Disaster Recovery Program Manager

GCI Communication Corp•Anchorage, AK

22h•Hybrid

About The Position

GCI's Disaster Recovery Program Manager will lead the development, governance, and execution of the enterprise’s statewide Disaster Recovery (DR) program, ensuring the organization can effectively prepare for, withstand, and recover from events that threaten critical network, technology, and operational services in a 24x7 environment. Bring together cross‑functional teams to drive strategic initiatives that enhance operational resilience, maintain regulatory compliance, and safeguard customer trust by balancing risk, cost, and recovery objectives. Strengthen service continuity, support public safety, and uphold the company’s commitment to reliable service delivery for Alaskans. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AT ALL LEVELS: Disaster Recovery Program Leadership & Governance Align Disaster Recovery (DR) initiatives with strategic vision, long-range plan (LRP), budgets, and organizational risk posture. Develop and maintain the cross organizational DR roadmap, including timelines, milestones, readiness targets, testing cycles, and capital/operating budgets. Translate enterprise risks, regulatory needs, and operational priorities into actionable DR initiatives and recovery strategies. Establish and enforce governance frameworks (roles & responsibilities, approvals & escalation, lifecycle phases, risk mitigation). Manage DR programs/projects across a matrixed organization, including scope, schedule, budget, resources, risk, and communication. Integrate DR planning with Major Incident Management, Business Continuity, Cybersecurity, Network Operations, and Infrastructure teams. Build and maintain DR standards, methodologies, playbooks, and execution practices. Lead tabletop exercises, functional tests, and full‑scale recovery exercises and track findings and remediation. Provide executive‑level reporting on readiness, risks, test outcomes, gaps, and improvements. Program Analysis, Discovery & Continuous Improvement Identify opportunities to strengthen preparedness by assessing technology resilience, operational processes, organizational capabilities, and lessons learned. Support adaptive program management to promote continuous learning and improvement. Partner with business and technical teams to develop, analyze, and maintain metrics, data sets, and models supporting DR planning and readiness assessments. Analyze risk trends and recovery performance to guide investment and leadership decisions. Evaluate new technologies, architectures, and initiatives for DR and resiliency impact. Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Advisory Support Build collaborative relationships across Network Operations, Application Technology, Engineering, Security, Compliance, Consumer, and executive teams. Collaborate on organization‑wide training programs for Disaster Recovery and Incident Response. Serve as a trusted advisor on DR readiness, risk posture, and response capabilities. Vendor, Partner & Resource Management Manage DR‑related vendor relationships, including procurement, contracts, performance evaluation, and third‑party resiliency services. Ensure vendor solutions align with recovery objectives, regulatory obligations, and operational requirements. Coordinate with state and federal agencies during regional disasters. Validate DR business cases and financial assumptions to ensure effective use of capital and operating budgets. Support staffing and resource planning, prioritizing and managing dependencies. Monitor budgets, variances, and financial risks for DR initiatives. Evaluate completed DR initiatives for performance against scope, schedule, budget, and strategic goals.

