BCP/DR Specialist

We are seeking a proactive and experienced Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery (DR) Specialist to design, implement, and maintain comprehensive business continuity and disaster recovery programs. This role involves identifying risks, developing recovery strategies, and ensuring operational resilience to protect critical business functions and IT systems. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of risk management, crisis management, and IT disaster recovery principles.

Key Responsibilities:

Business Continuity Planning (BCP):

• Develop, implement, and maintain the organization s Business Continuity Plan in alignment with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct Business Impact Analyses (BIA) to identify critical processes, dependencies, and recovery priorities.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to establish continuity strategies and contingency plans for business operations.
• Conduct regular BCP tests and drills to validate readiness, document results, and address gaps.
• Provide training and awareness programs to ensure employees understand their roles in the BCP framework.
• Review and update the BCP periodically to account for organizational changes and emerging risks.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation of BCP processes, roles, and responsibilities.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards related to business continuity (e.g., ISO 22301).
• Monitor and analyze emerging risks, industry trends, and best practices to enhance the BCP framework.

Disaster Recovery (DR):

• Design and implement disaster recovery plans to ensure IT systems and infrastructure can recover quickly from disruptions.
• Work closely with IT teams to identify critical systems, applications, and data to prioritize recovery efforts.
• Establish Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) for key systems.
• Test and evaluate DR plans regularly, ensuring alignment with BCP objectives.
• Oversee the deployment of backup systems, redundancy measures, and cloud-based recovery solutions (e.g. AWS/Azure DR).
• Respond to IT-related incidents and coordinate recovery efforts to minimize downtime.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation:

• Identify potential threats, vulnerabilities, and risks that could disrupt business operations or IT systems.
• Develop strategies to mitigate identified risks, ensuring alignment with overall organizational goals.
• Monitor emerging risks and trends to enhance BCP and DR frameworks.

Crisis Management:

• Serve as a key member of the crisis management team, coordinating responses during incidents.
• Ensure effective communication among stakeholders, including senior management, employees, vendors, and clients.
• Provide post-incident analysis to identify lessons learned and opportunities for improvement.

Key Skills:

• In-depth knowledge of BCP and DR principles, methodologies, and frameworks.
• Strong understanding of IT systems, infrastructure, and disaster recovery technologies.
• Expertise in risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proficiency in business continuity and disaster recovery tools and software.