Operational Cyber Resilience IT Contractor

Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is seeking an experienced IT Operational Resilience / Business Continuity Manager with a strong background in Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) for a Contract assignment with one of our premier Financial Services clients in lower Manhattan, NYC. This person will play a major role in the planning of resilience strategies. Hybrid - 2 days/week in the office required.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, implementing, and managing IT operational resilience strategies to ensure the continuous availability and integrity of the firm's technology infrastructure in the event of cyber threats, disasters, or crises. He or she will collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify potential gaps and vulnerabilities and ensure mitigation strategies are in place.

Responsibilities:

1. Develop and Implement Resilience Strategies
   • Design and execute comprehensive IT operational resilience strategies, focusing on the protection, recovery, and continuity of critical technology infrastructure.
   • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify potential gaps and vulnerabilities and ensure mitigation strategies are in place.
   • Partner with various departments to identify critical business functions, systems and processes, and ensure they are protected against various threats (cyber-attacks, natural disasters, etc.).
   • Experience with Operational Resilience related run book creation and expert knowledge of capital markets technology stack. Ability to drive outcomes
   • Ensure and test resilience plans align with the company's overall risk management and compliance framework.
   • Experience with Infrastructure Technologies as it pertains to resiliency: Network, Cloud hosting, Storage Technology, Data replication, etc.
   • Experience in working with Technology support and Business in determining RTO, RPO and other resiliency metrics.
   • Experience to create sustainable systems and services through automation and uplifts
   • Participate in system design consulting, platform management, and capacity planning
2. Disaster Recovery (DR) Coordination
   • Manage and coordinate the development and testing of Disaster Recovery plans to restore IT services in a timely and structured manner.
   • Ensure the DR plans include technical and procedural steps for restoring critical systems and data.
   • Work with IT teams and business to ensure that recovery solutions and strategies are robust and aligned with business needs.
   • Partner with Development/Application/Engineering support teams to ensure that Application/IT services solutions, align with Resiliency standards and testing requirements.
   • Ensure testing compliance meets bank and industry standards.
3. Business Continuity Management (BCM)
   • Support and oversee Business Continuity Plans (BCP) to ensure the continuation of essential business functions during and after disruptions.
   • Regularly review and update BCPs to ensure they remain relevant, effective, and tested.
4. Monitoring and Reporting
   • Establish monitoring mechanisms to assess the resilience of the IT infrastructure continuously.
   • Provide regular reports to senior management on the status of IT operational resilience, including potential risks, gaps, and recommendations for improvements.
   • Track and report on incident response performance, recovery time objectives (RTO), and recovery point objectives (RPO).
5. Stakeholder Collaboration and Training
   • Serve as a liaison between IT, business units, and external partners to coordinate resilience efforts and ensure alignment with broader organizational goals.
   • Provide training and awareness programs for staff to understand their roles in business continuity and disaster recovery efforts.
   • Support and lead Operational Resilience effort as it relates to the US IT team in the US including annual Self-Assessment and remediation efforts

Required Skills:

• Proven experience (5+ years) in IT Operational Resilience, disaster recovery, and business continuity management. At least 3 - 5 years focused on Operational Resilience. MUST HAVE experience leading OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE TEAMS or FUNCTIONS.
• Operational resilience:
  • Familiarity with operational resilience frameworks.
  • Ability to design and implement business continuity strategies.
  • Expertise in impact tolerance assessments and mapping critical business services
• Strong expertise in IT Infrastructure management and reliability engineering. This includes:
  • Storage technologies, backup systems, etc.
  • Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) and hybrid environments.
  • Understanding of IT operations, network security, and endpoint protection.
  • Knowledge of monitoring tools
• Proven experience in creating sustainable systems and services through automation and uplifts
• Solid understanding of cybersecurity and risk management frameworks. Including exposure to threat modeling, risk assessments, and penetration testing.
• Familiarity with industry standards and best practices related to BCP/DR (e.g., ISO 22301, NIST, COBIT).
• Experience with monitoring, testing, and reporting resilience strategies to senior leadership.
• Governance and Compliance
  • Experience aligning IT strategies with regulatory requirements.
  • Knowledge of industry regulations within Financial Services preferred
  • Ability to create and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Excellent Project management and coordination skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior Financial Institution Experience
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Certifications such as Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), ITIL, or CISSP.
• Proficiency with security tools (e.g., firewalls, SIEM, IDS/IPS).
• Knowledge of scripting languages (e.g., Python, PowerShell, or Bash) for automation.
• Familiarity with vulnerability management platforms like Qualys or Nessus

SGA is a technology and resource solutions provider driven to stand out. We are a women-owned business. Our mission: to solve big IT problems with a more personal, boutique approach. Each year, we match consultants like you to more than 1,000 engagements. When we say let's work better together, we mean it. You'll join a diverse team built on these core values: customer service, employee development, and quality and integrity in everything we do. Be yourself, love what you do and find your passion at work. Please find us at .

SGA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of Race, Color, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Religion, National Origin, Disability, Veteran Status, Age, Marital Status, Pregnancy, Genetic Information, or Other Legally Protected Status. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, and our services, programs, and activities. Please visit our company to request an accommodation or assistance regarding our policy.