Manager, Business Continuity & Crisis Management, Organizational Resilience

Job Summary

The incumbent plays a pivotal leadership role in shaping and strengthening the resilience of one of North America’s most critical transportation and logistics networks. The incumbent is the central subject matter expert responsible for driving the evolution of the enterprise-wide Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Organizational Resilience (OR) programs. This high‑visibility role involves governing the frameworks that protect CN’s operations and leading the live response during a crisis. The incumbent influences decision‑making at a strategic level, engages with senior leadership, and fosters a culture of resilience to ensure CN can respond to and recover from business interruptions.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and continual improvement of the enterprise‑wide Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) to ensure alignment with ISO 22301 and industry best practices.
• Drive the maturity of the BCP and Organizational Resilience program, embedding resilience strategies and a proactive risk‑management mindset into the corporate culture and strategic planning processes, guided by ISO 22336.
• Govern and oversee the annual Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and threat risk assessment process across all critical operational functions to ensure continuity requirements are accurately maintained.
• Design, lead, and sustain a comprehensive, enterprise‑wide BCM testing and exercise program, including facilitating complex crisis simulation exercises for senior leadership to validate the effectiveness of response and recovery strategies.
• Act as a key leader in the Crisis Management response, providing strategic guidance and coordinating activities during significant disruptions. This includes participation in a 24/7 on‑call rotation with an international scope.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of BCM subject matter experts and business unit owners, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Build and maintain impactful relationships with internal senior executives and external partners, collaborating closely with I&T, Rail Operations, Public & Government Affairs (PAGA), Facilities, and Legal to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to resilience.
• Develop and govern the BCM strategic roadmap, budgets, and timelines, reporting on key risk indicators (KRIs) and program performance metrics to the Executive Leadership Team and the Board.
• Champion and deliver a comprehensive BCM training and awareness program, including the development and support of online BCM tools (e.g., Preparis, Send Word Now), to strengthen risk and continuity maturity across the organization.
• Review and provide final sign‑off on all business continuity plans and strategies developed by business units to ensure consistency, integration, and effectiveness.

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions in an office environment with a regular work week from Monday to Friday. Availability on‑call 24/7 to respond to major incidents is required. The incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure and stress, and will travel minimally (5%) to CN sites in Canada and the United States.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, incident response, organizational resilience, or enterprise risk management.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a leadership or manager capacity, with a proven track record of building and maturing enterprise‑wide programs.
• Proven experience in crisis management and responding to real‑time operational disruptions.

Education / Certification / Designation

• University degree in a relevant field (e.g., Emergency Management, Business, IT Technologies, Risk Management) or equivalent professional experience.
• Must hold a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) or equivalent IT designation (e.g., CRM, MBCI).

Competencies

• Applies critical thinking.
• Knows the business and stays current on industry needs.
• Demonstrates agility and drives change.
• Collaborates with others and shares information.
• Sets direction and inspires others.
• Communicates with impact.
• Identifies needs and finds solutions to create value for all stakeholders.

Technical Skills / Knowledge

• Demonstrated expertise in implementing and managing programs aligned with ISO 22301 and ISO 22336.
• Strong strategic thinking and change management capabilities, with the ability to influence senior leadership and drive cultural change.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and facilitation skills, with experience briefing senior executives.
• Ability to obtain and retain Transportation Security Clearance at the designated level.
• Comfort with a 24/7 on‑call rotation schedule and the ability to make critical decisions under pressure.
• English – Native or bilingual proficiency. French – Limited working proficiency (asset).

As an equal opportunity employer, qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.