Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

Position Summary

Join Our Team and Be Part of Transformative Change

Rice University's Division of Finance and Administration is embarking upon an exciting transformation by implementing a five-year strategic plan that will prioritize the customer experience, a community of care, and operational excellence. As a Strategic Initiative Support Team member, you will directly contribute to the cultural transformation by developing and implementing change management for enterprise projects.

The Strategic Initiative Support team is passionate about creating an environment where our employees thrive and embrace change as an opportunity for growth. We value collaboration, continuous learning, and fostering a culture of adaptability, accountability, and resilience. We are not just supporting change; we are leading it.

As a Change Management Associate, you will be embedded in multi-functional project teams to develop and implement change strategies and tactical plans that leverage a pre-existing change methodology based on best practices. Additionally, you will regularly engage with stakeholders, plan engagement activities, develop communications (mass emails, news articles, website content), and conduct organizational readiness assessments to evaluate risk and create mitigation plans. Finally, you will enhance the division's culture by identifying and tracking metrics for data-informed decision-making and contributing to a community of practice for change management.

We are looking for team members who are collaborative, creative, service-focused, proactive, organized, and want to make a positive impact as a change maker. If this sounds like you, we anxiously await your application and the opportunity to meet with you.

Number of Open Positions: 2 Full-Time, Benefits-Eligible Staff Positions

Work Location: This position has a hybrid schedule, with approximately 2-3 days on the Rice University campus, or as needed for meetings and stakeholder engagements.

Work Schedule: This position has the opportunity for a flexible work schedule to be discussed after completion of the probationary period, and is dependent on the needs of the position. Note: The typical business hours for Rice University are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hiring Range: The hiring range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000 per year, contingent upon experience and qualifications.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and related experience
• Some experience in change management, project management, process improvement, communications, public relations, human resources, or other related field
• Familiarity with established change management methodologies, such as Prosci ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) model or Kotter's 8-Step Process for Leading Change
• Basic understanding of change management principles and methodologies
• Competencies:
  • Agile Learner: Can swiftly acquire new knowledge and skills, with a genuine eagerness to learn, a strong ability to adapt to changing circumstances, and a willingness to try new ways of doing things.
  • Resourceful Self-starter: Demonstrates a proactive approach to taking initiative to achieve goals and objectives. Has a sense of resourcefulness and the ability to "figure things out" independently. Is comfortable with and embraces ambiguity.
  • Efficient Organizer: Able to effectively and efficiently organize, prioritize, and complete tasks based on their importance and deadlines, ensuring all necessary details are included and completed.
  • Strong communicator: Able to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, at all levels within the organization, including with senior management.
  • Customer-focused: Committed to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders.
  • Exceptional personal qualities: Has a reputation for integrity and the highest ethical standards, sound judgment, ability to establish strong relationships, and a keen desire to be an integral part of the community.

Essential Functions

• Change Strategy: Leverage the established change methodology to develop strategy and tactical plans for strategic initiatives, including stakeholder engagement, communications, and training, strategies and plans, in coordination with senior management and project teams.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Conduct stakeholder analyses. Conduct interviews, focus groups, and surveys to gather feedback, assess for readiness and adoption, and determine risks, issues, and challenges. Plan and execute stakeholder events to generate buy-in and set expectations for the future state.
• Communication: Create clear and compelling communication materials, such as emails, presentations, infographics, websites, and other resources, to convey information about change initiatives to employees. Develop the case for "what's in it for me" for unique stakeholder groups and develop communication tactics to convey messages.
• Readiness Assessments: Create, administer, and analyze sentiment survey results to assess organizational readiness for change. Utilize these assessments to identify areas of concern or resistance and develop targeted strategies to ensure the organization is well-prepared for successful change implementation.
• Training: Coordinate training sessions and workshops. Create resources to help employees acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to changes successfully.
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation: Collaborate with team members and engage stakeholders to conduct thorough risk assessments associated with change initiatives. Identify potential obstacles and challenges and work to develop proactive mitigation strategies to address community concerns, remove barriers, and enhance the success of the initiative.
• Metrics: Assist in developing and monitoring metrics to assess the effectiveness of change management initiatives and contribute to a data-driven culture.
• Continuous Improvement: Participate in assessing and refining change management processes to improve their effectiveness and alignment with evolving business needs.
• Documentation and Reporting: Help maintain records of change management activities and contribute to progress reports provided to leadership and project teams.
• Community of Practice Contribution: Actively participate in and contribute to the community of practice for change management, project management, and data-informed decision-making. Share insights, best practices, and knowledge gained from change initiatives and collaborate with colleagues to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement in these areas.

Preferences

• Three years of professional work experience with some experience in change management, project management, process improvement, communications, public relations, human resources, or other related field which includes experience in implementing organizational changes
• Certification in Change Management (e.g., Prosci, ACMP), Project Management (e.g. CAPM, PMP) or Process Improvement (e.g. Six Sigma)

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

Faculty and staff are expected (but not required) to have completed a full vaccination series for COVID-19 (currently defined as full course COVID-19 Vaccine (typically two shots of a WHO-approved COVID-19 Vaccine or one J&J) and a COVID-19 booster. Rice does not require documentation for COVID 19 vaccination at this time for faculty and staff. More information can be found here: https://coronavirus.rice.edu/policies.