Operational Resilience Manager

at  Allianz Ireland

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to design and implement resilience strategies across multiple departments and business functions.
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills to identify risks, assess vulnerabilities, and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Project Management: Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, with a focus on risk mitigation and incident response under time pressure.
• Communication: Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information to senior leadership and external stakeholders.
• Leadership: Ability to lead cross-functional teams also in crisis situations and manage relationships with key stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management, Business Continuity, or related field. (Appropriate professional experience may also be taken into account)
• Professional certifications such as ISO 22301 Lead Implementer, Business Continuity Certified Planner (BCCP), or equivalent.
• Proven experience (3+ years) in operational resilience, business continuity, or risk management roles, ideally within a financial services or regulated industry.
• Strong understanding of operational risk frameworks and regulatory requirements around resilience (e.g., DORA, CBI).

JOB PURPOSE:

The Operational Resilience Manager will be responsible for ensuring the business has the capability to respond to, recover from, and learn from disruptions that threaten its ability to operate. This role involves developing and overseeing the existing resilience framework of Allianz Ireland, implementing effective risk mitigation controls, and collaborating across departments to mitigate operational risks. The role will report to the Head of Protection and Resilience in close collaboration and alignment with the Chief Risk Officer function

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Operational Resilience Strategy: Lead the development and implementation of the Allianz Ireland’s operational resilience framework in close collaboration with the business areas, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements (e.g. CBI, DORA) , Allianz group standards and best practices.
• Risk Identification & Assessment: Coordinate the risk assessments to identify critical business services and evaluate potential impacts from operational disruptions such as system failures, cybersecurity incidents, or supply chain interruptions.
• Incident Management: Act as a coordinator during incidents. In conjunction with the ops resilience team (especially the business conti9nuit manager and crisis manager) maintain an oversight of incident response plans, ensuring readiness for operational disruption events, and coordinating business recovery efforts during incidents.
• Business Continuity Planning (BCP): Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the business continuity plans for all critical operations, including regular testing and updating of procedures.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with relevant operational resilience regulations (e.g., Central Bank of Ireland) and ensure that the Allianz Ireland meets legal and regulatory standards.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with internal departments and external partners (e.g. Allianz Technology) to ensure holistic and integrated resilience strategies and response measures.
• Training & Awareness: Ensure the delivery of training and awareness programs across the organization to foster a culture of resilience and prepare staff for their roles during disruptions.
• Post-Incident Review: Lead post-incident reviews to assess the effectiveness of response efforts, identify lessons learned, and implement continuous improvement measures.
• Reporting: Provide regular updates and reports to senior management, the Management and Board Risk Committees and the Board on the status of operational resilience, emerging risks, and areas for improvement.