Change Manager

Cornell University • Ithaca, MI

23h • $81,460 - $94,669 • Remote

About The Position

The Change Manager plays a critical role in supporting the successful delivery of the Cornell Enterprise Management Initiative (CEMI) Program and the CEMI Donor Engagement and Experience Project (DEEP). Reporting to the Assistant Director of IT Change Management, with a dotted‑line relationship to the Associate Vice President, AAD Operations & CEMI DEEP Project Team Leader, this position supports a major, multi‑year initiative to modernize and unify donor engagement and advancement technologies across Cornell’s Ithaca and Cornell Tech campuses, Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This role focuses on the people side of change, helping individuals and teams prepare for, adapt to, and sustain new processes, technologies, and ways of working introduced through CEMI and DEEP. The Change Manager evaluates change impacts, assesses stakeholder readiness, and supports adoption through communications, training, engagement, and continuous feedback. Approximately 50% of this role is dedicated to the DEEP Project, with the remaining 50% supporting change management activities across the broader CEMI Program portfolio. This is a 3 year term appointment which may be ended or extended based on organizational needs, funding availability, and performance. This position is eligible for remote work within the United States; however, preference will be given to candidates located in the New York area. An on-site presence in Ithaca is required approximately 2–3 times per year to support departmental and university initiatives. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the remote or hybrid work arrangement at any time. While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 3 years of demonstrated experience in organizational change management, with working knowledge of change management principles, methodologies, and tools; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Completion of Prosci Change Management training and/or certification, or a demonstrated willingness to obtain certification within a defined timeframe.
• Proven ability to influence, build consensus and trusted relationships, and navigate diverse stakeholder groups, including senior leaders, within complex and decentralized organizational environments.
• Strong analytical and creative problem‑solving skills, with a high level of attention to detail and a proactive, initiative‑driven approach to work.
• Facilitation skills and experience leading workshops, stakeholder sessions, training sessions, or change network activities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex information to varied audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under tight deadlines while delivering accurate, high‑quality results.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Teams, and SharePoint, with comfort working in Salesforce or similar CRM systems.
• Experience working effectively with consultants, cross‑functional project teams, and senior leaders across multiple units or campuses.
• Ability to adapt quickly, manage ambiguity, and remain flexible in a rapidly evolving environment.
• Comfort operating in an environment with evolving priorities, ambiguity, and multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working on large‑scale transformation or multi‑year program initiatives, particularly involving technology adoption or business process redesign.
• Experience supporting organizational, technology, or process‑driven change initiatives, ideally within a complex, decentralized, or higher‑education environment.

Responsibilities

• The Change Manager evaluates change impacts
• assesses stakeholder readiness
• supports adoption through communications, training, engagement, and continuous feedback.

Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
• To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees