AI Pod Change and Communications Lead

About Smith+Nephew

Life. Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living. Are you passionate about driving enterprise transformation and helping people adopt new ways of working with AI? As the AI Pod Change and Communications Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping how AI enabled workflows are adopted across the business. Working with senior leaders, technology teams, and global stakeholders, you will lead change, communications, engagement, and readiness activities that help teams embrace innovation and realize the benefits of AI s UK based role offers the opportunity to influence a high profile global transformation program while making a meaningful impact on how people work.

Translate the global Enterprise AI change and communications strategy into practical deployment plans for assigned workflow pods and rollout waves. Lead stakeholder engagement, change impact assessments, and readiness activities across impacted business areas. Develop and execute communications, engagement, and adoption plans that build awareness, trust, and commitment to AI enabled ways of working. Coordinate training needs analysis, learning activities, and user readiness programs to support successful deployment.

Monitor adoption, engagement, risks, and mitigations, escalating issues where necessary and supporting successful go live activities. Partner with business, technology, communications, training, and deployment teams to drive sustainable adoption and benefits realization. Capture lessons learned and support continuous improvement across future Enterprise AI deployment waves.

• Translate the global Enterprise AI change and communications strategy into practical deployment plans for assigned workflow pods and rollout waves.
• Lead stakeholder engagement, change impact assessments, and readiness activities across impacted business areas.
• Develop and execute communications, engagement, and adoption plans that build awareness, trust, and commitment to AI enabled ways of working.
• Coordinate training needs analysis, learning activities, and user readiness programs to support successful deployment.
• Monitor adoption, engagement, risks, and mitigations, escalating issues where necessary and supporting successful go live activities.
• Partner with business, technology, communications, training, and deployment teams to drive sustainable adoption and benefits realization.
• Capture lessons learned and support continuous improvement across future Enterprise AI deployment waves.

Typically 8+ years of experience delivering complex global change management and communications programs within AI, digital transformation, workflow transformation, automation, or technology enabled environments. Proven expertise in stakeholder engagement, business readiness assessments, change impact analysis, communications planning, and user adoption strategies. Strong experience partnering with executive stakeholders and leading cross functional teams in highly matrixed organizations. Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery in fast paced transformation programs.

Bachelor s degree in Communications, Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Business, or a related field. Prosci or ADKAR certification preferred.

• Typically 8+ years of experience delivering complex global change management and communications programs within AI, digital transformation, workflow transformation, automation, or technology enabled environments.
• Proven expertise in stakeholder engagement, business readiness assessments, change impact analysis, communications planning, and user adoption strategies.
• Strong experience partnering with executive stakeholders and leading cross functional teams in highly matrixed organizations.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery in fast paced transformation programs.
• Bachelor s degree in Communications, Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Business, or a related field.
• Prosci or ADKAR certification preferred.

You. Unlimited. We believe in creating the greatest good for society. Our strongest investments…