Consultant – Change Manager

BACKGROUND

The world is changing at lightning speed and Oxfam needs to keep abreast of the changing times to ensure we continue to fight poverty with maximum impact. Oxfam 2020, our confederation-wide change process, is an exciting opportunity to shape what kind of organization we need to be. The aim is to create a much stronger Oxfam that is globally coordinated in every country in which we work. Throughout this 2020 journey our ambition is to:

Become more globally balanced – and strengthen Oxfam’s accountability, legitimacy and relevance by becoming more rooted in the countries where we work, bringing greater equality and stronger representation and influence from the global ‘south’ of our planet.

Strengthen our ability to influence greater global, regional and national change, and run better quality programs, through strengthening our ability to build and share knowledge, evidence and expertise across the network of affiliates and country programs.

Simplify and streamline our ways of working, especially in country program to be more effective and efficient, through greater integration and collaboration and further reducing cost and complexity in country management structures, and sharing HR, IT and financial services.

Oxfam began this change process in 2014 with a target end date of 2020. Over the long run, all countries are on the trajectory of becoming Oxfam independent affiliates. We want to build on the networks, knowledge, history and constituencies of those new affiliates and we want to share power and resources differently. Likewise, over time, we want to ensure a greater degree of shared services (e.g. on Human Resources, IT, procurement, or logistics) across the confederation. Yet we know from experience this will take time so in the meantime, and until such time as new affiliates can assume full responsibility, we need to change our operating model in countries, empowering and devolving resources to the country level, simplifying and avoiding duplication, but at the same time retaining diversity and boosting complementarities of the different affiliates.

Oxfam Pakistan Programme is also in the transition stage and we would like to have a change manager who could support us to take this process forward.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

• To support the Country Leadership Team in leading the change management process in Pakistan and in ensuring that an inclusive and transparent process is followed.
• Ensuring the coordination of the various teams participating in the different parts of the process: change teams and focal persons from the affiliates, the Secretariat’s 2020 project team and Human Resources staff, among others.
• Ensuring alignment with the Oxfam International Human Resources Guidelines for change and the global change management plan/approach defined for the 2020 process.
• Providing change management knowledge, theory, experience and good practices, especially with supporting teams.
• Identifying support needed by teams the change to be implemented and seek the support required.

DIMENSIONS

• Proven successful management of various scales of change processes.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with senior internal and external audiences.
• Plans and manages human and financial resources and processes.
• Changes are diverse, complex, addressed normally within organisational parameters.
• Creative and innovative in conceptual and analytical thinking.
• Proven influence on departmental and corporate aims and strategies.
• Proven delivery of large scale strategic or change management processes

LOCATION

• Islamabad, Pakistan

KEY DELIVERABLES

• Develop structured methodology for the change and lead related activities
• Create communication plan and ensure that it is followed
• Follow the Oxfam Country Transition Plan and guidelines that are in place for Oxfam 2020 (change) process
• Identify, analyse and prepare risk mitigation strategies, and identity and manage potential issues and bottlenecks
• Create action plans related to change management process and measures for the change areas
• Ensure plans are developed in consultation and shared with concerned staff in the country office.
• Ensure staff representatives of Oxfam are consulted at different agreed stages of the process.
• Engage Oxfam HR staff during the process to build their capacity as the change process proceeds.
• Engaging senior leaders and relevant associations or informal bodies
• Coach managers et al as necessary
• Coordinate efforts with internal specialists, advisors and regional and head office staff
• Ensure buy in and commitment (keeping a finger on the pulse and ear to the ground)
• Track and report issues as they arise
• Document change throughout the process for future learning and knowledge management
• Ensure that staff are informed of the processes, updates, decisions etc by ensuring adequate communication with all staff.

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

• 6 Months (extendable, subject to the scope of work)

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Solid understanding of a ‘holistic’ approach to change as well as Oxfam’s with solid understanding of HR best practice and the psychology of people.
• A solid understanding of how people and organizations go through a change and the change process
• Experience of change management methodologies and tools
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal, and able to see the benefit of diverse styles of communication
• REAL active listening skills and ability to clearly articulate messages to a variety of audiences in simple ways
• Master of developing and seeing the worth of creating strong relationships
• Ability to influence others and move toward a common vision or goal
• Flexible and adaptable AND able to work in ambiguous situations
• Resilient, tenacious, self aware and able to manage emotions well
• Organised
• Able to work effectively at ALL levels.
• A TEAM player able to work collaboratively WITH and THROUGH others.
• Understanding of current Oxfam 2020 issues and challenges, whilst remaining positive and future/holistic focussed (Preferable)

CONSULTANCY MANAGED BY:

• Country Director, Pakistan representing the Country Leadership Team