 8 to 10 years’ experience in Change Management

Who we are:

At EY, we are 212,000 people based in 728 offices in 150 countries, organised into 28 Regions and four Areas. The vast majority of our people work in one of our four service lines – Assurance, Advisory, Tax, Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) – or in Core Business Services (CBS), which provides internal operational support such as HR and IT services.

As a business advisor at EY, you will help many of the world’s leading companies and governments tackle their most pressing issues. You will also have the opportunity to reach your potential by being given opportunities for professional development and experiences with clients across geographies and industries.