Business Continuity Coordinator Practitioner Programme

Introduction

Departmental and site business continuity coordinators are the people who turn a corporate continuity programme into practical readiness on the ground. They maintain local plans, train colleagues, support exercises and help lead the local response when disruption occurs. Yet many coordinators take on the role alongside other duties with little formal preparation.

This Business Continuity Coordinator Practitioner Programme gives coordinators the knowledge, tools and confidence to perform their role effectively. Participants learn the continuity management life cycle, how to gather information for impact analysis, how to write clear and usable plans, how to raise awareness, how to take part in exercises and how to support response and recovery.

The programme is practical and template-driven, so participants leave with materials they can use immediately in their own departments.

Course Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the business continuity management life cycle and key terms
• Describe the role and responsibilities of a continuity coordinator
• Gather information for business impact analysis and risk assessment
• Write clear, concise and usable departmental continuity plans
• Maintain contact lists, resources and plan documentation
• Raise continuity awareness among colleagues
• Participate in and support continuity exercises
• Support response and recovery during real disruptions

Target Audience

This training course is suitable for a wide range of professionals, including:

• Departmental and site business continuity coordinators
• Newly appointed continuity champions
• Office and operations managers with continuity duties
• Facilities and administration staff supporting continuity
• IT coordinators supporting recovery plans
• Team leaders responsible for local readiness

Training Methodology

The programme combines short explanations with practical exercises using templates. Participants complete a mini impact analysis for a department, draft a departmental plan, design an awareness activity and take part in a tabletop exercise. Peer review helps improve plan quality.

Target Competencies

• Continuity life cycle understanding
• Departmental impact analysis
• Plan writing and maintenance
• Awareness raising
• Exercise participation
• Local response coordination

Day One: Foundations of Business Continuity

• Why business continuity matters to every department
• Key terms and concepts in continuity management
• The continuity management life cycle in practice
• International standards and good practice in overview
• Role and responsibilities of the continuity coordinator
• Working with the central continuity team
• Self-assessment of departmental readiness

Day Two: Impact Analysis and Risk Assessment

• Identifying the department's key activities
• Assessing impacts of disruption over time
• Recording recovery time objectives and minimum service levels
• Identifying people, technology, premises and supplier dependencies
• Identifying local risks and single points of failure
• Validating information with managers
• Exercise: mini impact analysis for a department

Day Three: Writing Departmental Plans

• Structure of an effective departmental continuity plan
• Writing clear action checklists and procedures
• Contact lists, call trees and escalation routes
• Workarounds and alternative ways of working
• Resource requirements and recovery locations
• Keeping plans short, current and accessible
• Workshop: drafting a departmental continuity plan

Day Four: Awareness, Training and Exercises

• Raising continuity awareness among colleagues
• Induction and refresher training for staff
• Taking part in discussion-based exercises
• Supporting call tree and relocation tests
• Recording exercise lessons and actions
• Updating plans after exercises
• Tabletop exercise: a building access loss scenario

Day Five: Response, Recovery and Maintenance

• The coordinator's role during a real disruption
• Reporting incidents and escalating to the crisis team
• Coordinating local recovery and communication
• Post-incident reviews and lessons learned
• Annual plan review and maintenance cycle
• Supporting audits and programme reporting
• Personal action plan for the coordinator role