Business Continuity Administrator (Information Technology)
Role:
The Business Continuity Administrator is responsible for ensuring the resilience and continuity of business operations. This role involves developing, implementing, and maintaining business continuity plans and strategies to protect the organization from disruptions. The administrator conducts risk assessments to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities, designs and updates continuity plans, and coordinates continuity exercises and drills to test organizational readiness. Collaboration with key stakeholders is essential to align continuity strategies with organizational goals. Additionally, the administrator provides training and support to staff on continuity and disaster response protocols, monitors the effectiveness of plans, and recommends improvements as needed. By fulfilling these responsibilities, the Business Continuity Administrator plays a crucial role in minimizing operational disruptions and ensuring the organization's ability to continue functioning effectively during and after incidents.
Location: Our headquarters are based in Syracuse, NY. We work in a Hybrid Model requiring a minimum of 5 days in office per month.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities:
90% Business Continuity Expertise:
- Act as the subject matter expert on business continuity, crisis management, and disaster recovery activities.
- Develop, implement, and maintain the Business Continuity Management (BCM) plans, providing guidance on appropriate recovery strategies.
- Perform risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and recommend cost-effective disaster mitigation strategies in collaboration with senior leadership.
- Conduct Business Impact Analyses (BIAs) on departments, processes, and systems as appropriate to document recovery strategies and Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and analyze BIA data to update the BCM Plan as needed.
- Ensure BCM procedures and documentation are current and reflective of any necessary changes.
- Coordinate and conduct Business Continuity, pandemic, and disaster recovery testing, exercises, and training to enhance staff awareness.
- Establish and maintain relationships with emergency services personnel and other third parties to support BCM activities as required.
- Support internal and external audits and testing efforts and maintain an understanding of BCM and DR best practices and changes impacting the BCM plan.
5% Cyber Security Incident Response & System Management:
- Support the Information Security Department in the event of potential security breaches, such as documenting meetings, and liaising with business area stakeholders.
- Coordinate business recovery activities with cyber security incident response to minimize business interruption during an event.
- Assist in coordinating relationships with emergency services personnel and other third parties as required during a cyber security incident.
- Manage systems such as the business continuity module of the GRC platform, employee emergency notification system and news/alert sources; ensure these systems remain current and meet business needs.
- Adapt to changes in the work environment, handle multiple competing demands, and manage frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events calmly and logically.
- Embrace and foster an environment that supports the organization's mission and core competencies.
5% Emergency Response & Recovery Coordination:
- Lead the organization's emergency response during a disaster or major business interruption according to the established BCM plan.
- Coordinate recovery activities to maximize the organization's ability to resume critical business functions within defined time frames (RTOs) and with minimal loss.
- Perform all other duties as assigned.
Performance Measurements:
See Dayforce (HRIS) Performance Management for Goals upon start in role, and annually.
Knowledge and Skills:
Experience: 3 to 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in the financial industry, in areas such as Business Continuity Management, Crisis and Incident Management, Disaster Recovery, or Enterprise Operational Resiliency.
- At least 3 years of experience managing corporate crisis management programs.
- In-depth knowledge of business continuity practices specific to Credit Unions or Financial Services, including risk evaluation, Business Impact Analysis (BIA), continuity strategies, emergency response, plan exercises, audit and maintenance, and crisis communications.
Education: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Emergency Management, Risk Management) or equivalent education and experience, with 3 to 5 years of relevant experience and preferred certifications in business continuity or crisis management.
Interpersonal Skills: A significant level of trust and diplomacy is required, in addition to normal courtesy and tact. Work involves extensive personal contact with others and may be of a personal or sensitive nature. Work may involve motivating, influencing or training others. Outside contacts become important and fostering sound relationships with other entities (companies and/or individuals) becomes necessary and often requires the ability to influence and/or sell ideas to others.
Other Skills:
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Efficient in time management, organization, and balancing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, decentralized environment.
- Adaptable to changing conditions, capable of working independently, driving projects to completion, and meeting deadlines.
- Skilled in synthesizing complex data into clear recommendations and reports for senior management.
- Proficient with computers, detail-oriented, and committed to confidentiality and customer service.
- Ability to communicate positively with diverse populations and foster an inclusive culture.
- Willingness to manage crisis events outside of core hours and comply with all training and professionalism requirements.
Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods at a time, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
This Job Description is not a complete statement of all duties and responsibilities comprising the position.
