BUSINESS CONTINUITY CONSULTANT JOB DESCRIPTION

Business continuity consulting is the discipline of preparing organizations to survive disruption before disruption arrives. At the professional services level, this work is structured around ISO 22301 and NFPA 1600 frameworks, applying them to clients across sectors with varying risk profiles and regulatory obligations. A consultant in this space owns the full BCM advisory relationship: from Business Impact Analysis and risk assessment through plan documentation, exercise design, and governance policy. Engagements frequently span multiple geographies and require up to 40% travel.

As the Business Continuity Consultant, you lead client-facing BCM engagements from scoping through delivery, producing analysis, plans, and exercise programs that measurably improve organizational resilience. You operate across a portfolio of concurrent client accounts, managing project timelines and stakeholder relationships with limited direct supervision while contributing to the firm's internal knowledge base and practice development.

Career Impact: Deep specialization in ISO 22301-aligned BCM consulting establishes credibility with risk, compliance, and executive leadership audiences across regulated industries, a combination that supports progression toward senior consultant and practice lead roles.

Business Impact: The strategies and recovery plans you deliver determine how quickly client organizations restore critical business functions after a disaster-level event, directly affecting their operational continuity and regulatory standing.

Growth Opportunity: Exposure to crisis management, IT disaster recovery, and enterprise risk governance across multiple client verticals builds a cross-functional portfolio that opens pathways into enterprise-level risk advisory, program director, and principal consultant positions.

• Lead BCM engagements including Business Impact Analysis, risk assessment, strategy development, and plan documentation for assigned client accounts.
• Develop crisis management procedures and emergency response programs tailored to each client's operational structure and regulatory environment.
• Design and facilitate tabletop exercises and live recovery tests, debriefing outcomes and tracking remediation of identified gaps.
• Conduct research and quantitative analysis to assess, rate, and prioritize client business continuity risks across functions and geographies.
• Author governance policies and long-term maintenance frameworks that sustain client BCM programs between formal engagements.
• Partner with business, operational, and technical stakeholders to align recovery priorities and communicate findings to executive leadership.
• Identify scope expansion opportunities within existing client relationships and support proposal development for new engagements.
• Contribute to internal thought leadership through blog posts, white papers, and practice-facing materials that advance the firm's BCM expertise.

• Bachelor's degree in business, information systems, emergency management, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of business continuity consulting experience, with demonstrated delivery across multiple client engagements and industry sectors.
• Active certification in business continuity management, such as CBCP, ABCP, MBCI, or equivalent BCI or DRII credential.
• Working knowledge of ISO 22301 and NFPA 1600 standards as applied to program design, assessment, and governance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical BCM concepts for non-technical business stakeholders.
• Demonstrated project management capability, including scoping, scheduling, and managing deliverables across concurrent engagements.

• Post-graduate degree in risk management, emergency management, business administration, or a related discipline.
• Experience with IT disaster recovery planning and familiarity with enterprise risk management frameworks beyond BCM.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent formal project management credential.
• CISSP or comparable information security certification relevant to technology-dependent recovery environments.

• Exercise completion rate, measuring the percentage of planned client tests delivered on schedule.
• Gap remediation closure rate, tracking how many identified BIA or testing deficiencies are resolved within the agreed timeframe.
• Client engagement milestone adherence, reflecting on-time delivery of plans, assessments, and governance documents per project schedule.
• Scope expansion rate, measuring new service areas added within existing client accounts following initial engagement delivery.
• Plan quality score against ISO 22301 audit criteria, used during client program assessments.
• Typical tools: BCM platform (commonly Fusion Risk Management or Quantivate); productivity suite (commonly Microsoft 365 including Excel and PowerPoint).

• Base Salary Range: $85,000 to $115,000 annually, depending on seniority and geography
• Bonus: Performance-based, typically 8 to 15% of base salary
• Equity: Uncommon at this level; profit-sharing offered at some firms
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution varies by firm
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus federal holidays
• Common Perks: Travel reimbursement, professional certification sponsorship, continuing education allowance

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Background screening, including criminal history review, is a condition of employment for this role given the advisory access granted to client environments and sensitive business data. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process upon request. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Business Continuity Consultant delivers client-ready analysis, business continuity planning, and thought leadership materials, building subject matter expertise across the full BCM lifecycle. Collaborating closely with managers and team members, the role enables clients to strengthen their continuity programs through exceptional advisory service and creative application of industry practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute and manage business continuity-related project tasks, delivering client-ready analysis and planning.
• Develop knowledge and skills to be recognized as a subject matter expert.
• Demonstrate competence with business continuity software tools.
• Participate in internal meetings and initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for additional work.
• Author blogs, perspectives, and other thought leadership-focused materials.
• Work closely with managers and team members to improve team performance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher required.
• CBCP, MBCP, MBCI, or FBCI preferred, with PMP certification a plus.
• 3 to 5 years performing business continuity consulting services, business-oriented rather than exclusively technology-oriented.
• Familiar with all aspects of the business continuity lifecycle, including program design, BIA, risk assessment, strategy development, plan documentation, exercise facilitation, training, and assessment.
• Familiarity with enterprise risk management concepts and practices.
• Outstanding writing, presentation, and analytical skills.
• Experience delivering exceptional client service.
• Flexibility and creativity when applying industry practices to complex problems.

