Four essential roles in organizational change: who does what and why? 

Organizational change requires behavioral change. This is why people are central to our change management approach. In this blog, expert Tara Kikken discusses which four roles are crucial and how best to fill them. It's not just about the people you ask behavior change from (employees), but also the people who guide the change and the employees (managers). Successful change is the result of close collaboration between four essential change management roles.

Sponsor: the vision holder and catalyst 

The sponsor is the person (usually a senior executive) who drives the change and is responsible for ensuring the resources, priorities and focus needed to make the change a success. A strong sponsor drives the change and communicates the urgency and vision to the entire organization. 

Who fills this role?

The most effective sponsors are internal individuals with sufficient authority and influence within the organization - preferably a member of the management team. Sometimes a sponsor coalition with multiple leaders is needed, especially for large-scale changes that span multiple departments or sites. 

Why is this role necessary? 

• Importance of the role: Research by Prosci shows that effective sponsorship is the most important success factor for organizational change. 
• Impactful communication: Sponsors are the preferred senders of messages about the organization's priorities and the vision behind change. When a sponsor actively and visibly engages, it sends a strong message to the entire organization. 

People manager: the link between change and employees  

People managers are the direct managers of employees who experience impact through change. They play a crucial role in translating the specific impact to the team and provide the necessary support. 

Who fulfills this role?
People managers exist at all levels, from team leaders to department heads, have this important connecting role. They have direct contact with employees and understand the dynamics within the team. 

Why is this role necessary? 

• Importance of the role: People want to hear from their own manager about how a change affects them personally. People managers are therefore the preferred senders of messages about the personal impact on team members. 
• Support and guidance: People managers help employees understand what is changing, why it is happening, and how they can contribute. They have an eye for employees and the prevention and/or resolution of resistance. 

Change manager: the director of change 

The change manager is responsible for developing and implementing the change management strategy. This ensures that changes proceed smoothly, with minimal resistance and maximum acceptance. Examples of concrete activities include creating communication plans, developing training programs and guiding change leaders and employees through each phase of the change process. 

Who fills this role?
This role is filled by a change management specialist in, such as a change management consultant, who works closely with the sponsor, people managers and the project manager or Agile Coach. 

Why is this role necessary? 

• Importance of the role: The change manager ensures a structured approach and works with other key people in the change process to effectively guide people through the change. They ensure that effective communication and training takes place and that attention is paid to employees' individual challenges. The change manager's main goal is to prevent/reduce resistance to the change and increase engagement and acceptance.  
• Supporting other roles: The change manager is a director role that provides tools, methodologies, advice and support to empower the other stakeholders in the role. 

Project manager: the planner and coordinator 

The project manager (this can also be an Agile Coach) takes care of the technical or logistical side of the change and managing timelines, budgets and deliverables. They ensure that the project team designs, develops and delivers the solution within scope and on time.

Who fills this role?
This role is filled by someone who is good at coordinating different teams and managing resources. Depending on the organization and type of change, this could be a project manager but also, for example, an Agile coach.

Why is this role needed? 

• Importance of the role: The project manager ensures that all parts of the project run smoothly and that the practical implementation of the change runs smoothly. 
• Collaboration: They work closely with the change manager to ensure that the project goals and the change goals are aligned. 

Additional roles: specialists 

In addition to the core roles listed above, additional, specialized roles are often required to successfully implement change. Examples include: 

• Trainers: To develop and implement training programs to prepare employees for the new way of working. 
• Communication specialists: To ensure clear and consistent communication in line with internal communication policies.
• HR specialists: To manage staff implications such as restructuring or job changes. 

Why are these roles necessary? 

• Importance of role: Each specialist brings unique expertise that is critical to successfully managing the various aspects of change. 
• Coordination and Support: These roles provide necessary support to core roles, such as people managers and change managers, and contribute to a consistent and integrated approach.  

Change management is a team effort 

Change is not a solo project. The success of an organizational change depends on the coordinated interplay between the various roles. Bringing in (external) change management expertise provides the structure, knowledge and guidance needed to manage this process. Yet the active involvement of internal leaders and employees remains essential to the success of any change.

Make sure your people are well prepared for the change and know their roles and responsibilities. This will not only increase the chances of success of your current change task, but also better position your organization for future challenges. 

Meet change management expert Tara Kikken

As a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Tara is experienced in guiding the people-focused side of change. Building commitment, ambassadorship and skills of employees touched by a change is a prerequisite for a project to succeed. After all, an organization can only change if employees change.

With her expertise in communication, affinity with technology and understanding of processes, Tara helps to turn complex challenges into successful change with concrete and sustainable results. She regularly shares her knowledge and vision in the form of content.