Disaster Recovery Lead

The Disaster Recovery Lead is responsible for developing, maintaining, and executing disaster recovery strategies to ensure business continuity across critical systems and services. This role collaborates with cross-functional teams to identify risks, conduct impact analyses, and implement recovery plans aligned with organizational objectives.
Position Responsibilities:
Ensure disaster recovery (DR) plans are aligned with broader business continuity strategies through collaboration with key stakeholders.
• Conduct Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to identify critical systems and dependencies
Create and maintain disaster recovery (DR) documentation, including recovery plans, runbooks, and testing schedules.
Lead market DR testing activities, including planning, execution, and post-test analysis and improvements
Ensure compliance milestones for annual plan updates, review, and signoff are met.
Monitor, track key performance indicators (KPIs) and report on DR readiness across systems and departments.
Work with regional DR and oversight functions to build more robust and executable Disaster Recovery plans.
Maintain appropriate documentation, records, and reports for auditors
Ensure project and support teams, Senior management, and business staff address any technology related deficiencies that may be identified by an Audit.
Establish and oversee department procedures, documentation, and training to align with records management policies
Responsible to keep corporate audit databases up to date with statuses, issues, remediation plans etc.
Develop tabletop exercises and simulations to validate and test organizational disaster readiness.
Conduct training and awareness sessions for technical team and business units on DR procedures and roles during an incident.
Lead post-incident reviews and root cause analysis to identify gaps and drive improvements in DR processes.
Primary contact for market security incident response.
Oversee Project Information Risk Assessments to ensure alignment with security and compliance requirements.
Provide oversight and guidance for the BAU IRM Program, ensuring continuous monitoring and compliance with corporate security standards.
Individual Accountabilities:
• Lead Annual DR Activity
• Maintain DR system of records
• Create and manage tabletop / simulation exercises
• Assess DR solutions for new projects and initiatives
Key Shared Accountabilities:
• Identification of risk treatment and mitigation DR strategies
• Escalating to various stakeholders, which includes executives
• Security incident response
• Project Information Risk Assessments
• BAU IRM Program
Required Qualifications:
5-8 years of experience in IT operations, risk management, or business continuity.
Understanding of disaster recovery principles and IT infrastructure.
Familiarity with DR tools and technologies (e.g., backup solutions, cloud recovery platforms).
Strong communication and relationship management skills with the ability to work with people at various levels throughout the organization
Excellent negotiation and conflict skills with the ability to challenge and drive to appropriate level of risk mitigation
Excellent written and verbal communication skills Effective interviewing, influencing, facilitation and presentation skills
Proven ability to work independently and in a team environment
Certifications such as CBCP, ISO 22301, Sec +, ITIL are a plus but not required
When you join our team:
We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.
We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.
As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.
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 hr@manulife.com.
Working Arrangement
Hybrid