The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Organisational change management CIPM

Planning, designing and implementing activities to transition the organisation and people to the required future state.

Revision notes

Updates for SFIA 9

  • Theme(s) influencing the updates for this skill: Making SFIA easier to consume (enhance readability/guidance/descriptions), Making SFIA easier to consume (new levels).
  • New level 2 added to support entry-level roles.
  • Readability improvements have been made to levels 3 and 6.
  • You can move to SFIA 9 when you are ready - SFIA 8 skill descriptions will still be available to use.
  • Previous SFIA assessments or skills mapping are not impacted by this change.

Guidance notes

Organisational change management focuses on the structured, procedural aspects of transitioning an organisation to a desired future state. It involves planning, designing and implementing change initiatives that are aligned with organisational goals. This skill is responsible for the technical and process-driven components of change, including stakeholder communication focused on procedural updates and assessing readiness from a structured change implementation perspective.

Activities may include, but are not limited to:

  • developing a business change implementation plan to identify required changes to processes, procedures, systems, structures and ways of working
  • using a structured process and set of tools for managing the people side of change 
  • assessing readiness and capacity to change, aligning with business cycles and project timelines
  • creating and executing communication plans that focus on procedural updates and logistics
  • monitoring the impact of change management efforts and sustaining the change
  • assessing and developing change management capabilities 
  • coaching change sponsors and aligning their roles with structured change processes.

Understanding the responsibility levels of this skill

Where lower levels are not defined...
  • Specific tasks and responsibilities are not defined because the skill requires a higher level of autonomy, influence, and complexity in decision-making than is typically expected at these levels. You can use the essence statements to understand the generic responsibilities associated with these levels.
Where higher levels are not defined...
  • Responsibilities and accountabilities are not defined because these higher levels involve strategic leadership and broader organisational influence that goes beyond the scope of this specific skill. See the essence statements.

Developing skills and demonstrating responsibilities related to this skill

The defined levels show the incremental progression in skills and responsibilities.

Where lower levels are not defined...

You can develop your knowledge and support others who do have responsibility in this area by:

  • Learning key concepts and principles related to this skill and its impact on your role
  • Performing related skills (see the related SFIA skills)
  • Supporting others who are performing higher level tasks and activities
Where higher levels are not defined...
  • You can progress by developing related skills which are better suited to higher levels of organisational leadership.

Show/hide extra descriptions and levels.

Levels of responsibility for this skill

2 3 4 5 6

Organisational change management: Level 2

Level 2 - Assist: Essence of the level: Provides assistance to others, works under routine supervision, and uses their discretion to address routine problems. Actively learns through training and on-the-job experiences.

Assists with organisational change management tasks under routine supervision.

Supports the collection and analysis of data related to change readiness and impact.

Helps document and communicate change management plans and activities.

Organisational change management: Level 3

Level 3 - Apply: Essence of the level: Performs varied tasks, sometimes complex and non-routine, using standard methods and procedures. Works under general direction, exercises discretion, and manages own work within deadlines. Proactively enhances skills and impact in the workplace.

Follows standard techniques to investigate and analyse the size, nature and impact of changes to operational activities.

Contributes to change management plans and actions, focusing on the procedural execution of change.

Supports implementation and engages with stakeholders under direction.

Organisational change management: Level 4

Level 4 - Enable: Essence of the level: Performs diverse complex activities, supports and guides others, delegates tasks when appropriate, works autonomously under general direction, and contributes expertise to deliver team objectives.

Conducts readiness assessments to assess the size, nature and impact of organisational change.

Defines tactics to use considering the challenges to be addressed. Provides guidance and makes suggestions to support individuals responsible for operational implementation of change management activities.

Gathers feedback to analyse the impact and effectiveness of the change management activities being deployed. Takes corrective action as required.

Develops and communicates tailored change management plans. Establishes and builds relationships with the project sponsors and key stakeholders.

Organisational change management: Level 5

Level 5 - Ensure, advise: Essence of the level: Provides authoritative guidance in their field and works under broad direction. Accountable for delivering significant work outcomes, from analysis through execution to evaluation.

Develops the change management approach and a change management plan in collaboration with sponsors, users and project teams.

Creates and implements action plans to ensure readiness for change before going live. Acquires change management resources and develops their capabilities to deliver the required changes.

Gathers feedback to allow timely improvements to the change management plan and approach. Assesses risks and takes preventative action.

Develops and communicates tailored change management plans for senior stakeholder groups. Provides guidance to support change sponsors.

Organisational change management: Level 6

Level 6 - Initiate, influence: Essence of the level: Has significant organisational influence, makes high-level decisions, shapes policies, demonstrates leadership, promotes organisational collaboration, and accepts accountability in key areas.

Defines and communicates the approach for change management for a significant part of the organisation.

Initiates, plans and leads strategic, large and complex change management initiatives. Provides guidance to change leaders, emphasising the technical and procedural aspects of change.

Establishes feedback processes and leads analyses of change management successes.

Enables continual improvements to change management methodology, tools and training necessary to enhance the maturity across the organisation.

Keywords
New level