Embedded within a global business continuity function, the Business Continuity Consultant owns testing oversight across FLUs, ECFs, and application teams, ensuring adherence to continuity policies and standards across assigned exercises and global projects. Working closely with process owners and BC coordinators, this work enables the organization to identify gaps, drive remediation, and maintain resilience across EMEA-representing global initiatives.

Core Functions

• Serve as SME on business continuity and business continuity testing across assigned exercises and global projects.
• Ensure adherence by FLUs, ECFs, and Application Teams to business continuity testing policies and standards.
• Support recovery plan testing, application testing, and third-party testing.
• Develop and maintain relationships with global process owners, FLUs, ECFs, and application teams.
• Manage and facilitate weekly meetings to communicate testing requirements and ensure deliverable dates are met.
• Identify gaps and risks in testing and evidence requirements, and oversee remediation within assigned timeframes.
• Manage training and ongoing support of testing tools for BC coordinators.
• Drive opportunities for improvement and contribute as SME on EMEA-representing global projects.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Technical knowledge of business continuity controls and the processes used for evaluating and testing their design and effectiveness.
• 5 or more years of experience in business continuity, with a technology background preferred.
• Project management, analytical, and planning skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Strong communication skills, written and verbal, with the ability to translate technical content for non-technical business partners.
• Strong meeting facilitation, relationship management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and present to senior leaders.

Reporting to engagement leadership, the Business Continuity Consultant leads or supports delivery of BCM consulting services across multiple industries, developing project plans, conducting risk analysis, and building governance policies to meet client expectations. Partnering with clients and colleagues across emergency response, crisis management, and IT disaster recovery, the role builds organizational resilience and positions the firm as a credible BCM advisory presence.

Primary Duties

• Cultivate credibility with clients and colleagues and serve as a recognized problem solver.
• Lead or participate as a team member across all facets of BCM consulting engagements.
• Develop project plans for BCM engagements.
• Conduct research and analysis to identify, assess, quantify, and rate areas of risk.
• Develop general and tactical plans covering emergency response, crisis management, business unit continuity, and IT disaster recovery.
• Develop exercise and training activities for client personnel on response and recovery roles.
• Recommend controls and monitor their effectiveness following BCM implementation.
• Develop governance policies and procedures for long-term maintenance of BCM strategies and plans.

Skills & Qualifications

• BA or BS degree required, with a post-graduate degree a plus.
• Business continuity certification from BCI or DRII required, with CISSP a plus.
• 5 or more years of experience in emergency response, business continuity, and disaster recovery planning across multiple industries and geographies.
• Strong understanding of NFPA 1600 and ISO 22301 as applied to BCM program design and governance.
• Conversant in leading BCM-oriented software packages and Emergency Notification Systems tools.
• Strong project management and oral communication skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 40% domestically and internationally.

Sitting at the intersection of information security and business continuity management, the Business Continuity Consultant leads development and implementation of continuity strategies spanning risk assessments, BIA, disaster recovery, and crisis management across business and technical stakeholder groups. Operating across compliance, governance, and advisory functions, the role shapes organizational resilience by ensuring programs meet legal requirements and equipping clients and internal teams with training and actionable continuity plans.

Duties

• Develop, maintain, and implement business continuity strategies including Risk Assessments, Business Impact Analysis, Business Continuity Planning, Disaster Recovery, and Crisis Management.
• Identify key business continuity risks, critical business functions, and supporting systems and resources.
• Ensure compliance of business continuity programs with legal requirements, applicable regulations, and policies.
• Plan, conduct, and debrief business continuity tests and exercises, implementing lessons learned and updating plans regularly.
• Develop and maintain crisis management procedures for decision-making and communications during a crisis.
• Plan for incident prevention and prediction to maintain service availability before, during, and after a disaster-level incident.
• Develop comprehensive IT disaster recovery strategies including regular testing.
• Interact with business, operational, and technical stakeholders and communicate findings to executive management.
• Provide training, awareness, and advisory services on business continuity to clients and internal teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, management information systems, mathematics, or equivalent experience.
• Certification in business continuity management such as CBCI, ISO 22301, ABCP, or CBCP is an asset.
• 5 or more years of experience in information security and business continuity, with 2 to 6 years in business continuity management specifically.
• Experience in Security Risk Management, Security Governance, and compliance and data protection.
• Analytical mindset with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and organize activities systematically.
• Fluent English required, with knowledge of French or Dutch also required.
• Strong team spirit with ability to work autonomously, prioritize effectively, and adapt in a collaborative environment.