Sr. Business Continuity Specialist

University of Rochester • City of Rochester, NY

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Rochester is seeking a Sr. Business Continuity Specialist to support management and business functional areas in planning for business interruptions. This role plays a key part in ensuring organizational resilience through proactive planning, business impact analysis (BIA), and continuous improvement initiatives. The specialist will partner with stakeholders across the enterprise to identify critical business functions, assess risk, and develop practical recovery and continuity strategies. The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, risk management, information systems, emergency management, or related field required
• Minimum 5-7 years in business continuity or equivalent combination of education and experience required
• Experience leading BIAs, continuity plan development, and resilience program implementation in a complex organization (preferably higher education, healthcare, or large enterprise environment) required/preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of HIPAA, Joint Commission and other regulatory and accrediting business continuity controls relevant to UR and URMC and affiliates required
• Expert understanding of business continuity frameworks, standards, and best practices (e.g., ISO 22301, FFIEC, NFPA 1600, NIST) required
• CBCP (Certified Business Continuity Professional), MBCP, ISO 22301 Lead Implementer, or equivalent BCM certification required.
• Certifications in FEMA ICS 100, ICS 200, IS 700 and IS 800 required upon hire.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with continuity planning tools, data analytics platforms, and reporting dashboards preferred

Responsibilities

• Provides independent consultative support to business units in the development and enhancement of business continuity plans, aligned with University standards and industry best practices.
• Advises on strategies to strengthen operational resilience and minimize disruption.
• Leads and performs BIAs to evaluate departmental criticality, interdependencies, and recovery time objectives.
• Analyzes results and translates findings into actionable recommendations to guide continuity planning and prioritization.
• Conducts gap analyses and process reviews to identify opportunities for improvement within continuity and resilience practices.
• Recommends and supports remediation activities that enhance program effectiveness.
• Designs and implements data-driven solutions to support the BCM program.
• Translates information gathered through workshops and assessments into meaningful insights and executive-level reports.
• Creates dashboards and metrics to monitor program maturity and performance.
• Develops, updates, and maintains Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines, and manuals to ensure consistent execution of continuity processes.
• Manages documentation related to BCM tools, including user guides, system manuals, and knowledge base content.
• Leads workshops with departmental and divisional leadership to identify critical functions, process map workflows, and document recovery strategies.
• Collaborates across units to strengthen cross-functional recovery coordination.
• Develops and delivers business continuity education and awareness materials to promote preparedness and resilience across the organization’s workforce.
• Supports ongoing evaluation and enhancement of the BCM framework.
• Performs additional duties as required to support program goals and institutional resilience.

Benefits

• The referenced pay range represents the minimum and maximum compensation for this job. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range, and will be determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, market data, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior