Staff Specialist - Business Continuity Lead

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 103,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid time off

Job summary

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia UVA Health seeks a Staff Specialist - Business Continuity Lead to own and advance the enterprise Business Continuity Management lifecycle, partnering with clinical, operational, technology, and security teams to identify vulnerabilities and ensure plans remain effective and auditable.

You will lead tabletop exercises, develop recovery strategies, present risk insights to senior leaders, mentor colleagues, and move between strategic and hands-on

Qualifications

• 7+ years in business continuity, risk management, or operations.
• Familiarity with ISO 22301 or BCI Good Practice Guidelines.
• Experience supporting healthcare cybersecurity programs.
• Experience with EPIC systems and resiliency-building.
• Knowledge of NIST CSF and HIPAA security principles.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the enterprise Business Continuity Management program.
• Lead tabletop exercises, simulations, and tests to validate recovery capabilities.
• Develop and maintain Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans.
• Partner with Information Security and Technology teams for cyber resilience.
• Facilitate governance forums and present risk trends to senior leaders.
• Translate data into credible narratives for executive decisions.
• Mentor junior colleagues and guide cross-functional initiatives.
• Support continuity of operations during incidents and outages.

Skills

Executive presence

Analytical rigor

Facilitation skills

Influence without authority

Leadership

Executive engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

High School Diploma

Tools

Fusion

Riskonnect

EPIC systems

Job description

Help safeguard the continuity of care and essential operations across a complex academic health system. This highly visible enterprise role offers the opportunity to shape how UVA Health prepares for, responds to, and recovers from cyber incidents, technology disruptions, and operational crises.

The Staff Specialist - Business Continuity Lead will build, mature, and lead an enterprise-wide Business Continuity Management program. Working at both strategic and operational levels, this leader will combine cyber resilience, risk analysis, recovery planning, crisis management, and executive engagement to strengthen organizational readiness and protect the critical services that support patients, clinicians, team members, and the communities UVA Health serves.

The Role

As a recognized subject matter expert and trusted advisor, you will own and advance the Business Continuity Management lifecycle across planning, testing, and governance. You will partner with clinical, operational, academic, administrative, technology, and security stakeholders to identify vulnerabilities, develop practical recovery strategies, and ensure continuity plans remain effective, current, and auditable.

Your work will include:

• Owning and evolving the enterprise Business Continuity Management program, with an emphasis on automation, innovation, governance, and continuous improvement.

• Conducting rigorous Business Impact Analyses to identify critical processes, dependencies, single points of failure, and appropriate recovery time objectives.

• Developing, maintaining, and strengthening Business Continuity Plans and Disaster Recovery Plans for essential operations and systems.

• Partnering with Information Security and Technology teams to prepare for ransomware, data loss, infrastructure outages, and other disruptive cyber events.

• Designing and leading tabletop exercises, simulations, and operational tests to validate recovery capabilities and identify improvement opportunities.

• Facilitating governance forums and presenting program updates, risk trends, and recommendations to senior leaders.

• Translating complex continuity and resilience data into clear, credible narratives that support timely executive decisions.

• Analyzing end-to-end processes and diverse data sets to identify risk patterns and design effective controls.

• Serving as a trusted advisor during active incidents, helping response teams and organizational leaders evaluate priorities and make informed decisions.

• Building a culture of preparedness through training, education, and practical guidance that helps team members understand their responsibilities during an emergency.

• Mentoring junior colleagues and providing expert guidance to cross-functional initiatives.

This role is well suited for an accomplished resilience professional who can move confidently between long-range strategy and detailed execution. Success will require executive presence, analytical rigor, strong facilitation skills, and the ability to influence outcomes without direct authority.

Why UVA Health

At UVA Health, business continuity is directly connected to the ability of clinicians and operational teams to deliver safe, reliable care. In this role, your expertise will help ensure that essential healthcare services and supporting systems remain resilient when the organization faces significant disruption.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Lead a strategically important enterprise program rather than simply maintain existing continuity plans.

• Build and modernize processes that strengthen preparedness across a complex academic health system.

• Work with senior leaders and governance groups on decisions that influence organizational resilience and continuity of operations.

• Collaborate across clinical care, operations, technology, information security, academic, and administrative environments.

• Apply business continuity expertise to the growing challenge of cyber resilience and healthcare technology dependence.

• Lead meaningful testing and simulation programs that turn written plans into proven operational capabilities.

• Contribute to a mission-driven environment where resilience supports patients, care teams, and communities.

• Join an organization that brings together patient care, research, education, and innovation, creating opportunities to solve complex challenges with broad institutional impact.

Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

Why People Love Living in Charlottesville

Charlottesville offers a distinctive balance of professional opportunity, community, and quality of life. Located near the Blue Ridge Mountains, the area provides convenient access to hiking, cycling, parks, wineries, and year-round outdoor recreation. A vibrant food, arts, music, and cultural scene complements the energy of a university community, while surrounding neighborhoods and nearby towns offer a range of settings for individuals and families. For professionals working in a demanding, mission-critical field, Charlottesville provides an appealing place to build a career while enjoying meaningful opportunities for connection, recreation, and life outside of work.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education: High School Diploma, Bachelor's Degree Preferred.

Experience: 7 years.

Licensure: None.

Preferred Requirements

• Experience: 5 to 10 years working in business continuity, risk management, or operations.

• Knowledge: Familiarity with global standards like ISO 22301 or BCI Good Practice Guidelines. Previous use of BCP Platforms such as Fusion or Riskonnect.

• Soft Skills: Ability to stay calm under pressure, lead cross-functional groups, and talk clearly to top executives.

• Certifications: Professional credentials like CBCP (Certified Business Continuity

• Experience supporting healthcare cybersecurity programs or academic health systems.

• Experience with EPIC systems and building resiliency.

• Experience with phishing simulation platforms and awareness maturity metrics.

• Familiarity with NIST CSF, HIPAA security principles, and healthcare compliance expectations.

• Relevant certifications such as Security+, HCISPP, CISSP, CISM, CISA (or progress toward), or equivalent.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The pay range for this role is $102,851.00 - $205,703.00 annually. Individual compensation will be determined by the selected candidate's qualifications, previous work experience, and/or education.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

• Paid Time Off, Long-term and Short-term Disability, Retirement Savings

• Health Saving Plans, and Flexible Spending Accounts

• Certification and education support

• Generous Paid Time Off

UVA Health is a world-class Magnet Recognized academic medical center and health system with a level 1 trauma center. 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report "Best Hospitals" guide rates UVA Health University Medical Center as "High Performing" in 5 adult specialties and 14 conditions/procedures. We are one of 70 National Cancer Institute designated cancer centers. UVA Health Children's is named by 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report as the best children's hospital in Virginia with 9 specialties ranked among the best in the nation. Our footprint also encompasses 3 community hospitals and an integrated network of primary and specialty care clinics throughout Charlottesville, Culpeper, Northern Virginia, and beyond.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.