Change Project Manager

2022-Oct-02 | Glenn Abcede |

If you’re looking for a career in change management, it’s essential to understand the difference between a change manager and a project manager (PM). While both roles are responsible for driving change within an organization, there are some critical distinctions between the two positions. In this blog post, we will also refer to a change manager as a change project manager simply because they, too, manage projects similar to a PM in the project management discipline. Let’s discuss the responsibilities of the two. The hope is it will help you decide which career is right for you!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Table of contents

The change manager pigeon hangin’ with the project manager pigeons.

What’s the difference between change managers and project managers?

As the name suggests, a change manager is responsible for managing change within an organization. Change project managers work with stakeholders to identify and implement changes based on defined strategic objectives to improve organizational performance.

Change managers are responsible for (but not limited to):

  • developing change plans
  • track progress
  • ensure changes are implemented successfully
  • play a crucial role in communicating changes to employees and other stakeholders
  • implement change

Project managers are responsible for (but not limited to):

  • managing project initiatives
  • project planning
  • navigating the project management process
  • manage the entire project from start to finish
  • managing project risks and issues
  • more importantly, manage project financials

Projects are temporary endeavours with specific goals or overall project objectives. They work with a project team to develop a project plan, execute it, and close it. They also ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.

What does a change management project manager do?

A change manager is responsible for leading and coordinating change management initiatives within an organization. They work with change management team members to develop and implement change processes and design and deliver training programs to help employees adapt to new organizational structures and procedures. In addition, they are often responsible for conducting change impact assessments and creating change management plans. By overseeing all aspects of the change process, they help to ensure that organizational changes are executed smoothly and efficiently.

Do change managers manage a project team?

Yes, change managers can manage a project team that work closely with team members. They are vital in developing plans, implement change, and managing people and subject matter experts during change initiatives. As the key stakeholders in the change process, change managers are responsible for ensuring that the initiative’s goals are met and that team members can complete their tasks. Change managers deeply understand organizational change management and can guide and support team members throughout the initiative.

Project management and change planning session
Project management and change planning session

Can change management professionals become project managers and vice-versa?

The answer to this question may surprise you! Many start their careers as project managers and transition into change management. The skills required for both roles are very similar, except those who manage projects need more technical knowledge and/or technical skills than those in charge of implementing org. changes or policies.

Why is Having Both Useful for Your Business?

Change management and project management are both essential to successful businesses, but they are two distinct fields. Change managers focus on organizational changes, while project managers work on temporary projects with specific goals, navigating project teams through phases or tranches.

Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Initiation
  • Planning
  • Execution
  • Monitoring and Controlling
  • Closure
Project management software and the management plan

Does the change manager report to the project manager?

In many organizations, the change manager reports to the project manager. However, this is not always the case, and various factors can influence the reporting relationship between these two roles. The change management process is typically initiated when a change is proposed to one or more project stakeholders.

Change management focuses on ensuring that the change is properly planned, implemented, and monitored so that it does not adversely impact the project. As such, they are responsible for coordinating with various stakeholders to ensure the change is executed smoothly. They may report directly to a senior executive with ultimate project responsibility. In other cases, they may report to the project manager. Ultimately, the reporting relationship between these two roles will be determined by the company’s organizational structure and the project’s specific needs.

Conclusion: Change management or project management?

So, which career is right for you? If you’re interested in driving change within an organization, then a career as a change manager might be worth considering. If you’re more interested in project management, then a career as a project manager might be the right choice. Whichever path you choose, we hope this blog post has helped you understand the difference between these two essential roles. Thanks for reading!

If this is your first time on our website — thank you for visiting. Consider subscribing to our newsletter to gain exclusive content and online store discounts.

Recent Posts

Categories