Service Manager - Business Continuity and Resilience

As a Service Manager in Business Continuity and Resilience, you'll lead the coordination and development of ICT resilience, continuity and service recovery arrangements across Manchester City Council.

You'll help ICT Service Operations to prepare for, respond to and recover from major service disruptions, ensuring critical services can be restored effectively and business impact is minimised. Your work will contribute to the delivery of resilient, reliable digital services that support council colleagues, residents and city-wide priorities.

In this role you will:

• Lead the planning, testing and continuous improvement of ICT continuity and recovery arrangements.
• Coordinate response and recovery activities during major incidents, significant service disruptions and technology-related emergencies.
• Identify and assess risks to critical ICT services and drive actions that strengthen organisational resilience.
• Work with technical teams, service managers, suppliers, business stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Support service recovery planning, resilience initiatives, major incident management and continuous improvement activities.

Working hours: 35 hours per week

Contract type: Permanent

Working style: Hybrid

Closing date: 11.59pm, 27 November 2026

Interview method: in person

If you are successful, your appointment will be subject to completing the relevant pre-employment checks. These checks will be carried out as part of our recruitment process and may include:

• Qualification - You hold an ITIL Foundation qualification, and either hold or are currently working towards at least one relevant professional qualification in Business Continuity or Resilience. This may include CBCP, ISO 22301 Lead Implementer or a relevant equivalent qualification.
• BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) Clearance - This post is subject to BPSS checks, including verification of identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history (past 3 years) and a basic criminal record check.

For more information on these checks, please visit checks page.

We're looking for an experienced ICT professional who can provide leadership, coordination and assurance in business continuity, resilience and service recovery. You will be able to demonstrate a track record of working with technical and business stakeholders to identify risks, improve preparedness and support the recovery of critical services following disruption.

We'll use the following essential criteria to decide which candidates to invite to assessment. Use your personal statement to provide evidence of how you meet each one, supported by relevant examples:

• You can demonstrate experience of developing, reviewing or implementing business continuity, disaster recovery or resilience plans within an ICT or technology environment.
• You can provide examples of coordinating or contributing to the response and recovery of major incidents, service disruptions or other significant operational events.
• You can demonstrate experience of identifying, assessing and managing risks to technology services, systems or infrastructure and implementing appropriate mitigation actions.
• You can provide evidence of working effectively with technical teams, suppliers, business stakeholders and senior managers to deliver service improvements or organisational objectives.
• You hold an ITIL Foundation qualification, and either hold or are currently working towards at least one relevant professional qualification in Business Continuity or Resilience. This may include CBCP, ISO 22301 Lead Implementer or a relevant equivalent qualification.

Use of AI

You may use AI to support your application, but all examples must be your own and based on real experience. Applications may be withdrawn if content is misleading or presents someone else's experience as your own. Internal candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme
Applicants who meet the essential shortlisting criteria and are eligible under the Guaranteed Assessment Scheme will be progressed to the assessment stage.

Support and Adjustments
If you're successful in securing a role, we'll make every effort to provide the support, equipment and reasonable adjustments you need to carry out your duties. Where needed, we'll consider adapting aspects of the role. Find out more about our inclusion and wellbeing.

Working for Manchester City Council is a chance to make a real difference in a diverse city. You'll help improve lives and support our local communities. Working together, we can create better public services for everyone.

Benefits we offer

• Up to 26 days' annual leave, rising to 31 days after five years' service
• Buy up to two extra weeks' leave
• Up to 3 days' volunteering leave
• A 35-hour work week for full-time roles
• We review pay each year and recognise three trade unions
• A defined benefit pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave
• Employee discounts and perks

Learn more at Careers - Manchester City Council

Our commitment to inclusion

At Manchester City Council, we're dedicated to creating a workplace that fully reflects the diversity of our local communities. We actively encourage applications from people of all ages and backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from applicants from ethnic minority communities and disabled people, who remain underrepresented in parts of our workforce.

GM Elevate Programme

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the 'Personal Statement' section or 'Supporting Statement' section of your application.

Accessible Formats:
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