About Ashurst:

Ashurst is a leading global law firm with a history spanning almost 200 years, and clear strategy for our future growth. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing exceptional standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law. To find out more please visit here

In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks. These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations

Business Area - Change Management

Role: Change Manager – 12 month FTC

Location: Based at Ashurst's London offices

Reporting to: Head of Business Change

Hours of work -

Monday to Friday, 09:30 - 17:30. You may be required to work additional hours to facilitate project implementations around the firm's global offices

Department/ Role Overview:

Working with the Ashurst Advance Legal Transformation Programme Lead (and programme team) to facilitate delivery of a significant transformation programme in relation to how the firm, through each of its practice groups, delivers its legal services to clients.

This programme is a core part of the firm's 2023 strategy to help drive performance, and will enable the firm to deliver highly competitive and market leading legal services. The individual will play a key role in enabling Ashurst Advance to deliver a complex global transformation of the operating model by which each practice group delivers its legal services to clients, from initiation to realisation of full benefits where there is a significant level of interdependency across workstreams. This person must demonstrate the ability to work across all levels of stakeholders and third parties within a high performance environment and with a relentless focus on deliverables.

Main responsibilities:

• Prepare people for the change, to minimise its impact on individuals and the business, and to enable the firm to realise expected benefits
• Define and deliver the change management activities for the Ashurst Advance division Legal Transformation Programme
• Own and develop change management deliverables such as: Stakeholder mapping and engagement plan, change impact assessments, benefits identification, management of the Advisory Group change agent network, business transitions plans and readiness workshops. Supporting learning and education activities (not delivering training), assistance with communications planning and execution, post go live activities including creating and executing change plans to help reinforce new ways of working and transition to business as usual teams
• Analysing multiple sources of data and insight to identify issues and blockers, taking action to resolve and address the feedback
• Working with the Programme team and senior members of Ashurst Advance to identify and manage stakeholders within the firm
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders to raise their awareness and understanding of the change, manage expectations about what the change will and won’t deliver, and to win their support and active participation where required in the delivery of change activities
• Work with internal programme teams to manage dependencies on change activities and ensure the change approach is understood
• Work within the Business Change function to ensure there is a consistent approach to change management across the firm
• Input to maintain the Change Roadmap and manage associated risks and issues

Risk and Control: Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with our regulatory requirements and internal policies.

Essential skills and experience:

• Experience of successfully managing business change within a professional services company (strong preference for law firm experience)
• Proven skills and knowledge of change management disciplines, approaches, tools and methodologies
• Experience in supporting and working with support staff such as business analysts, project managers and training teams
• Able to influence outcomes at a mid-senior level within the organisation
• Working within a structured project framework
• A good eye for detail; ability to work accurately and effectively even when under pressure
• Able to learn and understand current business processes and help to model new processes/procedures
• Excellent analytical skills
• Excellent knowledge of all elements of the project lifecycle
• Able to listen and understand customer requirements
• Able to manage business change activities within a large global transformation programme
• Tactful and diplomatic when in pressured situations
• Excellent presentation, written and communication skills
• Uses initiative - 'can do' approach
• Effective time management
• Client focused

Desired skills and experience

• Qualified PROSCI professional
• Experience of working within a legal environment
• Knowledge of legal systems and processes