Business Continuity Manager

The Business Continuity Manager is the enterprise-wide Subject Matter Expert (SME) responsible for leading, developing and embedding effective Business Continuity (BC) and Disaster Recovery (DR) arrangements across East West Rail. The role provides independent, second-line oversight and leadership of BC/DR, ensuring EWR is prepared to respond to and recover from disruptive incidents while safeguarding safety, reputation, critical services and statutory obligations.

The postholder will design and maintain a coherent BC/DR framework aligned to ISO 22301 and good practice from major rail and infrastructure programmes (e.g. Network Rail, Crossrail, HS2). This is a standalone role, independent from delivery teams, with authority to challenge, advise and escalate to senior leadership where continuity arrangements are not adequate.

Team dimensions

• Reporting to the Head of Finance
• No Direct Reports

Responsibilities and accountabilities

• Lead the design, implementation and continuous improvement of EWR’s Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery framework in line with ISO 22301.
• Maintain BC/DR policies, processes, plans, command structures and supporting templates, ensuring they are current, coherent and fit for purpose.
• Ensure BC/DR arrangements are enterprise-wide, risk-based and proportionate to EWR’s strategic objectives and operational risks.
• Lead, coordinate and support the business to complete Business Impact Analyses (BIA) and BC risk assessments across the organisation, to identify critical activities, dependencies, recovery priorities and tolerances.
• Ensure Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) are defined and understood for critical processes and systems.
• Provide expert advice and support to Strategic and Tactical Command during live incidents as required.
• Design and deliver a tiered BC/DR training and awareness programme for staff, managers and senior leaders.
• Develop and maintain a rolling programme of risk-based tabletop exercises and simulations, including physical, cyber and technology-led scenarios.
• Lead post-incident and post-exercise reviews, ensuring lessons learned are captured and embedded.
• Develop and report meaningful BC/DR KPIs and KRIs (e.g. action closure rates, Mean Time To Detect (MTTD), exercise outcomes etc.).
• Provide regular assurance reporting to the CFO, ExCo and ARC on BC/DR maturity, compliance and residual risk.
• Benchmark EWR’s arrangements against good practice from comparable rail and infrastructure organisations.
• Establish and chair a cross-functional BC/DR forum, working closely with Cyber, IT, HR, Communications, Safety, Quality and Governance leads.
• Act as EWR’s lead professional interface on BC/DR matters with regulators, auditors and assurance providers.

Experience and skills

• Proven ability to operate as a credible, independent SME within complex organisations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the confidence to influence and challenge at senior levels.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex risk and technical issues into clear, actionable advice.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to design and deliver training and to facilitate senior-level exercises.

Education and qualifications

• Demonstrable knowledge and practical application of Business Continuity and resilience management standards and frameworks (including ISO 22301).
• Professional certification or chartered status with a recognised body: Business Continuity Institute (BCI) or Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI).