Change Manager
Job Summary
THE ROLE
We are seeking an experienced Change Manager to lead the people side of digital transformation at NextEnergy Group. This is a newly created function androlethefirst of its kind in the organisation andrepresentsa genuine opportunity to define how change is managed communicated and embedded across the business.
You willbe responsible forensuring that digital initiatives delivered by the Technology & Digital Services (TDS) team land successfully with end users driving adoption minimising disruption and maximising the return on our technology investments. Working closely with a network of business-side change agents including our Communications & Branding team you will align internal communications readiness activities and training to support the rollout of our growing portfolio of digital products and platforms.
This role requires someone who can build from the ground up establishing the change management standards tools and frameworks that will underpin TDS delivery for years to come while simultaneously managing an in-flight portfolio of initiatives from day one.
You will need to be as comfortable chairing our Change Advisory Board (CAB) and influencing senior stakeholders as you are coaching a change agent or product manager through the change process for the first time.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Change Strategy & Framework
- Define implement and continuously improve a structured change managementmethodologyaligned to anindustry-recognised framework ( Kotter or equivalent) building a repeatable scalable approach that can grow with the team.
- Develop andmaintainthe organisations change management standards templates and playbooks for digital initiative rollouts.
- Assess the change impact and organisational readiness for each initiative tailoring the approach to the scale risk and complexity of each rollout.
- Ensure change management activities are fully embedded within the agile delivery framework integrated from projectinceptionthrough to post-launch adoption rather than treated as a downstream activity.
- Ensure that all change initiatives are clearly positioned within the broader Group strategy reinforcing organisational priorities and helping employees understand the strategic rationale behind digital transformation efforts.
- Build the change management capability of the TDS team and wider business creating shared language and consistent practices.
- Define how change management success is measured ensuring all metrics and outcomes are aligned to the organisations existing benefits realisation framework and incorporating employee engagement sentiment and change readiness indicators in collaboration with Communications and People teams.
Change Advisory Board (CAB)
- Co-Chair the CABjoowningthe agenda process and rigour of change request reviews across the TDS portfolio.
- Ensure that change requests are assessed consistently withappropriate stakeholderrepresentation and clear decision-making on approval deferral or rejection.
- Coach both change agents and product managers on the CAB process building understanding and confidence in how to prepare present and respond to change requests effectively.
- Continuously improve the CAB process to keep pace with the volume and complexity of digital change across the organisation.
Digital Initiative Delivery
- Partner with Product Managers and the PMO to embed change management activities into the agile delivery lifecycle frominceptionthrough to post-launch adoption.
- Develop and execute change plans for concurrent digital rollouts managing competing priorities and timelines across the TDS portfolio.
- Track adoption and benefits realisation against agreed metrics providing clear and regular reporting to senior stakeholders in line with the organisations benefits realisation framework.
- Lead post-implementation reviews to capture lessons learned and continuously improve the change approach.
Change Agent Network
- Identify engage and develop a network of change agents across the business to act as champions for digital initiatives within their teams.
- Coach change agents on change management principles and practice equipping them with the tools messaging and confidence they need to drive adoption locally.
- Maintain strong trust-based relationships with change agents acting as their primary point of contact and escalation route throughout each rollout.
Stakeholder Engagement & Internal Communications
- Map and manage stakeholder groups across each initiative developing targeted engagement strategies based on impact and influence.
- Work in partnership with the Communications & Branding team to develop and coordinate internal communications ensuring messaging is aligned to the Groups strategic narrative fully on-brand cleartimely and tailored to the audience in line with established communications governance and approval processes.
- All internal communications will be developed in partnership with the Communications & Branding team whoretainownership of tone of voice messaging standards brand alignment and channel governance.
- Facilitate workshops roadshows and briefing sessions to build awareness and desire for change across affected teams.
- Provide coaching and support to senior leaders to help them fulfil their role as visible and effective change sponsorsestablishingclear expectations and accountability for active leadership throughout each initiative lifecycle.
Training & Enablement
- Identifytraining needs arising from digital rollouts and coordinate the development and delivery ofappropriate learninginterventions.
- Ensure end users are fully equipped to adopt new tools processes and ways of working before go-live.
- Develop self-service enablement resources to support ongoing adoption beyond theinitialrollout period.
Risk & Resistance Management
- Proactivelyidentifyresistance to change and develop targeted mitigation strategies to address it.
- Escalate material change risks to the Head of Product & PMO and relevant project sponsors with recommended actions.
- Monitor adoption and usage data post-launchidentifyingareas whereadditionalsupport or intervention is needed.
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:
- Deepexpertisein at least one industry-recognised change managementmethodology( Kotter or similar) with the ability to adapt and evolve the approach to suit the organisation.
- Proven ability to build change management frameworks and practices from scratch in an organisation with limited existing capability.
- Strong understanding of how technology and digital change affects people processes andculture andwhat it takes to make adoption stick.
- Experience chairing or leading a Change Advisory Board process in a technology or digital environmentis highly desirable.
- Fluency in agile delivery practices and the ability to integrate change management activities seamlessly into agile ways of working.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build trust at all levels of the organisation without direct authority.
- Confident communicator able to translate complex technical change into clear compelling narratives for non-technical audiences.
- Experience working alongside communications and branding functions to develop and deliver internal change communications.
- Skilled at managing multiple concurrent change initiatives with strong planning and prioritisation skills.
