Change and Communication Director (HYBRID TO WORCESTER, MA)

We are currently seeking a Change and Communication Director to join our team in our Worcester, MA corporate campus in a hybrid work arrangement. 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The HTG Change & Communication Director will be accountable for the organizational readiness strategy and vision for several key areas including Change Management and Communications.

Creation of these strategies will be informed, vetted, and aligned with HTG senior leadership team (SLT), and executed through a variety of stakeholders and resources. This includes developing and implementing change management strategies, best practices, and plans that maximize employee adoption of changes associated with process, technology and people changes. 

In partnership with CIO and HTG Senior Leadership Team, inclusive of the VP, HR aligned to HTG, develop ongoing change planning and communications targeted at enhancing awareness, readiness, and empowered ownership at all levels for ongoing and varied organizational evolution.

Partner with Talent Acquisition, HR, and Corporate Communications to strengthen awareness of The Hanover’s value proposition and support talent attraction, engagement, and retention efforts. 

IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL:

• Set direction and vision for team executing HTG change and communication strategies and plans.
• Lead executive communications strategy and content development for the CIO and HTG Senior Leadership team, including Board and Partner Group materials, town halls, leader communications, talking points, and leadership messaging designed to drive clarity, engagement, and alignment across HTG. 
• In partnership with key stakeholders, develop/update annual change and communications strategy connecting work and initiatives with critical metrics and success measures, and maximizing opportunities to obtain voice at all levels of the HTG organization.
• Ensure team is working collaboratively with Corporate Communications to co-create collateral and messaging tying and integrating HTG with the broader Hanover enterprise where appropriate.
• Lead HTG’s organizational change and communications strategy and partner closely with the HTG HR team, including readiness planning, stakeholder engagement, executive communications, and adoption activities associated with people, organizational, process, operating model, and culture changes.  Partner with the HTG Implementation Management team to align with technology implementation change strategies for HTG, monitor cumulative change impacts across HTG, and enable successful adoption of HTG priorities and transformation.  
• Partner with HR, implementation team members, and HTG leaders to maintain an integrated people, communication, and change roadmap that identifies dependencies, risks, change impacts and readiness requirements across HTG initiatives. 
• Coach and enable executive sponsors and leaders to effectively lead change through communication planning, sponsorship activities, stakeholder engagement, and readiness strategies.
• Emerge creative and multi-faceted solutions and ideas aimed at enabling HTG employees and leaders to both evolve and adopt new and different ways of working.
• Support the creation and sustainment of a change management mindset within and across the HTG organization to create employee readiness and engagement.
• Develop, document and lead readiness activities and processes with cross-functional support teams ensuring successful delivery of initiatives, focused on impact analysis, HTG adoption, preparedness, and execution.
• Advance key HTG goals by enhancing employee communications, driving greater understanding of business goals and progress, and helping to evolve the HTG culture in line with our Hanover mission.
• Maximize opportunities to increase collaboration and co-creation of practices and processes to achieve most favorable HTG outcomes.
• Plays key role in planning and managing implementation of confidential and sensitive matters, providing thought partnership to CIO and HR Partnership.
• Develop and communicate effectively with appropriate stakeholders and management on complex issues and conflicts that impact time, cost, scope, quality and risk of key projects and initiatives. Facilitate key connections to respond and consider mitigation plans.
• Partner closely with HR Business Partners and HTG leaders to assess organizational impacts and develop change, communication and adoption strategies that support workforce, talent, operating model, and organizational changes.  
• Maintain ongoing and frequent connectivity with Corporate Marketing and Communications to bring constructive collaboration, continuity and to leverage capabilities between groups.

Talent/Performance Management

• Provide direct or matrixed oversight to team members responsible for executing change and communication strategies and plans.
• Create an environment that fosters teamwork, values diversity and supports and respects internal and external stakeholders. Encourage the continued development of an open and transparent culture and model Hanover values and leadership capabilities.
• Coach, develop, set expectations, evaluate, and hold people accountable for performance. Serve as a role model - setting a high bar for performance, engagement, and commitment. Able to work and lead well under pressure.
• Lead and/or participate substantively in initiatives that support HTG strategies and financial goals.

WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY: 

• 7-10+ years direct experience leading readiness and change efforts
• Bachelor’s degree in related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Proven experience leading change and communication efforts of varied complexity and scale.
• Change Management certification or designation a plus.
• Experience in change management processes and methodologies including developing strategies to help shift mindset, behaviors and achieve results.
• Thought leader, ability to partner, influence and drive impactful outcomes.
• Management capabilities – coaching, guiding, empowering, setting clear expectations and vision, holding others accountable.
• Exceptional communication and consulting skills with ability to influence and negotiate both vertically and horizontally and in a hybrid/blended work environment to obtain or leverage necessary resources.
• Able to articulate enterprise strategies and priorities.
• Able to connect dots and integrate and bring related work, missions, and strategies closer together.
• Critical thinker with strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to collaborate and co-create impactful outcomes in support of achieving HTG and talent objectives.