Senior Organizational Change Manager

State of Colorado

$101K — $104K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
  • 3 years in organizational change management with project management experience
  • Formal certification in change management (e.g., Prosci, Kotter)
  • Strong knowledge of change management processes and project management methodologies
  • In-depth understanding of Agile processes and the ability to adapt OCM approaches to different project contexts

Responsibilities

  • Build and apply structured change management methodologies
  • Develop business cases for change and assess impacts
  • Craft practical change management strategies and plans
  • Integrate change management into project plans with concrete milestones
  • Engage stakeholders and support leaders as change sponsors
  • Create actionable resources for communication and training
  • Partner with project management to implement Lean OCM practices

Benefits

  • No-cost or low-cost medical & dental plans, including IVF assistance
  • Multiple retirement options with 10% CU contribution
  • Pre-tax savings plans for healthcare and dependent care
  • Generous sick and vacation leave plus at least 12 paid holidays
  • 6 weeks of parental leave
  • Tuition benefits for you and dependents
  • Free RTD EcoPass and onsite parking
  • Additional perks and programs for employee satisfaction
Full Job Description
Salary: $101,000.00 - $104,000.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: CU41099
Department: University of Colorado - System Administration
Opening Date: 09/17/2026
Closing Date: 9/22/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: 1800 Grant St., Denver, CO 80203
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
Type of Announcement: This announcement is not governed by the selection processes of the classified personnel system. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
How To Apply: Online applications through the Colorado Jobs portal will not be accepted. Please follow instructions on the job announcement for submitting an application.

Position Summary:

University Information Services (UIS) provides technical services and enterprise applications to the University of Colorado's (CU) four campuses and the Office of the President. UIS is committed to excellence in customer service, technical expertise, and the development of enterprise applications responsible for supporting CU's students, faculty, staff, human resources employees, finance employees, and others.

The Senior Organizational Change Manager resides within the Project Management Office (PMO) in UIS and is typically engaged a variety of projects, including internal UIS efforts and larger efforts supporting other System departments and campuses. This role is responsible for ensuring projects and change initiatives meet objectives by applying organizational change management best practices, strategies, and deliverables. The position focuses on the people side of change, with emphasis on planning and implementing change strategies related to people, process, and technology changes.

The Senior Organizational Change Manager works closely with project managers, business analysts, UIS leadership, governance groups, and other stakeholders to assess the environment, understand change impacts, and develop practical plans for successful adoption. The role builds formal change management plans, cultivates relationships across UIS, CU System, and campuses, and partners with PMO leadership to coach project managers in applying Lean OCM practices to smaller or less complex projects. The Senior Organizational Change Manager is a servant leader who supports and partners with project teams to improve readiness, engagement, and adoption outcomes.

This position reports to the Assistant Director, Project & Change Management, within University Information Services and is exempt from the State of Colorado Classified System.

Where You Will Work:

This role is eligible to work remotely within Colorado.

Description of Job
Duties and Responsibilities:

Change Strategy & Planning for UIS-led Projects
  • Build and apply structured change management methodologies and related activities
  • Develop the business case for change and assess impacts of proposed changes
  • Complete change management assessments and craft practical change management strategies
  • Integrate change management activities, milestones, and deliverables into project plans
  • Define and measure success metrics (when relevant) to ensure changes are welcomed, adopted, and sustained
  • Stakeholder Engagement & Sponsorship for UIS-led Projects
  • Use diplomacy and consensus-building to foster communication and manage relationships across UIS teams, and sometimes also with other System or campus departments
  • Engage and support leaders in their role as change sponsors by providing clear actions, talking points, and guidance
  • Support managers and supervisors in understanding how to manage change and serve as effective sponsors
  • Support discussions with leaders to gather feedback and enable decisions

Communications, Training & Readiness for UIS-led Projects
  • Craft actionable resources for communications, training, sponsorship, and key partner management
  • Evaluate readiness across impacted communities and identify actions needed to support adoption
  • Track and report change issues throughout the course of an initiative
  • Translate technical concepts and vocabulary into common terms for non-technical audiences

UIS PMO Partnership & Lean OCM Enablement
  • Partner with the project management team and PMO leadership to implement Lean OCM practices among project managers
  • Support and coach project managers on basic change management techniques and deliverables for smaller or less complex projects
  • Support project teams in planning for change impacts and managing adoption needs across project lifecycles
  • Support the PMO in scaling OCM approaches to match the size, risk, and complexity of each effort

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education, or equivalent professional experience; professional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis
  • Three (3) years of experience in an organizational change management role, including project management experience and experience developing communication and change strategies for change initiatives
  • Formal certification in an industry-standard change management methodology, such as Prosci, Kotter, or the Association of Change Management Professionals Standard for Change Management

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Four (4) years of experience in an organizational change management role
  • Advanced degree in business management, organizational development, or a related field
  • Prior experience working with or in government or an institution of higher education
  • Experience supporting projects related to the implementation and adoption of artificial intelligence
  • Organizational change management experience implementing ERP solutions or other information technology projects

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Knowledge of organizational change management processes, methodologies, and standard practices
  • Knowledge of project management processes and lifecycles, preferably including familiarity with PMI's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
  • Knowledge of Agile processes and the ability to scale OCM approaches to match project size, risk, and complexity
  • Ability to use generative artificial intelligence tools on a regular basis to support analysis, communication, and productivity
  • Strong presentation, facilitation, and communication skills for audiences ranging from technical teams to leadership
  • Organizational skills to set and meet goals, manage time commitments, create schedules, coordinate meetings, and make sound decisions
  • Interpersonal and customer service skills to actively listen, address customer needs, defuse tense situations, and promote teamwork
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills to examine and summarize data and trends, resolve issues, and produce results
  • Strong oral, written, and listening communication skills to interpret information accurately and convey concepts clearly
  • Digital literacy, including use of Microsoft Office programs and the ability to learn and experiment with new software and systems
  • Ability to work in ambiguous situations, remain resilient, and persevere through complexity and change
  • Ability to translate and explain technical concepts and vocabulary in common terms for non-technical audiences
  • Ability to work independently with minimal direction and reliable professional judgment, as well as collaboratively with teams
  • Ability to navigate complex political environments and work with people of varying skills, knowledge, and perspectives

Supplemental Information

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please attach the following as separate documents to your application at :
  1. A cover letter identifying the job specific minimum qualifications you possess and interest in the position.
  2. A resume including all relevant experience to be accurately assessed against the qualifications listed in the posting.

Benefits:

With our unparalleled range of benefits, including top-notch healthcare, comprehensive wellness programs, enriching professional development, and a dynamic work-life balance, we ensure your holistic growth and happiness.
  • No-cost or low-cost medical & dental plan options, some inclusive of IVF assistance.
  • Disability, Life, Vision Insurance options.
  • Multiple retirement planning options including a mandatory 401(a) plan where CU contributes 10% of your gross pay, a 401k or 403b plan and a 457 deferred compensation plan.
  • Pre-tax savings plans, such as Health care and Dependent care flexible spending accounts.
  • Embrace a healthy work-life balance with ample sick and vacation leave, along with at least 12 paid holidays. This includes a dedicated week off for winter break.
  • 6 weeks of parental leave to adjust to the joys of parenthood.
  • A tuition benefit program for you and/or your dependents.
  • Free RTD EcoPass and free onsite parking at our 1800 Grant Street Office.
  • Many additional perks & programs with the

Additional taxable fringe benefits may be available.

For more information on benefits programs, please review our

Access our Total Compensation to see what your total rewards could be at CU. (This position is a University Staff position)
Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.

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