MEA Business Continuity & Resilience Lead

Cigna

Dubai

On-site

AED 400,000 - 640,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Cigna MEA is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Business Continuity & Resilience Manager to establish, strengthen, and continuously improve the business continuity and operational resilience posture across the Middle East & Africa region.

This role will serve as the central point of accountability for business continuity management (BCM), crisis management, and operational resilience - ensuring that frameworks are effectively designed, implemented, tested, and maintained in alignment

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in Business Resilience, Business Administration, or a related field is a plus.
Professional certification in business continuity or resilience strongly preferred - e.g., CBCI, CBCP, MBCI, ISO 22301 Lead Implementer/Auditor, or equivalent. Additional risk certifications (e.g., CRISC, IRM) are advantageous.
5-8 years of experience in business continuity management, operational resilience, crisis management, or related functions, preferably within financial services, insurance, or healthcare.
Demonstrated experience in building and managing BCM frameworks across multiple geographies or entities.
Strong knowledge of business continuity standards (ISO 22301, BCI Good Practice Guidelines), operational resilience frameworks, and regional regulatory expectations in the Middle East.
Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to collaborate across functions, geographies, and cultures.
Strong business acumen and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex resilience concepts into practical, actionable solutions.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and BCM/risk management tools. Experience with platforms such as Fusion, Castellan, Onspring, or similar is a plus.
Professional demeanour with the confidence to engage senior leaders, regulators, and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and manage a standardised BCM framework across all MEA entities, aligned with ISO 22301, regulatory requirements, and Cigna global standards.
Establish and maintain governance processes for the identification, assessment, and management of BCM risks, including clear escalation pathways.
Develop and maintain BIAs, BCPs, Crisis Management Plans, and Disaster Recovery alignment across MEA functions and entities.
Ensure BCM documentation is complete, accurate, regularly reviewed, and audit-ready.
Design and lead a comprehensive BCM testing and exercising programme, including tabletop exercises, simulation drills, and scenario-based walkthroughs.
Track remediation of gaps identified through testing, incidents, and audits, embedding lessons learned into plans and procedures.
Monitor and report on BCM maturity, resilience metrics, and readiness posture to senior leadership and relevant committees.
Support the regional crisis management capability, including activation protocols, communication plans, and post-incident reviews.
Act as a key coordinator during business disruptions, ensuring effective response and recovery in line with established plans.
Maintain and test crisis communication channels and stakeholder notification procedures.
Drive the development of the MEA operational resilience programme, including identification of important business services, impact tolerances, and scenario planning.
Align regional resilience activities with global operational resilience initiatives and ensure consistency with international standards and group-level expectations.
Partner with Technology and Information Security teams to ensure alignment between BCPs, IT DR plans, and cyber resilience strategies.
Ensure BCM practices meet regulatory requirements (CB UAE, SAMA, CBB, CBO, etc.) across MEA.