Director Change Management

Our client is a diversified Canadian-owned manufacturing business with a broad North American footprint.

Position Scope

The Director, Change Management is a strategic and hands on leader responsible for driving the people-side of change across a multi-year modernization of HR processes, systems and operating models.

This role is responsible for the organizational readiness, adoption, and sustainment of new HR technologies, standardized processes, and a reimagined HR service delivery model. The role ensures that employees, leaders, and HR partners successfully adopt new ways of working by shaping the mindset, behaviours, and engagement required for a sustainable transformation. A critical focus of this role is guiding the organization through a shift away from deeply rooted, legacy practices toward a more modern, data-enabled, and employee centric HR model.

The Director, Change Management must be adept at meeting people where they are, honouring the history of “how things have always been done”, and facilitating a respectful but firm transition to new expectations and behaviours. This role is ideal for a change leader who thrives in complex environments, brings structure to ambiguity, and can translate transformation goals into clear, human-centered actions that build momentum and trust across the organization.

Reporting to the CHRO, you will partner across HR, IT, Finance, and Business Operations to ensure the workforce is equipped to thrive in a modernized digital environment. You will be the bridge between technical system implementation and the human experience, ensuring that Go-Live translates into true business value.

Responsibilities

Change Strategy and Governance

• Design & Execute Strategy: Develop a comprehensive Change Management strategy that aligns with the HR transformation roadmap, focusing on minimizing disruption and maximizing ROI.
• Risk & Mitigation: Proactively identify potential resistance points, change fatigue, and cultural barriers; develop targeted mitigation plans to ensure project momentum. Conduct change impact assessments, stakeholder analyses, and readiness evaluations across all business units.
• Governance: Help shape future ways of working by supporting role clarity, governance models, and the transition of ownership from the project team to the business. Build and maintain a multi-year change plan aligned with program milestones, releases, and deployment waves.

Stakeholder Engagement and Leadership Alignment

• Strategic Advising: Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and project sponsors, coaching them on how to lead through change and articulate the "case for change" effectively.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with HR COEs (Talent, Comp, Learning), IT, Payroll, and Communications to ensure a unified and consistent change experience across the enterprise.
• Develop clear, targeted communication plans tailored to executives, managers, and employees.
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops, leadership briefings, and change governance forums.

Impact Assessment and Readiness

• Business Impact Analysis: Conduct deep-dive impact assessments to understand how new technology (e.g., Core HR, Performance, Compensation) and process changes will affect different personas (Employees, Managers, HR Ops).
• Organizational Readiness: Develop and track readiness criteria to ensure all business units are prepared for transition at each stage of the rollout.

Process Modernization Support

• Partner with HR and Business Process Owners to translate process changes into clear user journeys, SOPs, and role expectations.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and modernize HR processes as part of the transformation roadmap.
• Ensure process changes are integrated into communications, training, and change plans.

Change Execution and Adoption

• Lead change impact assessments, risk mitigation plans, and adoption strategies. Establish KPIs for readiness, adoption, and system utilization.
• Monitor adoption trends and feedback, adjusting change interventions as needed. Use data-driven insights and employee feedback loops to pivot the change approach accordingly.
• Provide coaching and support to leaders and managers to help them guide their teams through change.
• Sustainment planning: design post-implementation support models to ensure new ways of working are embedded into the organizational culture long after the initial rollout.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field. Master’s degree is preferred.
• Certification: Change Management certification (e.g., Prosci, ACMP) is a must.
• 10+ years of progressive change management experience, HR transformation, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience as a Change Management Lead for global programs.
• HR Transformation Expertise: Deep understanding of HR service delivery models (e.g., Shared Services, COEs) and the operational impact of large-scale system changes.
• Technical Savvy: Direct experience with leading HCM platforms (e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Dayforce) and the ability to translate technical features into business benefits.
• Influence & Credibility: Demonstrated ability to influence C-suite executives and navigate complex, matrixed organizational structures.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear, compelling narratives.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send a resume to Allison Dwyer at allison.dwyer@summitsearchgroup.com

This position is exempt from Ontario’s 2026 pay transparency requirements under Regulation 476/24.

Summit Search Group is a fair and equitable search firm. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.

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