- Resilient and adaptablecomfortable operating in ambiguity and hitting the ground running in a fast-paced environment.
- Delivery focus with strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Passion for sustainability and the mission to lead the transition to clean energy.
- Commitment to NextEnergy Groups values: be a leader build trust be responsible be innovative and Bring your Alpha.
EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- 58 years of experience in a dedicated change management role with a focus on digital or technology-led change.
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing a structured change managementmethodologywithin an organisation.
- Proventrack recordof managing change across multiple concurrent initiatives in a fast-paced agile environment.
- Experience chairing or playing a leading role in a Change Advisory Board process.
- Experience building and coordinating change agent orchampionnetworks within a business.
- Strong background in stakeholder engagement and internal communications in the context of technology rollouts.
- Experience developing and delivering training and enablement programmes for new digital tools and processes.
- Experience working in the energy or financial services sector is essential.
- Experience working in or alongside a technology or digital delivery team is necessary.
- Formal change management certification ( APMG Change Management Practitioner or equivalent) is highly desirable.
- Fluency in Italian is highly desirable given the Groups significant operations in Italy.
- The right to work in the UK.
WHAT WE OFFER
- A busy role in a supportive team with plenty of opportunities to learn
- International scope we operate in over 8 countries
- Hybrid working we will need you in the central London (Mayfair) office at least twice a week but you will normally be able to work remotely for the remainder of the week
- 30 days holiday per year (3 of which are taken during the festive shutdown in December)
- Private pension
- BUPA Healthcare for you and qualifying dependents
- Cycle to work and electric vehicle leasing schemes
- Annual discretionary bonus.
HOW TO APPLY
If you are interested in this opportunity please follow the link to apply or send your application to . If you have been shortlisted for the next stage we will be in contact within 14 days.
By selecting Apply or sending us your CV you indicate you have read and acknowledged NextEnergy Groups Candidate Privacy Notice.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Our approach to diversity and inclusion is a natural extension of our values. Our entrepreneurial culture inspires us to try new things be open to different viewpoints and be bold. Our Group is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of connectedness that values difference and gives space for individual expression. The collective sum of our individual differences life experiences knowledge innovation self-expression talent and hard work form the bedrock of who we are and who we aspire to be.
We are committed to equal employment and advancement opportunity irrespective of race color ancestry social background religion gender national origin sexual orientation age citizenship marital status disability and gender identity.
ABOUT US
NextEnergy Group was founded in 2007 to become a leading market participant in the international solar sector. Since its inception it has been active in the development construction and ownership of solar assets across multiple jurisdictions. NextEnergy Group operates via its three business units: NextEnergy Capital (Investment Management) WiseEnergy (Operating Asset Management) and Starlight (Asset Development).
NextEnergy Capital manages the Groups investment activities and has invested in over 520 solar plants exceeding 2GW in capacity across its institutional funds.
- NextEnergy Solar Fund (NESF): Listed on the London Stock Exchange NESF manages 102 solar and energy storage assets in the UK and Italy with a total installed capacity of 983MW and a gross asset value of 1014m.
- NextPower II (NPII): A private fund of 105 solar plants (149MW) focused on Italy successfully divested in January 2022 delivering net IRRs exceeding its 10-12% target.
- NextPower III ESG (NPIII ESG): A private fund targeting solar infrastructure in OECD countries (e.g. US Spain Italy) with $896m raised exceeding its $750m target.
- NextPower UK ESG (NPUK ESG): A private fund dedicated to new-build solar plants in the UK with 600m raised.
- NextPower V ESG (NPV ESG): A private OECD solar fund investing in solar and adjacent technologies like battery storage. To date it has raised $745m targeting $1.5bn ($2bn ceiling).
WiseEnergy is NextEnergy Groups operating asset manager. WiseEnergy is a leading specialist operating asset manager in the solar sector. Since its founding WiseEnergy has provided solar asset management monitoring technical due diligence and under construction services to over 1500 utility-scale solar power plants with an installed total capacity in excess of 3.4 GW. WiseEnergy clients comprise leading banks and equity financiers in the energy and infrastructure sector.
Starlight is NextEnergy Groups development company that is active in the development phase of solar projects. It has developed over 100 utility-scale projects internationally and continues to progress a large pipeline of c.10GW of both green and brownfield project developments across global geographies.
NextSTEP is the venture capital fund of NextEnergy Group dedicated to investing in innovative startups in the field of environmental sustainability. The fund primarily focuses on investments in Italy and the United Kingdom but also extends its reach to the rest of Europe and the United States targeting startups in the pre-seed and seed stages. NextSTEP pays particular attention to emerging entities from incubators startup accelerators universities and research centers supporting projects that address global challenges in crucial areas such as Climate Change Energy Transition CO2 Capture and Sequestration Circular Economy Sustainable Cities Sustainable Mobility Sustainable Fashion Waste Management Water and much more.
NextEnergy Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 by the NextEnergy Group that operates internationally and whose mission is to proactively participate in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions by providing clean energy sources in regions where they are not yet available and thereby contributing to poverty reduction. As the main sponsor of this foundation the NextEnergy Group donates at least 5% of its consolidated net profits each year. The NextEnergy Foundation has no overhead costs and therefore 100% of the funds raised go to donations for the various projects. Since 2016 in 8 years of operation the foundation has donated more than 1.2 million supporting over 30 projects in 27 different countries around the world.
Required Experience:
Manager