Strategic Change Manager

Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Stellenbosch University seeks a Strategic Change Manager (Post Level 7) to lead the human side of strategic change across ISRA initiatives. The role develops change and transition strategies, assesses readiness, and coordinates communications, training and reinforcement to embed new ways of working.

It operates within university governance and collaborates with project managers to realise benefits. The incumbent supports benefit realisation, conducts post‑implementation reviews, and liaises with

Qualifications

• A relevant qualification in organisational development, industrial or organisational psychology, human resource management, business or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading change and transition across complex, multi‑stakeholder, and strategic initiatives.
• Experience with stakeholder engagement, building sponsorship and resistance management.
• Demonstrated experience in change impact, readiness and risk assessment.
• Strong facilitation and workshop design capability.
• Working knowledge of project and programme delivery frameworks.
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• The ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with colleagues and teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement sustainable change and transition strategies for strategic initiatives.
• Facilitate process-mapping workshops to define current and future processes and the transition gap.
• Assess change impact, readiness and risk; build sponsorship networks and manage resistance.
• Coordinate communication, training and reinforcement for new ways of working.
• Operate within the University’s project governance and partner with project managers on change methodology.
• Support benefit realisation and liaise with HR on implications for roles and capability.

Skills

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Facilitation

Communication skills

Independent working

Education

Master's degree (NQF 9) with 3+ years

Honours degree or PG diploma (NQF 8) with 5+ years

Bachelor's degree or advanced diploma (NQF 7) with 7+ years

Job description

Department Description/Departement Beskrywing Institutional Strategy, Research and Analytics (ISRA)

The Division for Institutional Strategy, Research and Analytics (ISRA) advances institutional strategy and safeguards the integrity of institutional information at Stellenbosch University (SU). It manages the institutional strategy process, oversees strategic and institutional projects, integrates and protects institutional information, and enables evidence‑led, data‑informed decision‑making.

This post sits in Institutional Strategy Enablement (ISE), the function within ISRA that enables the University’s strategy rather than owning or delivering it. The role is in the projects, change and delivery specialism, where change and transition are the core disciplines.

Strategic Change Manager (Post Level 7)

(Stellenbosch Campus)

Ref. REC/401/0926

The Role

The Strategic Change Manager drives the human side of strategic change so that ISRA’s initiatives deliver their benefits and new ways of working are embedded. The incumbent develops change and transition strategies, assesses readiness and manages resistance, and coordinates communication, training and reinforcement.

The focus is the ISRA mandate. Because the University is integrated, this work contributes at institutional level without owning institution‑wide change.

Duties/Pligte

• Developing and implementing sustainable change and transition strategies and plans for strategic initiatives, using recognised frameworks (e.g. Prosci/ADKAR, Kotter, Bridges).
• Facilitating process‑mapping workshops to define current and future processes and the transition gap required.
• Assessing change impact, readiness and risk; building sponsorship and change‑agent networks; establishing user representation; managing resistance; and guiding people through transition.
• Coordinating communication, training and reinforcement so that new ways of working are adopted and sustained, and working internal environments where relevant.
• Operating within the University¿s project and programme delivery governance and partnering with project managers and developing a fit‑for‑growth change methodology across all project phases.
• Supporting benefit realisation, conducting post‑implementation reviews, identifying the competence and skills each initiative needs, and liaising with Human Resources on the implications for roles and capability.

Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes

• A relevant qualification in organisational development, industrial or organisational psychology, human resource management, business or a related field. Qualification and relevant experience will be considered together: a master's degree (NQF 9) with at least three years' relevant experience, an honours degree or postgraduate diploma (NQF 8) with at least five years' relevant experience, or a bachelor's degree or advanced diploma (NQF 7) with at least seven years' relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading change and transition across complex, multi‑stakeholder, and strategic initiatives.
• Experience with stakeholder engagement, building sponsorship and resistance management.
• Demonstrated experience in change impact, readiness and risk assessment.
• Strong facilitation and workshop design capability.
• Working knowledge of project and programme delivery frameworks.
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• The ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with colleagues and teams.

Recommendation/Aanbeveling

• Experience in a higher education or comparably complex institutional environment.
• Prosci/ADKAR certification or equivalent recognised change management certification.
• Knowledge of Stellenbosch University's strategy, governance and planning environment.
• Proficiency in reading and understanding Afrikaans.

The University is committed to employment equity (EE), and appointments will be made in line with the institutional EE Plan.

Stellenbosch University reserves the right not to make an appointment.

The University reserves the right to investigate qualifications and conduct background checks on all candidates.

If you have received no feedback from the University after four to six weeks of the closing date, kindly accept that your application was unsuccessful.

Enquiries about this post: Dr Barbara Pool at [e-mail]

Enquiries about remuneration / benefits and technical assistance with the electronic application process: Human Resources Client Services Centre, on 021 808 2753 (Stellenbosch) or 021 938 9636 (Tygerberg), or at [e-mail]

Currency Commencement Date01-Dec-2026 Closing Date15-Oct-2026 Amount of Travel Work At Home