Senior Change and Communications Lead, ERP Transformation at Mars, Incorporated in Chicago, Illinois

Job Description:

Job Description:

The Senior Change and Communications Lead, ERP Transformation will oversee the change management and communications strategy and execution for our Mars Snacking enterprise-wide SAP S/4HANA technology transformation. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing change and communications in complex environments, experience with large-scale ERP implementations, and possess excellent communications and leadership skills. The candidate should be able to influence and enable a wide range of stakeholders and partner with transformation executives, business leaders, technology partners and program management to ensure the successful adoption of the ERP transformation.

The Senior Change and Communications Lead, ERP Transformation will be responsible for shaping and executing the ERP change and communications strategy, developing and deploying persona and role-based communications, engagement, resistance management, learning, change readiness, and adoption strategies and plans. They will also be responsible for coordinating these plans with concurrent enterprise change initiatives that may impact the same audiences that are experiencing change through the ERP transformation program.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement change management and communications strategies to ensure successful global and regional adoption of future SAP S/4HANA-enabled processes


• Provide expertise on change management and communications to the ERP transformation Leadership Team


• Conduct change readiness and change impact assessments to understand the size, scope, and complexity of the change


• Apply change management processes and tools to create and implement change management plans, including Resistance Management Plan, Sponsor Plan, People Manager Plan, Communications Plan, and Training Plan


• Collaborate with the Learning and Development team to design and deliver training programs that equip associates with the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to the change


• Lead an integrated communications strategy in support of ERP transformation, to build excitement and engagement with Associates and equip senior leaders to deliver effective and compelling communications


• Identify and engage key stakeholders at all levels of the organization, building strong relationships and managing their expectations throughout the change process


• Coordinate and integrate with in-flight enterprise and segment-specific initiatives and programs


• Own and manage relationships with agency partners and consulting partners to oversee the implementation of change management and communications plans


• Identify, mitigate, and report on change management and communications risks to the program


• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) as measure of success, establishing mechanisms to evaluate the impact of the change initiatives. Collect feedback, analyze data, and identify areas for improvement

Knowledge/Experience Required

• Minimum of 3 years' experience (5 years or more preferred) working in complex change at scale and delivering change at an enterprise level


• Deep understanding of change management principles, methodologies, and tools, with experience in applying them to ERP transformation


• Prior SAP S/4HANA transformation experience with ability to provide insights into best practices


• Relevant experience in internal communications, leading and preferably executing communications through change initiatives


• Ability to lead teams inside a company and across agency and consulting partners


• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and manage issues and risks related to change management and communications


• Experience in measurement and reporting, with ability to analyze data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to support change management and communications


• Excellent influencer with senior executives


• Self-starter with agility to work in a fast-paced environment


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including the ability to write and convey complex information in a simple, concise and easily understandable manner

Education & Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in related field (business, human resources, communications)


• Preferred qualification: Prosci® Change Management Practitioner

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 140,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.


• Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.


• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.


• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.