Senior Information Risk Consultant - Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Information Risk Consultant to lead and manage our Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery program. As the BC/DR Program Manager, you will ensure that our critical applications, systems, networks, and information assets are secure, resilient, and available whenever needed. You will work collaboratively with IT, business units, and global partners to continuously improve our BC/DR capabilities.

Manage the BCM Program:

• Leadership and Delivery:

  • Lead, shape, and deliver a practical and effective Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery program.
  • Ensure critical applications, systems, networks, and information assets are working and available whenever needed.
  • Provide program oversight to ensure compliance with Global Standards and best practices.

• Collaboration and Documentation:

  • Work with IT, Project Management colleagues, and vendors to ensure systems are built with DR requirements embedded and recovery documentation is in place.
  • Collaborate with business areas to document recovery strategies and workarounds in case of business interruption, including third-party arrangements.

• Program Development:

  • Develop, schedule, and conduct BC/DR exercises in accordance with divisional goals and Global standards.
  • Provide oversight for exercises run by business units or IT teams, leveraging Manulife’s global scale to improve the exercise process and recoverability of processes and systems.
  • Perform quality assurance checks to ensure compliance with Global standards.

Crisis Management:

• Crisis Response:
  • Use communication skills to provide calm and professional crisis management during disasters or business interruptions.
  • Work with incident management and other BC/DR professionals across the company to deliver timely information and provide guidance in response to disasters.
  • Participate in exercises to hone crisis management skills.

Program Maturity and Improvement:

• Maturity Enhancement:
  • Mature our programs against global risk standards and controls in collaboration with IT, business units, and L2 partners.
  • Continuously improve processes to move key elements of our program to higher levels of maturity, as measured by the Capability Maturity Model.

Support Changes and Projects:

• Project Support:
  • Provide advice, assistance, and support to business units, IT, and other project teams to ensure BC and DR considerations are included as required by standards.
  • Work with other IRM teams to identify areas for program improvement and drive execution through special projects and working sessions.
  • Embrace and deploy innovative solutions to manage information risk associated with new technology and processes.

Standardization and Metrics:

• Process Standardization:
  • Devise and deploy ways to standardize processes within BCM and across IRM, ORM, and ORRM functions to provide a holistic view of Information Risk.
  • Automate the production of metrics and move them to quantitative measures.
  • Share best practices with peers within the organization.

• Experience:
  • 5+ years of experience in Information Risk, Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Information Technology, Project Management, , or Information Security.
  • Experience in a large, complex organization is preferred.
  • Knowledge of OSFI B10, B13, B15 & E21 is preferred.
• Education:
  • University Degree preferred but not required.
• Industry Knowledge:
  • Financial Services industry experience is preferred.
• Certifications:
  • Professional certification in BCM (e.g., ABCP, CBCP, MBCI, or MBCP) is a plus, or working towards obtaining certification.
• Technical Skills:
  • Strong personal computing skills (MS Office) and familiarity with BCM planning tools and/or relational databases (e.g., Fusion Risk Management, Archer).
  • Familiarity with collaboration tools (teleconference, instant messaging, email, and videoconference).
  • Broad understanding of application system technologies and BC/DR tools and techniques.
• Communication Skills:
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to develop and deliver effective user education sessions and present to all organizational levels.
• Interpersonal Skills:
  • Proven ability to build relationships, engage, and influence others.
  • Achievement-oriented with proven project management skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities within tight deadlines while maintaining a professional and friendly attitude.

• BC/DR Recommendations:
  • Make business continuity and disaster recovery recommendations to business units to mitigate, remediate, and plan for BCP and DR incidents.
  • Provide guidance and oversight on planning and exercising.
• Expert Judgment:
  • As a subject matter expert, make recommendations based on skill and knowledge, using independent judgment and discretion to make sound and actionable recommendations.
• Risk Protection:
  • Protect the company against BCP/DR related risks.

• Off-Hours Support:
  • Ability to work off-hours to support Business Continuity incidents, Disaster Recovery testing activities, and help manage incidents or communicate with colleagues in different time zones occasionally.

Manulife is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States, and Manulife globally, including Canada, Asia, and Europe. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Learn more at manulife.com.

Manulife/John Hancock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We embrace diversity and strive to attract, develop, and retain a workforce that reflects the customers we serve. We are committed to providing a work environment that fosters inclusion and respects diverse perspectives.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact recruitment@manulife.com.

Salary range is expected to be between

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact recruitment@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact recruitment@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.