Who is a Business Change Manager? Skills, Responsibilities & Salary

Amidst the interconnected economy, businesses are grappling with the constant evolution of technology and shifts in the market. Be it economic downturns or emerging pandemics, various factors can disrupt your business. Organizations must continually reevaluate and adapt to the latest business models. An effective change management strategy is essential for navigating challenges and implementing initiatives to improve performance.

But who is going to implement and manage these changes? Here’s when you learn about who is a business change manager. And how can you become one?

I began my business change manager career two decades ago. Trust me, having the experience did not make me an in-demand applicant. You have to validate your skills through courses like the ITIL 4 Foundation certification, ensuring you can drive growth and improvement.

A McKinsey survey shows that organizations that underwent large-scale change management have achieved a 78% success rate. A career as a business change manager will be the pinnacle of leadership. Read on to know more!

Who is a Business Change Manager?

Before anything, let's discuss who a business change manager is. A business change manager plays an integral role in the corporate structure. They are the catalysts for an organization’s growth and improvement.

The business change manager job description includes integrating strategic planning and processes to drive flawless change. They are the backbone of any organization, ensuring efficient planning and execution of every initiative. The role comes with prestige, an attractive compensation package, and the power to influence your company's growth direction.

 What Does a Business Change Manager Do?

Now that you know who the business change manager is, let's explore their duties in detail. Here, I have listed the primary business change manager roles and responsibilities.

• Ensuring the interests of stakeholders are met through the changes.
• Securing assurance for delivering new capabilities that align with the anticipated benefits.
• Identifying, defining, and tracking the outcomes required for the process.
• Leading activities related to benefits, including defining the scope of each project.
• Establishing and implementing a mechanism for measuring benefits.
• Taking the lead on transition management and ensuring the continuity of business operations during the transition.
• Preparing affected business aspects for a smoother transition.
• Optimizing the timeframe for integrating project deliverables into business operations.
• Ensuring the presence of skilled and experienced professionals to manage the process according to best management practices.

Types of Business Change Manager

You have learned who is a business change manager, but do you know they are categorized into different types? Let’s explore them.

• Business change manager/ coordinator: This business change manager role description involves overseeing all aspects of IT changes.
• Business change authorities: A change authority is part of the job profile of a business change manager. They engage in effective peer reviews and emphasize intelligent decision-making.
• Business stakeholders: Business stakeholders play a crucial role in authorizing change management. This role has gained paramount importance due to the increasing prevalence of software services in most organizations.

Characteristics of an Effective Business Change Manager

Once I have explored “what a business change manager is,” I have identified certain traits I have cultivated to emerge as the best professional version of myself. The following are the key characteristics to develop for becoming an effective professional independently:

• Understand the vision
• Broad and acute knowledge
• Patient and persistent
• Empathetic and organized
• Strong communicator and a good negotiator
• Builds strong interpersonal relationships
• Pragmatic and enthusiastic
• Excellent strategic thinker
• Leads the team by example
• Well-respected and reliable

Qualifications and Required Skills of a Business Change Manager

Once you understand who is a business change manager, obtaining a degree in business or a related field becomes your starting point. Many companies hire business change managers with at least a bachelor's degree as a basic qualification. Consider pursuing additional qualifications in specialized programs such as psychology or other relevant fields for a more specialized career path.

In addition to educational qualifications, you must upskill yourself with certain business change manager skills to succeed in your career. These skills include:

• Expertise in change management frameworks for effective planning and implementation
• Understanding of organizational behavior throughout the transition process
• Leadership skills to guide team and influence better strategy
• A strategic vision is needed to anticipate challenges and steer the organization toward patient success.

Business Change Manager: Education, Training and Certifications

I have explained who is a business change manager, and now I will help you prepare for the job profile, including the education, training, and certification programs. Let’s discuss.

1. Consider an MBA

When learning who is a business change manager, consider pursuing an MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree. This program will enable you to secure a high-level position with authority, offering a broader understanding of business strategy and operations.

2. Join Training Programs

Joining change management training programs will help you develop the skills to navigate a successful transition period. With the knowledge gained through education, you can promote engagement, embrace the difference, and feel valued, resulting in a stronger business.

