Contract Change Manager Enterprise System Implementation

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Change Manager in Frederick, MD (Hybrid in-office 3 days - 2 days remote). This is a contract role for approx. 9 months+. The Change Manager will lead critical adoption and engagement efforts for a large-scale, in-flight, enterprise system transformation within Operations. $52.00 - $62.00 Hourly RateThis role is essential to stabilizing employee experience, rebuilding trust, improving system adoption, and ensuring the organization realizes the intended ROI of the implementation. The successful candidate will bring a pragmatic, employee-centric approach to change, with a proven ability to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics, repair strained relationships, and drive measurable improvements in adoption, productivity, and leader effectiveness through targeted people-manager coaching and training. This role will act as a critical bridge across Operations, IT, leadership, and external partners to address these challenges in a structured, transparent, and results-oriented mannerResponsibilities:Change Strategy & Adoption Assess current state of adoption and develop a targeted, measurable change and adoption recovery plan Drive adoption of Project by closing knowledge gaps and accelerating learning curvesEnsure alignment between intended system design and day-to-day operational execution Employee-Centered Communication Design and deliver clear, transparent, and empathetic communications from the employee perspective Manage expectation setting across all stakeholder groups Clearly articulate: What has changed in processes , What has been automated, offshored, or eliminated, What efficiencies and improvements have been achieved and What is in it for the end-user Prepare and coach leadership in communicating lessons learned and areas of improvement with authenticity and humilityTraining & Enablement Evaluate existing training materials and identify gaps Develop and implement enhanced training and reinforcement plans Introduce ongoing reinforcement mechanisms to sustain adoption and proficiency Through demonstration, upskill the organization in change management good practice Stakeholder Alignment & Facilitation Facilitate complex and often challenging conversations between Operations, IT, and external vendors Improve collaboration frameworks (e.g., optimize meeting structures, reduce friction between technical and end-user audiences) Support rebuilding and strengthening critical vendor relationships Leadership Coaching Provide 1:1 coaching to Operations leaders on leading through change Enable leaders to better support their teams, reduce burnout, and improve engagementGuide leaders on behaviors and communication strategies required for successful adoption Feedback & Continuous Improvement Gather and synthesize frontline feedback to identify systemic issues Provide actionable, reality-based insights to IT and program teams Help bridge gaps between delivered functionality and operational needs Qualifications Requirements:5+ years of experience in Change Management, with large-scale system implementationsDemonstrated success improving adoption in challenged or distressed transformation environments Experience supporting Operations functions (e.g., financial services or similar environments preferred) Strong facilitation skills, particularly in high-tension or high-stakes environments Proven ability to influence senior leaders and coach managers Exceptional communication skills (clear, transparent, and audience-specific) High emotional intelligence and ability to build trust quickly Pragmatic, execution-oriented mindset (not just frameworks) Strong stakeholder management and conflict resolution capabilities Analytical ability to translate employee feedback into actionable improvements Preferred:Experience working with offshore/vendor models Familiarity with enterprise platforms and operational workflows Background in organizations undergoing significant transformation Experience with program recovery efforts Change Management certification (Prosci, CCMP, CMS, APMG, etc.)