Change Management Lead

Change Management Lead
Location: North Chicago, IL (Hybrid – 1–2 days onsite / 3–4 days remote)
Contract: 12 months to start
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 40 hours/week (flexible start/end times)
Pay Rate: $45-49/HR based on benefits


Orion Group is seeking an experienced Project Manager / Change Management Lead (Non-IT) to support product lifecycle and operational change initiatives within a regulated pharmaceutical environment. This role manages small to large-scale, cross-functional projects with a primary focus on Change Plans related to key Product Life Cycle activities (including product discontinuations).
The successful candidate will serve as the operational Change Owner, driving project execution from planning through completion while ensuring compliance with Quality System guidelines. This individual partners closely with Brand Managers, Operations, Supply Chain, Master Data, Regulatory, and other cross-functional stakeholders to deliver projects on time, within scope, and with high quality.
In addition to project execution, this role identifies automation and process improvement opportunities to enhance efficiency and improve operational metrics.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Change Management

• Serve as Change Owner and follow Quality guideline QCM01-01-001-G001 to drive setup and completion of Change Plans (CPs) for Product Life Cycle activities
• Partner with Brand Managers and Cross-Functional Teams (CFT) to gather critical Change Plan information (scope, timing, product details, Supply Chain ownership, etc.)
• Schedule and facilitate Project Planning meetings with required stakeholders
• Lead Change Plan meetings to:
  • Review scope, timing, and impact to sites/affiliates
  • Assign action items and follow up to ensure completion
  • Review potential task lists and determine required tasks
  • Capture Task Owner, Approver, and Due Dates
• Populate Change Plans per QCM01-01-001 requirements (all non-Regulatory fields and all identified tasks)
• Perform guideline-required activities, including submitting help desk tickets (e.g., MARC tables / SAP grid data)
• Submit Change Plans in SolTRAQs and coordinate with Change Coordinators for regulatory assessment, CRB pre-approval, routing, and approvals
• Attend Change Review Board (CRB) meetings to present Change Plans and address follow-up questions
• Proactively follow up with approvers and task owners to ensure timely closure of deliverables
• Manage SAP material status codes (A0, A3, A4, A5) and partner with Master Data Management to ensure accurate and timely updates
• Track project milestones, escalate risks, and ensure Change Plans complete within target timelines

Reporting & Communication

• Provide regular project tracking, reporting, and presentations to management and stakeholders
• Communicate clearly across cross-functional teams regarding timelines, deliverables, and risks
• Independently triage and escalate “at risk” projects

Process Improvement

• Maintain a pipeline of improvement opportunities (automation, templates, process simplification)
• Prioritize initiatives and develop execution plans
• Implement improvements to drive operational efficiency and measurable metric gains

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 4–8 years equivalent professional experience
• 1–6+ years of project management or operational leadership experience (regulated industry strongly preferred)
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams
• Ability to independently perform Quality System documentation (SolTRAQs experience preferred)
• SAP experience strongly preferred
• Excellent organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to work independently with sound decision-making skills
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment

Nice to Have

• Bachelor of Science degree
• Experience in pharmaceutical, healthcare, or other regulated industries
• Familiarity with product lifecycle management, change control, or quality systems

Work Environment

• Combination of individual work and group collaboration
• Hybrid schedule: 1–2 days onsite in Lake County, IL / 3–4 days remote
• No travel required

People are our business worldwide
 
Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.