Resilience Lead

First Central Group; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - GBP 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A market-leading insurance company is seeking a Resilience Lead to oversee business continuity and disaster recovery efforts. This role involves designing and implementing a resilience framework, managing stakeholder relationships, and ensuring compliance with FCA requirements. Located in the UK, you will enjoy flexible working arrangements while contributing to the company's resilience plans.

Benefits

Simply Health Cash plan

Flexible Bank Holidays

Electric Car Scheme

Flexible Working

Your Time in Need

Qualifications

• Solid experience in Business Continuity, Operational Resilience, and Disaster Recovery.
• Strong background in running resilience exercises and engaging senior stakeholders.
• Knowledge of DR best practices and FCA Operational Resilience requirements.

Responsibilities

• Own the full BCM lifecycle including Business Impact Analysis, plan creation, and testing.
• Lead post-incident reviews and ensure lessons are embedded into future planning.
• Act as key point of contact for resilience matters with senior leadership and regulators.

Skills

Business Continuity experience

Facilitation skills

Strong stakeholder management

Problem solving mindset

Education

BC certification or equivalent

Tools

ISO22301

Job description

Location: Gibraltar, Guernsey, Haywards Heath or Manchester Salary: £51,400 - £55,000 depending on experience Department: Transformation

We’re 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And that’s the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too!

Fancy taking the lead on keeping 1st Central ready for whatever comes our way? We’re looking for a Resilience Lead to join us on a 12-month fixed-term contract. This role is all about making sure our business can respond to and bounce back from disruption - whether that’s through Business Continuity, Operational Resilience, or Disaster Recovery.

You’ll get stuck into designing, delivering, and embedding our resilience framework, working with senior stakeholders, and running exercises that really test how we perform under pressure.

We’re big on flexible working, with offices inSalford Quays, Manchester and Haywards Heath, West Sussex,you'll spend most of your time working from home with a day a week at the office or when required, but of course, it’s your choice - if you prefer to be in the office more - that's good with us too.

Skills you’ll need to be a great fit for the role:

• Previous experience in Business Continuity (BC) / BC certification – you know your Business Impact Analysis (BIA) from your tabletop exercises
• Facilitation skills – you’re confident delivering exercises, tests and training to big groups of people (including execs)
• Strong stakeholder management – you can build relationships and influence at all levels
• Problem solving mindset – you’ve got logic, analytical mindset and calmness when it counts

What’s involved:

Business Continuity Management

Own the full BCM lifecycle: Business Impact Analysis (BIA), strategy development, plan creation, testing, and training

Ensure BC plans are current, tested, and aligned with First Central’s risk appetite and customer commitments

Deliver regular BC exercises across business units and functions, including simulations and tabletop scenarios

Lead post-incident reviews and ensure lessons learned are embedded into future planning

Provide coordination support to the Crisis Management Team (CMT and Incident Management Team (IMT) when required

Operational Resilience

Lead the maintenance of First Central’s Operational Resilience Framework in line with FCA and PRA requirements

Identify and map Important Business Services (IBS), define Impact Tolerances, and coordinate scenario testing

Ensure resilience is embedded in change initiatives, third-party risk management, and service design.

Provide clear, actionable reporting to senior leadership and regulatory bodies

Disaster Recovery

Collaborate with IT and third-party providers to ensure DR plans support recovery of IBS within defined tolerances

Oversee DR testing schedules and validate RTO/RPO alignment with business needs

Ensure DR capabilities are integrated with BC and OR frameworks

Stakeholder Engagement & Governance

Act as the key point of contact for resilience matters with senior leadership, risk committees, and regulators

Present resilience updates, risk assessments, and test outcomes to executive and board-level stakeholders

Build strong relationships across First Central to promote a culture of resilience and continuous improvement

Lead cross-functional working groups and resilience forums

Design and deliver a structured programme of resilience exercises, including crisis simulations, scenario-based testing and BC exercises

Facilitate executive-level crisis management exercises to test strategic response and decision-making

Ensure exercises are documented, evaluated, and followed up with improvement actions

Other responsibilities

Comply with the requirements, and act in accordance with, the Group Code of Conduct and Fitness and Propriety policies at all times

Ensure compliance with Company Policies, Values and guidelines and other relevant standards/ regulations at all times,

Experience, knowledge & skills:

• Solid experience in Business Continuity, Operational Resilience and Disaster Recovery
• Strong background in running resilience exercises and engaging senior stakeholders
• Experience in reviewing/redesigning complex cross-departmental processes, risks and controls
• Knowledge of ISO22301, DR best practice, and FCA Operational Resilience requirements
• CBCI, AMBCI or MBCI certification (or equivalent)
• Excellent planning, facilitation, and influencing skills
• Great written, verbal and presentation skills - clear and confident communicator

Behaviours:

• Self-motivated, organised and proactive
• Strategic thinker with an eye for detail
• Confident decision-maker who can influence and build trust
• Analytical problem-solver who always looks for improvements
• Passionate about personal development and continuous learning

This is a brilliant opportunity to make a real impact and ensure 1st Central stays resilient, no matter the challenge. Sound like your kind of challenge? Apply now.

What can we do for you?

People first. Always. We’re passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that’s what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you’ll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full here .

Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we’re offering, so feel free to get in touch.

86% of people would recommend a friend to work at First Central

Simply Health Cash plan. Reclaim the cost of your eye tests, dental appts, physiotherapy and more

Flexible Bank Holidays

Eight flexible bank holidays; you can choose which festivals you observe

We’re passionate about it. Everyone gets a paid day off annually to volunteer

Electric Car Scheme

Plug into our Electric Car Scheme for a deal with insurance, road tax and servicing

Flexible Working

We’re flexible; most roles let you mix office and home working. We work fluidly around core hours

Your Time in Need

Your Time in Need: five days’ leave so you can deal with life stuff. We’ll support you