We’re 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And that’s the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too! We’re on the hunt for a Change Director to join our Technology and Data Senior leadership team. The Change Director will play a critical role in driving and managing enterprise-wide change initiatives and is a key role within the Technology & Data senior leadership team. Th e role holder will be responsible for iterating and improving the Group’s Change Strategy (a constituent part of the Technology & Data Strategy ) and will work closely with engineering functions to improve the Group’s Change Delivery Framework, which centers around driving considerable enterprise value from our bespoke technology and data products. You’ll lead a team of change professionals who are aligned to the organisation s sources of value, who support the business with the prioritisati on, planning a nd execution of change initiatives. By designing and operating em pirical m easurement systems, you’ll pr ovide a seamless link between Technology, Business Functions and Finance, ensuring tangible benefits are re alised s uc cessfull y within the or ganisation. The Change Director will collaborate with senior leaders across the organisation to ensure successful change implementation and alignment with the Group’s strategic objectives, whilst ensuring compliance with regulatory and governance requirements. You’ll also regularly lead executives and the Board through retrospective and forward-looking plans and will contribute to strategic business planning exercises. We value flexible working arrangements, so you can choose to work remotely or maybe you live within a commutable distance from one of our offices in Salford Quays, Manchester, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, or Guernsey, and want to work in the office occasionally. Core skills were looking for to succeed in the role: Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and prioritise multiple initiatives simultaneously Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written - ability to articulate an argument and persuade senior stakeholders with robust and comprehensive communication Excellent time management and organisation skills Strategic and benefits leadership – ensuring the focus is on delivery of the strategy, desired business outcomes and benefits Senior stakeholder management – ability to constructively challenge, win the respect of and negotiate effectively with senior management including ExCo and Board Level Leadership – the ability to look ahead and understand/mitigate risks, and the ability to see the few key issues in a situation, problem or delivery and – working with others – cut through to the solution Role model and leader of people – ability to guide, steer and coach team members to enable them to deliver effectively and develop professionally Deep and extensive understanding of business change delivery and management processes and the keys to successful delivery of change Effective planning and understanding the key components of all plans Financial management – the ability to estimate and budget effectively, allowing for suitable contingency, and the ability to put together a robust and achievable business case in conjunction with Finance and business leaders Ability to work effectively with others collaboratively for optimal results Ability to proactively contribute to the capability development of change disciplines within the wider business What’s involved : Ownership of the Group’s Change Strategy and Change Delivery Framework You’ll work w ith business pillars, develop and implement change management strategies and plan s to ensure successful delivery of initiatives across the enterprise. You’ll a ssess the impact of change, developing appropriate strategies and communication plans to mitigate delivery/benefit realisation risk You’ll c ollaborate with business and technology teams to identify and address barriers/impediments to successful implementation You’ll l ead a team of Value Stream Leads, who ’ll oversee change effort related to specific enterprise outcomes and their underlying technology and data products. You’ll l ead a team of Value Stream Product Owners who ’ll manage change effort within specific parts of the enterprise You’ll o wn and maintain the Group’s Enterprise Change Plan, prioritization processes and reporting. You’ll r egularly engage with the Value Stream Steering Committees, Horizon 2 Steering Committees, ExCo and Boards to align roadmaps with strategic imperatives and to understand future priorities You’ll be responsible for the team of Value Stream Product Owners who will manage change effort within specific parts of the enterprise You’ll o wn and maintain the Group’s Enterprise Change Plan and the enterprise prioritisation process, including the communication of priorities in collaboration with ExCo and Senior Stakeholders You’ll p roactively manage changes to the Enterprise Portfolio within delivery cycles to ensure changes are evaluated against established criteria, approved by appropriate stakeholders and communicated effectively to all relevant parties. You’ll be r esponsible for effective change governance processes including change budget and benefit reforecasting. You’ll w ork with the business and technology teams to i dentify, assess and mitigate risks associated with the portfolio to minimise potential impacts on business outcomes and strategic initiatives You’ll f acilitate close business and technology alignment through a collaborative, supportive and consultative manner, delivering the organisation’s business strategies and balancing innovation and growth You’ll p repare and disseminate regular performance updates to senior leadership, ExCo and Boards You’ll c omply with the requirements, and act in accordance with, the Group Code of Conduct and Fitness and Propriety policies at all times You’ll e nsure compliance with Company Policies, Values and guidelines and other relevant standards/ regulations at all times Experience & knowledge Proven track record of leading a change delivery function, including designing strategies and frameworks which respond to business and macro-economic changes in priority. Demonstrable experience in portfolio mobilisation, initiation, planning and management Exceptional leadership skills with evidence of managing teams across a range of disciplines and locations Demonstrable record of managing multi-million-pound portfolio budgets effectively, and delivering within budgetary constraints Proven understanding of Project and Programme Management techniques in different change environments. Proven understanding and experience in working scaled agile - SAFe or other agile frameworks Significant understanding of IT systems and how successful IT change is affected including experience of all stages of project delivery and software development lifecycle Ability to construct a realistic and achievable business case in conjunction with business leaders and Finance Experience of engaging and managing third parties Experience of working within an FCA regulated industry, ideally within Financial Services or Insurance. Knowledge of FCA requirements (including individual responsibilities in relation to Consumer Duty) Develop and deliver change management training programs to build change readiness and capability within the organisation Stay updated on industry best practices and emerging trends in change management, applying relevant insights to enhance change initiatives Skills Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and prioritise multiple initiatives simultaneously Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written - ability to articulate an argument and persuade senior stakeholders with robust and comprehensive communication Excellent time management and organisation skills Strategic and benefits leadership – ensuring the focus is on delivery of the strategy, desired business outcomes and benefits Senior stakeholder management – ability to constructively challenge, win the respect of and negotiate effectively with senior management including ExCo and Board Level Leadership – the ability to look ahead and understand/mitigate risks, and the ability to see the few key issues in a situation, problem or delivery and – working with others – cut through to the solution Role model and leader of people – ability to guide, steer and coach team members to enable them to deliver effectively and develop professionally Deep and extensive understanding of business change delivery and management processes and the keys to successful delivery of change Effective planning and understanding the key components of all plans Financial management – the ability to estimate and budget effectively, allowing for suitable contingency, and the ability to put together a robust and achievable business case in conjunction with Finance and business leaders Ability to work effectively with others collaboratively for optimal results Ability to proactively contribute to the capability development of change disciplines within the wider business Qualifications Change management qualifications (Agile, PRINCE 2 etc ) desirable however demonstrable experience preferred Degree level desirable however demonstrable experience preferred Behaviours Self-motivated and enthusiastic An organised and proactive approach Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team A flexible approach and positive attitude Strives to drive business improvements to contribute to the success of the business So, if you’re up for the challenge and would like to join our vibrant and busy team, we want to hear from you today. What can we do for you? People first. Always. We’re passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that’s what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you’ll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full here. Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we’re offering, so feel free to get in touch.