Change Manager

Change Manager– Armed Forces Recruitment Service

Based at Abbey Wood, Bristol- flexible to travel across AFRS UK sites
Full Time/ 2 Year fixed term contract
Competitive salary plus excellent benefits

At Serco, we are proud to partner with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) in providing critical recruitment services for the UK’s Armed Forces. This new approach will, for the first time, see the Royal Navy, the British Army, and the Royal Air Force have a joint Armed Forces Recruitment Service (AFRS). Delivered through a partnership of the MOD, Serco, and our consortium of partners, this service will provide end-to-end support from candidate attraction to assessment, onboarding, and Phase 1 training. Our team brings together best-in-class integrated technology and specialist partners to offer a holistic recruitment and skills solution for the UK Armed Forces, designed to modernise and improve the overall candidate experience. We are driven by the values of doing the right thing for our people, the MOD, His Majesty’s Government (HMG), broader society, and the candidates we source.

We're looking for an experienced Change Manager to lead contract-wide change initiatives across AFRS. In this pivotal role, you'll shape and deliver internal and external change strategies, build organisational capability, and ensure smooth transitions to business-as-usual. Working closely with consortium partners and client stakeholders, you'll play a key role in managing reputation, communications, and stakeholder engagement to ensure change is understood, supported, and successful.

AFRS brings together the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force under a single, strategically important defence recruitment programme. This integration marks a significant cultural transformation for both civilian and military personnel. To support this change, we are seeking a dedicated Change Manager to provide clear, consistent leadership across the entire AFRS programme. The successful candidate will play a key role in minimising disruption, enabling successful adoption of change, and positioning AFRS for long-term success. This role requires strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and manage senior internal and external (client) stakeholders throughout the change journey.

At Serco, we proudly welcome and actively support applications from veterans, military spouses, and reservists—valuing the unique skills, dedication, and experience they bring to our team.

As part of this you’ll:

• Lead and manage the delivery of internal change by following contractual and internal processes for identifying and impact assessing proposed changes; planning the implementation of changes; and delivering the change against an agreed schedule.

• Develop and implement change processes that supplement existing contractual and internal processes.

• Ensure change is delivered on time, within scope and budget, while meeting quality and approved targets / deadlines.

• Track the progress of change requests through to implementation, providing status reports to stakeholders using agreed formats and metrics.

• Identify, own, and manage the risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies associated with change and the implementation of change. Work across AFRS, engaging a range of stakeholders, to mitigate risk, validate assumptions, resolve issues, and manage dependencies.

• Build and maintain positive client relationships with internal and external clients at Senior Management level or Heads of Service/department). Liaise with internal teams, consortium team members, subcontractors and the client as required.

• Proactively provide change management consultancy/advice to colleagues, operational staff, sub-contractors, and the client as required.

• Provide guidance and create content, briefing materials etc. for all stakeholders as required.

• Overall accountability for AFRS communications, and specifically for change communication ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the high level and product-specific planning, scheduling coordination and communication of changes. Ownership of messaging related to change, ensuring it is accurate and reflects the principles of AFRS.

• Ensure that key stakeholders are kept informed through the Service and change lifecycle and that expectations are managed.

What you’ll need to do the role:

• Eligible for SC (Security Check) clearance.

• Change Management certification (APMG, PROSCI or equivalent)

• Degree in change, transformation, or project management—or equivalent experience.

• Proven track record in leading and embedding change across complex organisations.

• Strong understanding of mobilisation, transition, and transformation processes.

• Skilled in applying structured change methodologies and managing people impacts.

• Ability to interpret commercial drivers, cost models, and business cases.

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and adapting to evolving priorities.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong influencing and networking abilities across diverse stakeholder groups.

• Capable of articulating complex messages to varied audiences.

• Effective in leading teams and influencing without direct authority.

• Experienced in working within matrixed or virtual environments.

• Able to produce high-quality reports and presentations under tight deadlines.

What we offer:

• Company car

• Discretionary company bonus

• Single private medical cover

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.

• Annual leave purchase scheme.

• Up to 6% contributory pension scheme

• Flexible working options.

• Serco discounts which include cinema, merlin entertainment and online shopping discounts, and discounts on mobile phone plans and leisure centre memberships.

• A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme, Simply Health Cash Plans, and more.

• A wealth of career development training to suit your future aspirations. These range from role specific training, leadership coaching, formal study and much more to support you to build your career with Serco.

• A safe and supportive culture.

• A company passionate about diversity and inclusion

Linked Opportunity: – HR/People Operations Manager: Armed Forces Recruitment Services

This role will be advertised alongside our HR/People Operations Manager position within the AFRS contract. Both roles are integral to strengthening the partnership between Serco and the Ministry of Defence, ensuring that transformation across Armed Forces Recruitment is delivered in a way that supports and engages both military and civilian personnel.

While the Change Manager leads the planning and delivery of contract-wide transformation, the HR/People Operations Manager provides the vital link between the MOD’s Embedded Service Personnel and Serco’s civilian teams. Together, these roles help embed cultural change, enhance engagement, and deliver a cohesive people-centred approach to continuous improvement.

We recognise there is natural alignment between the two positions - particularly around stakeholder engagement, people strategy, and change implementation - and would welcome applications from candidates with the experience and capability to deliver both remits as a combined role. Click here to review the HR/People Operations Manager advert: HR/People Operations Manager in Home Based, West Midlands, United Kingdom | Corporate Operations and ICT at Serco 

To discover more about our careers in Defence, meet our team, and to find out more about what we offer, please follow this Link. We’re also a signatory of the UK Governments Women in Defence Charter, to find out more please click here.

Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens, we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. As a proud Disability Confident Leader and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard, disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. 

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