Director, Organizational Change Management - Strategic Programs

Requisition ID: 110301 

Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.  

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different . We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn , Facebook , X and Instagram .

Position Information

$165,000 - $180,000

The base salary range represents a good faith salary range for this position. This position is eligible for annual incentive pay and has the opportunity for continued salary growth. If you are hired at American Water your base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as market, geography, skills, education and/or experience. At American Water, we are committed to pay equity. 

In addition to compensation, you will be offered a comprehensive benefits package including 401(k),Defined Contribution Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage, plus disability, paid time off, life insurance, voluntary benefits, health and wellness programs and much more! 

American Water is also proud to offer employees learning opportunities and work experiences to grow profession

Primary Role

The Director, Change Management, Organizational Change Management (OCM) & Human Capital Consulting (HCC) serves as the leader responsible for designing, implementing, and advancing change strategies that enable successful business transformation, workforce readiness, organizational effectiveness, and long-term adoption of change across American Water.

This role will play a critical leadership role in supporting AW2030 and other enterprise transformation initiatives, ensuring the successful integration of people, process, technology, and culture changes required to achieve strategic business objectives. Reporting to the AW2030 Program Management Office (PMO), the position operates within a matrixed organizational model and maintains strong dotted-line partnerships with Human Resources, Technology, Operations, Finance, Customer Service, Supply Chain, and other business functions.

The Director serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, program sponsors, and business leaders, providing strategic guidance on organizational readiness, workforce transformation, stakeholder engagement, leadership alignment, communications, training, culture, and adoption. The role ensures people-related impacts are proactively identified and addressed while driving sustainable behavioral change and realization of transformation benefits.

The position leads Organizational Change Management (OCM) and Human Capital Consulting (HCC) efforts, establishing methodologies, governance, tools, and best practices that accelerate organizational agility, strengthen leadership capability, and improve enterprise transformation outcomes.

Key Accountabilities

Enterprise Change Strategy & Transformation Leadership

• Serve as the Organizational Change Management leader supporting AW2030 and other strategic transformation initiatives.
• Lead enterprise-wide change management programs supporting business transformation, system implementations, digital modernization, operating model redesign, organizational restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and workforce modernization efforts.
• Partner with AW2030 Program Leadership, Executive Sponsors, and business workstream leaders to integrate change management strategies into all phases of program delivery.
• Establish and maintain enterprise-wide OCM frameworks, methodologies, governance models, standards, tools, and best practices.
• Develop integrated change strategies that align people, process, technology, and culture objectives.
• Assess organizational readiness and identify barriers to successful adoption.
• Foster executive sponsorship and leadership accountability for transformation outcomes.
• Drive sustainable organizational adoption, capability development, and realization of business benefits.
• Establish enterprise governance and measurement practices to monitor readiness, adoption, and transformation success.

Organizational Change Management (OCM)

• Lead change impact assessments, stakeholder analyses, readiness evaluations, risk assessments, and adoption planning activities.
• Develop and execute stakeholder engagement and communication strategies across all impacted business areas.
• Guide leaders through organizational transitions, workforce changes, operating model evolution, and business transformation efforts.
• Build change leadership capabilities and organizational agility throughout the enterprise.
• Develop change scorecards, dashboards, and adoption metrics that measure effectiveness and business outcomes.
• Identify organizational resistance and implement mitigation strategies to minimize risk.
• Coordinate change activities across multiple programs and initiatives to ensure alignment and capacity management.
• Embed change management practices into enterprise project and program delivery methodologies.

Human Capital Consulting (HCC)

• Provide strategic consulting and advisory support to executives and business leaders on workforce transformation, organization design, talent strategies, culture, employee experience, and leadership effectiveness.
• Partner closely with HR leadership and business stakeholders to align workforce strategies with long-term business objectives and transformation priorities.
• Support workforce planning, talent implications, role redesign, capability development, and succession considerations associated with transformation initiatives.
• Conduct organizational assessments and recommend solutions to improve effectiveness, productivity, accountability, and employee engagement.
• Advise leadership on organization design, operating model strategies, and organizational effectiveness opportunities.
• Evaluate people-related impacts of AW2030 initiatives and develop workforce readiness strategies to support successful implementation.

Knowledge/Skills

• Advanced knowledge of organizational change management methodologies, frameworks, governance models, and best practices.
• Strong knowledge of human capital consulting, organizational effectiveness, organization design, workforce transformation, talent strategy, culture, and employee experience practices.
• Knowledge of enterprise transformation programs, including digital modernization, ERP or system implementations, operating model redesign, business process transformation, and workforce modernization.
• Understanding of change adoption metrics, readiness indicators, benefit realization measures, and transformation success criteria.
• Knowledge of matrixed organizational structures and cross-functional governance practices within complex enterprise environments.
• Understanding of highly regulated, asset-intensive, utility, infrastructure, or field operations environments preferred.

• Ability to lead stakeholder engagement, leadership alignment, communications, training, readiness, adoption, and resistance management strategies.
• Strong executive advisory, facilitation, influencing, and consultative problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate complex business transformation objectives into practical change strategies, roadmaps, and actionable plans.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to develop clear messaging, leadership materials, presentations, and change communications for diverse audiences.
• Ability to lead through influence in matrixed environments and build alignment across executive leaders, program teams, HR, Technology, Operations, Finance, Customer Service, Supply Chain, and other business functions.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret readiness, adoption, engagement, and change effectiveness data to inform decisions and recommendations.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, navigate ambiguity, and drive results across complex enterprise transformation initiatives.

Experience/Education

• 12+ years of progressive experience in change management, organizational effectiveness, human capital consulting, HR strategy, organizational development, or transformation leadership.
• 7+ years of experience leading teams and enterprise-wide transformational initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale business transformations, enterprise programs, digital modernization initiatives, organizational restructures, mergers and acquisitions, or workforce transformation efforts.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives through influence in complex matrixed organizations.
• Experience supporting large-scale ERP, digital, business process, or enterprise transformation programs.
• Experience supporting highly regulated, asset-intensive, or complex matrixed organizations.
• Utility, infrastructure, or field operations experience preferred.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Psychology, Communications, or related field.

Preferred

• Master's degree in Organizational Development, Business Administration (MBA), Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Communications, or related discipline.

Travel Requirements

Up to 50%

Work Environment

• Primarily in an office environment 
• Will require field visits to drive process transformation efforts through change management program readiness, change, and adoption 

Competencies

Manages Complexity

Ensures Accountability

Directs Work

Develops Talent

Builds Effective Teams

Balances Stakeholders

Join American Water... We Keep Life Flowing ™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.