Change Readiness Partner

Company Description/ Business Unit

Location: Oldbury – Hybrid – Three Days in Office                                   

Employment Type: Full time- permanent

Hours: Monday-Friday 36.25 hours per week

Salary: Competitive salary plus up to 20% bonus and car allowance

Think the AA is just about roadside assistance? Think again! 

As one of the UK's most trusted brands, we provide a wide range of services to millions of customers. From comprehensive Home and Motor Insurance to personalised Financial Services like Loans and Savings, and outstanding B2B, Consumer, Business Services, Driver Training, Car Care, and Service Maintenance and Repair, we've got you covered. Our mission is to keep Britain moving, and we're looking for dedicated individuals to join our team. Ready to join us?

 #LI-CL1 #LI-Hybird

This is the job

As a Change Readiness Partner, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the successful delivery of strategic change projects and programmes across the business. Operating within a defined change delivery portfolio, you will lead all readiness activities to ensure that the business unit is fully prepared to adopt and embed change effectively.

You will have up to five direct reports and will be expected to lead, coach, and develop your team—recognising that your leadership is just as critical as the delivery of change itself.

In addition to delivering strategic change, you will also identify, initiate, and implement tactical change projects in collaboration with the Head of Operational Excellence and relevant Portfolio Manager. You will work closely with the Head of Operational Excellence to shape deployment strategies that minimise disruption and maximise the benefits of change.

As a key partner to specific areas of the organisation, you will act as the custodian of change delivery, ensuring that all initiatives are aligned with business goals and delivered to a high standard.

You will be recognised as an expert in project management, change delivery, lean process design, and people leadership. As part of the Business Improvement leadership team, you will contribute to both day-to-day operations and the development of future change and leadership strategies.

While your work will be national in scope, you will primarily operate across Newcastle, Cheadle, Oldbury, and Basingstoke, with the flexibility to travel as required.

What will I be doing?

As a Change Readiness Partner, you will play a key role in delivering change across the organisation. Your responsibilities will include:

• Deploying change initiatives successfully into the business, ensuring readiness and adoption
• Leading all change readiness activities, including training, process design, resource planning, and communications
• Developing strategies and plans that deliver change with minimal disruption to operations
• Collaborating with the Head of Business Improvement on future change and leadership strategies
• Supporting the end-to-end change governance process, helping to resolve resourcing challenges and prioritise the right projects
• Defining and shaping change projects, ensuring clarity of scope and objectives
• Identifying project groups and delivery leads and initiating both strategic and tactical projects with their engagement
• Engaging key stakeholders, ensuring timely and appropriate updates are shared in line with expectations
• Supporting project governance structures, such as steering and working groups, to ensure effective oversight
• Creating and managing project documentation, including plans, risk logs, and action plans, feeding into wider programme governance
• Analysing business processes and data to identify improvement opportunities and reduce waste, initiating projects where appropriate
• Securing buy-in from operational teams and leadership through effective communication, including workshops, presentations, and one-to-ones
• Preparing and presenting reports on change delivery to management and senior stakeholders
• Staying informed on best practice, sharing insights and driving relevant change within the business
• Embedding regulatory compliance into all business processes and change activities
• Role modelling AA behaviours and encouraging others across the organisation to do the same
• Leading and developing a team of Change Readiness Managers, setting SMART objectives, conducting regular one-to-ones, and supporting their development
• Holding weekly team meetings and providing regular progress updates to the Head of Operational Excellence
• Identifying learning and development opportunities to continually grow and motivate your team
• Helping to shape a positive culture within the business improvement function, aligned with the wider organisation
• Upholding change governance processes, ensuring all initiatives follow the agreed framework
• Ensuring operational processes are mapped or updated in line with business changes and feeding requirements into relevant workstreams such as training and systems

What do I need?

To thrive in this role, you’ll need to be a people-focused change and transformation leader with a proven track record of successfully deploying and embedding large-scale change initiatives. You’ll bring a unique blend of strategic thinking, operational delivery, and inspirational leadership. Specifically, you will need:

Experience and Knowledge

• Demonstrable experience in delivering medium to large-scale change projects
• A solid understanding of lean process design and Lean Six Sigma principles
• Previous experience in a contact centre or similar operational environment, ideally within a regulated industry
• Familiarity with Road and Insurance products is advantageous, though not essential
• Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies, with Agile Foundation and Practitioner certifications preferred

Leadership and People Development

• Proven ability to lead, develop, and inspire teams, setting high standards and driving performance
• A natural ability to engage and motivate others towards shared goals, translating strategic aims into meaningful individual objectives
• Experience in benchmarking performance externally and raising internal standards accordingly

Skills and Capabilities

• Exceptional organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
• Excellent numerical and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and draw meaningful conclusions
• Strong presentation and communication skills, with the confidence to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to design and lead effective workshops, fostering collaboration and innovation
• High levels of resilience, energy, and self-motivation, with a tenacious approach to overcoming challenges and delivering results
• A keen eye for detail and a commitment to excellence in everything you do
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively as part of a team

Technical Proficiency

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Project, Word, and Visio.
• Experience with Triaster is advantageous

Additional information

We’re always looking to recognise and reward our employees for the work they do. As a valued member of The AA team, you’ll have access to a range of benefits including:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays + holiday buying scheme
• Worksave pension scheme with up to 7% employer contribution
• Free AA breakdown membership from Day 1 plus 50% discount for family and friends
• Discounts on AA products including car and home insurance
• Employee discount scheme that gives you access to a car salary sacrifice scheme plus great discounts on healthcare, shopping, holidays and more
• Company funded life assurance
• Diverse learning and development opportunities to support you to progress in your career
• Dedicated Employee Assistance Programme and a 24/7 remote GP service for you and your family

Plus, so much more!

We’re an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from everyone. The AA values diversity and the difference this brings to our culture and our customers. We actively seek people from diverse backgrounds to join us and become part of an inclusive company where you can be yourself, be empowered to be your best and feel like you truly belong. We have five communities to bring together people with shared characteristics and backgrounds and drive positive change.

As part of the onboarding process, we complete several pre-employment checks including work reference, credit and criminal record checks.

We may close the vacancy sooner than the advertised date if we get a high volume of applications, please apply now if you are interested.