Business Continuity Program Director

Group 1001 is a consumer-centric, technology-driven family of insurance companies on a mission to deliver outstanding value and operational performance by combining financial strength and stability with deep insurance expertise and a can-do culture. Group1001’s culture emphasizes the importance of collaboration, communication, core business focus, risk management, and striving for outcomes. This goal extends to how we hire and onboard our most valuable assets – our employees.

Group 1001, and its affiliated companies, is strongly committed to providing a supportive work environment where employee differences are valued. Diversity is an essential ingredient in making Group 1001 a welcoming place to work and is fundamental in building a high-performance team. Diversity embodies all the differences that make us unique individuals.  All employees share the responsibility for maintaining a workplace culture of dignity, respect, understanding and appreciation of individual and group differences.

The Business Continuity Program (BCP) Director is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the organization's business continuity strategies and plans and assisting in coordinating disaster recovery strategies with the company CIO team. This role ensures that all critical business functions can continue or be resumed rapidly during and after a disruption. The ideal candidate will work closely with all departments to identify risks, develop mitigation strategies, and coordinate response efforts during incidents.

As a subject matter expert in Business Continuity and Incident Management, this person will serve internal business partners and Group 1001 leadership to strengthen the overall resiliency of the firm through conducting and promoting Business Continuity Planning and Incident Management awareness and training activities as needed.

The position reports to the Chief Risk Officer.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and Maintain Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) through designing, implementing, and regularly updating comprehensive BCPs for all critical business units.
• Collaborate with department heads to ensure plans are tailored to specific operational needs.
• Ensure plans are compliant with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct Business Impact Analyses (BIA) to identify and evaluate potential risks and their impact on business operations.
• Prioritize critical functions and processes that are essential to organizational resilience.
• Address Risk Assessment and Mitigation through analyzing potential threats ranging from natural disasters to cyber-attacks.
• Develop strategies to mitigate identified risks, including preventive measures and response protocols.
• Disaster Recovery (DR) Planning, coordinating with IT teams to develop and maintain disaster recovery plans for technology infrastructure.
• Ensure data backup, recovery processes, and system redundancies are in place and effective.
• Plan and execute regular drills and simulation exercises to test the effectiveness of BCPs and recovery strategies.
• Develop training programs to educate employees on their roles and responsibilities during a disruption.
• Lead Incident Management serving as a key crisis management team member during actual events.
• Coordinate communication and response efforts internally and with external stakeholders.
• Regulatory Compliance and Reporting, staying abreast of relevant laws, regulations, and industry best practices.
• Prepare and submit necessary documentation to regulatory bodies.
• Provide regular reports to senior management on the status of business continuity initiatives.
• Vendor and Third-Party Management assessing the business continuity capabilities of critical suppliers and service providers.
• Ensure third-party agreements include adequate provisions for business continuity.
• Champion Continuous Improvement through monitoring emerging trends and technologies in business continuity and disaster recovery.
• Recommend and implement improvements to existing policies and procedures.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7-10+ years’ experience in business continuity planning, disaster recovery, or risk management within the financial services sector.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing effective BCPs and DR strategies.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements relevant to financial services.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Risk Management, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Master’s degree or MBA is preferred.
• Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) or equivalent certification is highly desirable.
• Additional certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) are a plus.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess complex situations and develop effective solutions.
• Comprehensive Project Management background demonstrated proficiency in leading projects from conception to completion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for interacting with all organizational levels.
• Strong leadership abilities to guide cross-functional teams during planning and crisis situations.
• Meticulous in planning and documentation to address all aspects of business continuity.
• Understanding of IT infrastructure and its role in business operations.
• Capable of making critical decisions under pressure.
• Willingness to be on-call and available during off-hours in case of emergencies.
• Ability to travel to various company locations as needed.

Benefits Highlights:  

Employees who meet benefit eligibility guidelines and work 30 hours or more weekly, have the ability to enroll in Group 1001’s benefits package. Employees (and their families) are eligible to participate in the Company’s comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plan options.  Employees are also eligible for Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability, and to enroll in the Company’s Employee Assistance Program and other wellness initiatives.  Employees may also participate in the Company’s 401K plan, with matching contributions by the Company. 

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