Business Continuity Planner

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

This occupation has not yet received an official NOC code. However, it is considered similar to the following historical NOC codes. CAUTION—As this occupation is only similar to these NOC codes, related details and labour market information may not be accurate:

• 2006 NOC: Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management (1122) 
• 2006 NOC-S: Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management (B022) 
• 2011 NOC: Professional occupations in business management consulting (1122) 
• 2016 NOC: Professional occupations in business management consulting (1122) 

Business continuity planners assess risks to the ongoing operation of businesses and make plans to eliminate, reduce, transfer or accept those risks. For example, businesses that handle personal financial transactions online may be susceptible to computer hackers. Business continuity planners recommend ways to reduce company risks and provide step-by-step instructions that assist employees to return operations back to normal as efficiently as possible should a risk become reality.

Larger organizations may need business continuity plans for several types of risks.

In general, business continuity planners:

• Assess an organization’s risk of disruption from unplanned or planned events
• Coordinate input from leaders and business areas throughout the organization to identify critical business functions and processes, and the impact disruption may have
• Develop relationships with information technology and other departments that provide services to the business areas
• Research and understand current best practices from subject matter experts on ways to counteract or minimize disruptions to at-risk business functions
• Recommend risk management and business recovery strategies, and prioritize options
• Identify the organization’s emergency response and ongoing operational plan for critical business areas (for example, reducing services or providing services at alternate locations)
• Review emergency plans (for example, ordering building evacuations, identifying emergency command centres)
• Create inventory lists of primary equipment, systems and resources
• Identify potential vendors and key contacts for emergency repairs and supplies
• Design and facilitate emergency response and continuity training exercises
• Arrange for testing and staff training of the response plan, to ensure it will perform as intended
• Evaluate and revise continuity plans based on exercise results and ongoing developments
• Develop presentations, awareness programs and training manuals

In times of crisis, business continuity planners:

• Lead the implementation of business continuity plans
• Set up off-site command and recovery centres, if necessary
• Coordinate recovery efforts
• Act as a liaison and coordinator with public authorities, emergency workers, external agencies and members of the media
• Utilize designated crisis communication protocols for effective flow of information
• Assist with recovery and return-to-normal procedures after the incident is over

Business continuity planners work in offices. They may also work off site through the use of mobile technology. When coordinating responses to business disruptions they may work a considerable amount of overtime, including evenings and weekends, in locations that are offsite or related to the disruption.

Emerging occupations typically result from:

• An increased human need (for example, uninterrupted service provision)
• Technological advances
• Greater specialization within an occupation

Often there are too few people working in an emerging occupation to gather survey information. Therefore, it can be difficult to define advancement opportunities or employment outlook. Some Albertans already are working in this emerging occupation but future demand for business continuity planners is unknown.

Business continuity planners may be self-employed or employed by:

• Government departments
• Large organizations
• Management consulting firms

Business continuity planners are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 1122: Professional occupations in business management consulting. In Alberta, 75% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services [pdf]
• Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction [pdf]
• Public Administration [pdf]
• Wholesale Trade [pdf]
• Transportation and Warehousing [pdf]

The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• Trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• Location in Alberta
• Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
• Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
• Size of the occupation

In Alberta, the 1122: Professional occupations in business management consulting occupational group is expected to have an average annual growth of 1.9% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 308 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Business Continuity Institute (BCI) Canada website: www.thebci.org

Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI) Canada website: www.dri.ca

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