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent.
Bachelor’s degree in IT/IS, project management, cybersecurity, business, or related field.
Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible relevant experience in Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery, Project/Program Management, Engineering, and/or Information Security/Technology, or related field.
ACCOUNTABILITY- Takes ownership for actions, decisions, and results; openly accepts feedback and demonstrates a willingness to improve.
Proactive self‑starter with strong initiative and the ability to identify needs and work independently with minimal supervision
BASIC PRINCIPLES - Interacts with people in a way that builds mutual trust, confidence, and respect; adheres to GCI’s Code of Conduct for Employees – the Basic Principles.
COLLABORATION - Works effectively with others to accomplish common goals and objectives; maintains positive relationships even under difficult circumstances.
Strong cross‑functional collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively at all levels of the organization and build relationships that support key priorities.
COMMUNICATION- Conveys thoughts and expresses ideas appropriately and professionally.
Excellent verbal, written, and digital communication skills, with demonstrated persuasiveness and the ability to influence diverse audiences.
COMPLIANCE - Follows internal controls; protects confidential information; abides by GCI’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics.
CUSTOMER FOCUS - Demonstrates commitment to service excellence; gives high priority to customer satisfaction.
RELIABILITY - Consistently follows through on assigned tasks as expected; demonstrates timely attendance at meetings, training, and other work obligations.
RESULTS - Uses a combination of job knowledge, initiative, sound decision making, innovation, adaptability, and problem solving.
Ability to operate within a geographically distributed organization, effectively coordinating across departments and leveraging enterprise resources to achieve program objectives.
Proven capability to shape, execute, and measure a proactive policy or program agenda aligned with defined outcomes and organizational goals.
Skilled in managing multiple concurrent sub‑programs while maintaining strategic perspective and alignment to overall program goals.
Proficient in reporting, tracking, and analytical tools used to monitor program performance and budget adherence.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT: champions and supports department and company change.
DECISION MAKING: uses sound, logical judgment based on data, research, and experience to choose an appropriate course of action.
Strong problem‑solving and analytical abilities, capable of evaluating complex issues and identifying optimal solutions.
Creative and adaptive issue resolution skills, applying innovative approaches when addressing challenges.
PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION: analyzes workload and establishes appropriate priorities; sets measurable and achievable goals and objectives for the team.
MENTORING & DEVELOPMENT: utilizes interpersonal skills to guide, direct, and influence others to achieve results.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: sets clear performance expectations for team.
SAFETY & SECURITY - Supports a safe work environment by following all workplace safety rules and guidelines; complies with applicable Security policies and procedures.
Proficient computer skills and MS Office knowledge (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel) to complete job duties effectively.
This position requires access to reliable transportation for occasional travel, such as, between retail store locations, offices, worksites, or other locations as needed.

Nice To Haves

Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity certifications (CBCP, MBCI, CISM, CISSP)
Experience with disaster recovery testing, incident response, or compliance environments.
Telecommunications or critical infrastructure experience.
National Incident Management System (NIMS) experience.
Project Management Certification (PMP).
Financial analysis or compliance and audit experience.
Other relevant telecom industry or job specific certifications.

Responsibilities

Align Disaster Recovery (DR) initiatives with strategic vision, long-range plan (LRP), budgets, and organizational risk posture.
Develop and maintain the cross organizational DR roadmap, including timelines, milestones, readiness targets, testing cycles, and capital/operating budgets.
Translate enterprise risks, regulatory needs, and operational priorities into actionable DR initiatives and recovery strategies.
Establish and enforce governance frameworks (roles & responsibilities, approvals & escalation, lifecycle phases, risk mitigation).
Manage DR programs/projects across a matrixed organization, including scope, schedule, budget, resources, risk, and communication.
Integrate DR planning with Major Incident Management, Business Continuity, Cybersecurity, Network Operations, and Infrastructure teams.
Build and maintain DR standards, methodologies, playbooks, and execution practices.
Lead tabletop exercises, functional tests, and full‑scale recovery exercises and track findings and remediation.
Provide executive‑level reporting on readiness, risks, test outcomes, gaps, and improvements.
Identify opportunities to strengthen preparedness by assessing technology resilience, operational processes, organizational capabilities, and lessons learned.
Support adaptive program management to promote continuous learning and improvement.
Partner with business and technical teams to develop, analyze, and maintain metrics, data sets, and models supporting DR planning and readiness assessments.
Analyze risk trends and recovery performance to guide investment and leadership decisions.
Evaluate new technologies, architectures, and initiatives for DR and resiliency impact.
Build collaborative relationships across Network Operations, Application Technology, Engineering, Security, Compliance, Consumer, and executive teams.
Collaborate on organization‑wide training programs for Disaster Recovery and Incident Response.
Serve as a trusted advisor on DR readiness, risk posture, and response capabilities.
Manage DR‑related vendor relationships, including procurement, contracts, performance evaluation, and third‑party resiliency services.
Ensure vendor solutions align with recovery objectives, regulatory obligations, and operational requirements.
Coordinate with state and federal agencies during regional disasters.
Validate DR business cases and financial assumptions to ensure effective use of capital and operating budgets.
Support staffing and resource planning, prioritizing and managing dependencies.
Monitor budgets, variances, and financial risks for DR initiatives.
Evaluate completed DR initiatives for performance against scope, schedule, budget, and strategic goals.