Operations Manager - Senior Global Change Manager/Realization Manager/ Problem Manager

Sonoco Products Company:

Headquartered in Hartsville, SC, and founded in 1899, Sonoco is a global consumer, industrial, healthcare, and protective packaging provider. With annualized net sales of over $7 billion, the Company has approximately 20,000 employees working in over 300 operations in 34 countries, serving some of the world’s best-known brands in some 85 nations. Sonoco is committed to creating sustainable products, services, and programs for our customers, employees, and communities that support our corporate purpose of “Better Packaging. Better Life.” The Company was listed as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2021 and included in Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies for the third year in a row. For more information, please visit www.sonoco.com.

Job Description

As the Senior Operations Manager, Change and Problem, you will collaborate with the Global IT Team to implement a practical Service Management architecture, associated processes, policies, and systems. In this role you will be accountable for developing world-class IT Operational processes and ensure process execution by the responsible application and Infrastructure support organizations, drive service restoration related to Major Incidents, drive permanent preventative actions and drive overall improvements of all aspects of IT Operations and associated performance metric achievement. This role is also expected to recommend new products and services, as well as maintain a general knowledge of emergent technologies that are applicable to the continued growth and improvement of our operational model.

Not only will this role be responsible for delivering quality services and improvement projects in a timely manner, but also help foster an inclusive and innovative culture. This role will be a member of a global virtual team where communication and collaboration is essential to the team’s success. The role requires a proven team player, technical and operational leadership, and guidance and direction during complex and often high-pressure situations.

Responsibilities include building and nurturing a world-class operations team (including Managed Service Providers (MSP’s)), driving Service Management operational polices, fostering relationships with the entire IT organization and relevant business partners, with a passion for continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Must have worked in a very large matrixed organization
• Review incidents but also be proactive in developing permanent fixes and preventing problems from occurring throughout the organization.
• Proven track record of previous successful Change Management realization / Problem Management
• Excellent project management, planning and documentation skills are a must in addition to great CRM and interpersonal and influencing skills .
• Play a key role in ensuring that organizational projects and initiatives meet objectives on time and on budget by increasing employee adoption and usage.
• Focus on the 'people side' of change, which involves preparing, supporting and equipping people to adopt and use changes to business processes, systems and technology, job roles, organization structures, and more.
• Develop and implement change management strategies, policies and plans that maximize employee adoption and usage of required changes. These responsibilities also include plans and efforts to anticipate and minimize resistant behaviors from employees and stakeholders who are impacted by the changes.
• Drive faster adoption, higher ultimate utilization of changes, and proficiency with the changes that impact employees who must use the changes in their daily work.
• Act as a 'Coach' for senior leaders and executives; the change manager helps them fulfill the critical role of change management sponsor. The change manager may support and coach people managers and supervisors as they help their teams through their transitions. Similarly, change management supports project managers and teams to integrate change management activities with their project plans.
• Apply a structured methodology and lead Change management /Problem Management activities
• Leverage a change management methodology, process and tools to create a strategy to support adoption of the changes required by a project or initiative.
• Conduct impact analyses, assess change readiness, and identify key stakeholders.
• Provide input, document requirements, and support the design and delivery of training programs.
• Work with existing ITSM teams to launch the Problem Management module. Own the Root Cause Analysis for critical incidents and ensure short-term, long term fixes and tasks are tracked and implemented.
• Work as both a proactive and reactive problem manager scanning through existing lower-priority incidents to identify long-term fixes and bring down the incident rate:
• MOVEWOKS or other AI technology knowledge is Preferred.
• Complete change management assessments
• Identify, analyze and prepare risk mitigation tactics
• Identify and manage anticipated and persistent resistance
• Consult and coach project teams
• Create actionable deliverables for the core change management plans: Sponsor Plan, People Manager Plan, Communications Plan, and Training Plan
• Support and engage senior leaders. Coach people managers and supervisors.Support organizational design and definition of roles and responsibilities
• Integrate change management activities into the project plan
• Evaluate and ensure user readiness. Manage stakeholders, Track and report issues
• Define and measure success metrics and monitor change progress

What are we looking for?

We want experienced leaders who collaborate effectively across the departments with a proven track record of leading and transforming the Change and Vendor Management function. We are looking for people who thrive in a fast-paced environment, are team-oriented, and can execute in a way that encourages creativity and continuous improvement. This leader promotes an inclusive and fun culture.

Requirements:

• 
  12+ years of experience in IT roles supporting Resources, Service management and transition management, Delivery, Software and Hardware functions within large institutions.
• 7+ years as an ITIL Leader developing, cultivating, and leading strong, high-performing teams driving maturity of the function.
• 6+ Years of experience in leading change management and Problem management function within a large organization
• Strong process leader who is detail oriented with demonstrated expertise on contract agreements and risk management.
• Ability to create a strategy/plan based on the data to drive results.
• Expert written and oral communication skills, with the ability to create/present executive presentations and serve as one of the recognized subject matter experts on the team.
• Flexibility and organizational change management experience.
• The ability to work in a cross-functional team and drive outcomes without having direct authority.
• Actively anticipates, identifies, and manages risks within the position scope and at the company.
• Expert consensus-builder who drives change across initiatives within and outside direct accountability and evaluates solutions to the most complex business challenges.

Core Competencies:

• 
  Strong operational experience in large complex environments.
• Experience in ITIL Framework and ITSM tools like Service NOW and AI tools like MOVEWORKS
• Strategic leader who anticipates the future and inspires the team to deliver exceptional results within established timelines/budget.
• Data-driven leader who establishes OKRs, KPIs, and transparent reporting to demonstrate progress.
• Excellent people leader who leads by example and has demonstrated experience building highly effective teams

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree, Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of IT and the service catalog and assigned departments/business areas

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, including FSA and HSA options
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Wellbeing tools and resources to support holistic health, including an Employee Assistance Program with a variety of services
• Paid time off and holidays to recreate, rejuvenate and care for the health of yourself you’re your family
• Variety of company-paid and voluntary employee-paid insurance plans, including life, personal accident, and disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.

At Sonoco Products Company, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package, including competitive pay and benefits:

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, including FSA and HSA options
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Wellbeing tools and resources to support holistic health, including an Employee Assistance Program with a variety of services
• Paid time off and holidays to recreate, rejuvenate and care for the health of yourself and family
• Variety of company paid and voluntary employee-paid insurance plans including life, personal accident, and disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement