Change Management Lead

We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Change Manager driving the people side of change in our global S/4HANA program and finance transformation. This role is pivotal in ensuring successful adoption of new processes, systems, and ways of working across our organization. Within our S/4HANA program, you will lead the change management workstream, focusing on communication, change & enablement, and training, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, external partners, and leadership. As part of our finance transformation, you will support the global Finance community in adopting change across multiple finance projects.

The position reports to the Head of Global Business Excellence which is an integral part of the global Finance function. The position will be based in Freiburg, Germay, and will require regular travel to Basel at Straumann Group's headquarters.

The ideal candidate has a strong preference for on-site presence, with a proactive attitude toward building relationships in person and engaging directly with stakeholders and teams at our location. Furthermore, the candidate enjoys face-to-face collaboration and sees physical presence as a key enabler of successful change.

For both major transformation initiatives, your responsibilities will include:

• Change Strategy & Planning
  • Develop a change management strategy, ensuring alignment with transformation milestones and deliverables.
  • Identify change impacts across processes, systems, roles and people.
• Stakeholder Management
  • Identify and engage key stakeholders
  • Understand their concerns and expectations.
  • Manage resistance to change and ensure stakeholder buy-in.
• Communication
  • Create and execute a communication plan to inform, engage, and prepare stakeholders in alignment with our Corporate Communications team.
  • Tailor messages for different audiences (executives, finance teams, IT, etc.).
• Training & Capability Building
  • Assess training needs based on new systems (e.g., SAP S/4HANA) processes, or reporting requirements.
  • Plan and coordinate training sessions, materials, and user guides.
• Adoption & Readiness
  • Conduct readiness assessments to ensure teams are prepared.
  • Track adoption metrics and gather feedback.
  • Support "hypercare" phases post-implementation to ensure issues are addressed quickly.
• Responsibilities related to our S/4HANA program:
  • Lead the Change Management Workstream for the S/4HANA transformation, ensuring alignment with program milestones and deliverables.
  • Build and manage a network of change champions across regions and functions; ensure a consistent global implementation of the change management strategy taking into account regional and cultural differences.
  • Plan the global training roll-out journey and together with stakeholders develop trainings and workshops, including multi-language training materials.

• Extensive experience (8+ years) in leading complex change management initiatives across global organizations, including large-scale ERP transformations such as SAP S/4HANA and Finance transformation programs.
• Strategic thinker with a consultative mindset and hands-on approach, high emotional intelligence, active listening skills and the ability to navigate ambiguity and resistance.
• Advanced communication and storytelling capabilities, with the ability to translate complex topics into compelling messages for varied audiences.
• Strong leadership in building and mentoring global change networks, including change champions and local enablers.
• Experience in designing and delivering global training and enablement programs
• Deep expertise in change management methodologies (e.g. Prosci ADKAR) and ability to tailor approaches to suit organizational culture and transformation context.
• Fluent in English; proficiency in German and other languages is a strong asset.
• Resilient, adaptable, and collaborative leader with a passion for driving meaningful change in dynamic environments.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability.

Employment Type: Full Time 

Alternative Locations: Germany : Freiburg 

Travel Percentage: 0 - 10% 

Requisition ID: 19446