3. Get Certified

Besides the basic qualifications, certifications in technical courses related to business change management should be considered. This will help you become familiar with various change models. Here are some of my recommendations:

• ITIL® 4 Foundation Training: It is one of the best IT Service Management courses where you will explore the core principles of system management and gear up towards a better career.
• ITIL Practitioner Certification: This full-fledged course will familiarize you with the core principles of service management for businesses.

Business Change Manager Careers

Business manager roles are constantly evolving. Other job titles often disguise them. It means the journey on who is a business change manager, encompasses a variety of strategic roles. I have compiled a detailed overview of the different business change manager responsibilities and titles here. 

Job Title	Responsibilities	Average Salary per year
Business change analyst	Focus on analyzing change initiatives' latest trends and making better recommendations.	$90,288
Change manager	Oversees a team, developing transition plans and engaging in strategic organizational change management.	$103,572
Senior business change manager	Plan an organization's change management strategy, working coordinately with est management and advising on primary change decisions.	$192,540
Change management director	Responsible for risk management, team management, and alignment of strategies with company objectives.	$250,079
Head of Change Management	Responsible for all change aspects of the organization, shaping the strategy and overseeing the operation for better transformation	$114,356

Business Change Manager Salary and Job Growth

Knowing who a business change manager is, aspirants might wonder about the salary package and job growth for this profile. Let me discuss this in detail!

A. Top 5 Countries Salary

Below are the average salaries for business managers in primary countries worldwide.

Country	Average Salary per Annum
USA	$82,000 - $13,000
India	₹5L - ₹10L
UK	£41,000- £62,000
Australia	AUD 1,00,000 - AUD 6,00,000
Canada	CAD 74,000 - CAD 110,000
Singapore	SGD6,000 - SGD12,000

B. Top 10 Companies

Here’s a sneak peek of the average salary for business change managers in top corporate companies.

Companies	Average Salary Per Annum
Bank of America	$110,108
Ashoka	$101,489
Cisco Systems	$163,714
Accenture	$115,101
University of Washington	$88,915
Slalom	$120,815
Meta	$187,909
PepsiCo	$126,268
The Cigna Group	$104,948
Amazon	$132,401

Job Satisfaction

When you learn about who is a business change manager, it's common to wonder about their career path and satisfaction rate. The versatility of the business change manager role is renowned for its diversity, challenges, lucrative opportunities, and long-term job security. A report from the BLU shows that there will be a whopping 14% growth rate for management professionals between 2018 and 2028.

How to Become a Business Change Manager?

Now that you have gained an explanation of who a business change manager is, here’s a step-by-step guide to becoming a skilled expert in the field.

• Gain Practical Experience: Once you have learned who a business change manager is, join an entry-level internship/ volunteer in change management. It will allow you to gain valuable experience and provide insights into a corporate setting.
• Build a network: Try engaging with peers in the industry, join associations, and attend conferences to build a robust network. Understanding the role of a business change manager will make you realize the importance of networking, which can open doors to exclusive opportunities and executive positions.
• Specialize in an industry: Developing your expertise in a specific industry, such as healthcare, finance, or technology, will make you stand out from the crowd and help you land prospective manager roles.
• Seek mentoring: Engage with your peers in your industry to get their guidance, advice, and suggestions, which will help you navigate the challenges of your business change manager career.
• Update your resume: Highlight your business change manager skills and experience related to management, leadership, and other qualities pertinent to business transition.
• Seek job opportunities: After exploring who a business change manager is and acquiring the essential education and experience, you can start applying for jobs. Look for a position that aligns with your goals, salary expectations, and more.

Conclusion

The role of the business change manager is evolving with the integration of technology and globalized economies. They are change experts, strategic visionaries, proactive agents, and tech-savvy leaders. Now that you know exactly who a business change manager is, you might wonder how to embark on this journey! I recommend that aspirants join KnowledgeHut ITIL 4 Foundation certification. Led by industry experts, the course is designed to encompass experiential and self-paced learning techniques for the aspirants.