Directors & Heads of Function
Holding it all together when everything’s changing
Directors and Heads of Function sit at the most demanding point in any organisation: balancing strategic ambition with operational reality. You’re accountable for delivery, people, budgets and culture, often without the dedicated change or project support you need. You carry pressure from above and expectation from below, translating strategy into execution while protecting morale and performance. When priorities collide, you’re the one keeping teams aligned, results on track and culture intact.
At changemaker, we see these leaders for what they are: the ones who make transformation possible. We partner with them to bring structure, clarity, and calm under pressure, letting them lead confidently, deliver effectively, and keep their people engaged through change.
A trusted partner when the pressure’s on
changemaker is a UK-based change management service and consultancy that supports Directors and Heads of Function to deliver transformation, strengthen culture and maintain performance.
We act as a practical, trusted extension of your team – someone you can call when delivery demands spike, priorities multiply and the pressure is real. Whether it’s a focused six-week project or a long-term transformation, we bring the expertise, empathy, and structure needed to make change happen.
Our work connects three disciplines that ensure transformation lands with both results and respect:
Human Change
keeping people motivated despite challenges
Change doesn’t just test systems, it tests people at the individual level. Through Human Change, we help leaders maintain trust, resilience, and communication during demanding times.
Using tools like Lumina Spark, leadership coaching and our Values Journeys model, we help you understand how your team reacts to change and how to keep them focused and motivated when uncertainty hits.
Human Change helps Directors & Heads of Function:
- Lead with empathy and confidence through demanding periods.
- Keep communication open, honest, and constructive across all levels.
- Build engagement and trust even during rapid transformation.
- Support wellbeing and performance without sacrificing delivery.
Change Design
Turning priorities into actionable plans
Through Change Design, we help translate high-level strategy into clear, achievable departmental plans that balance ambition with capacity.
We work with you to align objectives, map dependencies and design frameworks that connect departmental goals with wider business outcomes. It’s structure without rigidity, clarity that empowers rather than constrains.
Change Design helps Directors & Heads of Function:
- Align functional goals with broader strategy and metrics.
- Create phased, realistic plans that can flex under pressure.
- Design communication & engagement approaches that bring people with you.
- Identify interdependencies and reduce duplication across functions.
Change Delivery
Getting things done right
When delivery demands intensify, our Change Delivery practice provides the governance, assurance and experience to help you deliver with confidence.
We embed ourselves within your team, leading full programmes or managing critical workstreams with discipline, transparency and calm. We right-size governance to your context, ensuring focus on outcomes rather than bureaucracy.
Change Delivery helps Directors & Heads of Function:
- Deliver projects on time, on budget and with integrity.
- Strengthen governance and cross-functional decision-making.
- Free up leadership bandwidth by managing delivery detail.
- Maintain engagement and cultural stability throughout transformation.
How we support your change journey
At changemaker, we take a comprehensive and holistic approach to change, offering a wide range of services across four key areas:
Change Design
Supporting you in exploring what change might look like, or navigating your way to realising the change you desire.
Change Delivery
Implementing the governance and skills to plan and deliver change in an ambiguous world.
Human Change
Supporting the human being in understanding why and how to change to realise their full potential.
The Impact
Working with changemaker, Directors and Heads of Function gain:
- A trusted partner who delivers under pressure.
- Clarity and control across multiple projects and priorities.
- Stronger leadership confidence in managing people and performance.
- Engaged teams who understand and believe in the goals.
- A reputation for delivery that earns respect from executives and peers alike.
We help you lead transformation without losing your people, your focus, or your sanity.
Video resources
Watch our experts share real-world insights and proven strategies to help you strengthen your organisation’s change delivery approach.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some common questions about how we help organisations deliver change more effectively, with the right governance and approach.
How can I lead change without burning my team out?
Change can feel relentless. We help you pace delivery, communicate clearly, and involve your team early, reducing resistance and keeping energy high.
What if I don’t have internal project or change resource?
That’s where we step in. Our associate network of experienced change and project leaders provides the structure, clarity and momentum so you can focus on leadership, not logistics.
How do I keep alignment across departments?
Our Change Design process maps dependencies, builds shared frameworks and ensures joined-up communication, so priorities align, and duplication disappears.
How do I protect culture during transformation?
Through Human Change, we help you model behaviours, communicate with authenticity and keep your values visible so culture strengthens, not fractures, through change.
What if I just need short-term support?
We provide scalable, flexible delivery support, from six-week sprints to multi-year programmes. You can call us in when needed and trust that we’ll deliver with care, competence and pace.
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