Specialist, Change Mgt & Business Readiness

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey empowers our members to achieve their best health.  For over 90 years , we have been New Jersey’s health solutions leader driving innovations that improve health care quality, affordability, and member experience.  Our members are our neighbors, our friends, and our families.  It is this understanding that drives us to better serve and care for the 3.5 million people who place their trust in us. We pride ourselves on our best-in-class employees and strive to maintain an innovative and inclusive environment that allows them to thrive. When our employees bring their best and succeed, the Company succeeds.  About the Role The Manager, Change Management & Operational Readiness leads enterprise change management and adoption planning efforts for service transformation initiatives across Operations. This role is responsible for ensuring organizational readiness, stakeholder alignment, effective communication, and sustainable adoption of business and technology changes. Working closely with Operations, EBTS, Training, Communications, and business leaders, this position develops and executes comprehensive change management strategies that minimize disruption, mitigate risk, and maximize business value. The Manager serves as a key partner in helping teams successfully navigate change while ensuring operational readiness and successful implementation of strategic initiatives. What You'll Do Change Management & Adoption Develop and execute enterprise change management strategies aligned with the AIM methodology and organizational change standards. Ensure standardized business protocols, processes, and governance requirements are applied consistently across transformation initiatives. Lead organizational readiness planning to support successful implementation of operational and technology changes. Develop adoption strategies that promote stakeholder engagement and long-term behavioral change. Establish and monitor adoption metrics and success measures to evaluate change effectiveness. Stakeholder Engagement & Communications Conduct stakeholder assessments and impact analyses to identify change impacts and readiness needs. Build strong partnerships with business leaders and key stakeholders to gain alignment and support for transformation initiatives. Collaborate with Communications, Training, and Operations leaders to develop and execute engagement, communication, and adoption plans. Facilitate discussions, workshops, and meetings to drive stakeholder understanding and commitment. Operational Readiness & Release Planning Conduct organizational readiness assessments and operational adoption checkpoints throughout the project lifecycle. Coordinate technology releases and operational changes impacting business units. Partner with EBTS and project teams to support program delivery schedules, release planning, dependency management, and cutover activities. Ensure business areas are prepared for new systems, processes, and operational models prior to implementation. Risk Management & Governance Identify operational risks associated with business and technology changes. Develop and implement mitigation strategies to minimize disruption and support business continuity. Support governance forums and leadership reviews by providing readiness updates, risk assessments, and implementation status reports. Ensure compliance with organizational change management controls, policies, and standards. Support post-implementation stabilization activities and issue resolution efforts. Continuous Improvement Measure change adoption, stakeholder engagement, and implementation effectiveness. Analyze lessons learned and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Recommend enhancements to change management practices, tools, and methodologies. Promote a culture of adaptability, continuous learning, and operational excellence. What You Bring Education & Experience Required: High School Diploma or GED. Minimum of 5–8 years of experience in Change Management, Organizational Readiness, Business Transformation, Program Management, or a related field. Preferred: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Organizational Development, Communications, Project Management, Healthcare Administration, or a related discipline. Healthcare, health insurance, or other highly regulated industry experience. Experience supporting large-scale system implementations and operational transformation initiatives. Skills & Competencies Change Leadership Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change initiatives and drive user adoption. Strong understanding of change management methodologies, tools, and best practices. Stakeholder Management Proven ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization. Strong facilitation, negotiation, and collaboration skills. Communication Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills. Ability to communicate complex changes in a clear and actionable manner. Risk Management Strong ability to identify, assess, and mitigate business and operational risks associated with change. Experience managing competing priorities and navigating complex organizational environments. Project & Program Management Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously. Experience coordinating implementation timelines, dependencies, and readiness activities. Continuous Improvement Results-oriented mindset with a focus on adoption, sustainability, and process improvement. Ability to leverage metrics and feedback to improve change outcomes and operational performance. Why Horizon? At Horizon, you’ll do meaningful work that directly improves lives—while being supported by a mission‑driven organization that values expertise, collaboration, and growth.  We believe that when our people thrive, our communities do too.  If you are passionate about ma