Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Analyst

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

The Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Analyst, reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Analyst is responsible for participating in IS disaster response/crisis management activities in compliance with the IS Disaster Recovery (DR) policy and helps provide and coordinate disaster preparedness training with respect to the organization’s information technologies, helping ensure business continuity (BC) and recoverability.  

This position must understand the technology which supports these systems i.e., virtualization, replication, etc., and must be familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures used for business continuity and disaster recovery. This role serves as a mid-level position on project teams and uses standard project-management best practices throughout the life cycle of any project involvement. 

 Under the direction of the Manager or Team Lead, the Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Analyst supports, implements and maintains policies, procedures, and programs for ensuring the integrity and recoverability of company data, databases, information systems, and technology. Maintains contingency and DR plans for central and distributed systems and networks to maintain operations during downtime and/or major disasters. Identifies and makes recommendations regarding critical points of failure. Exercises test plans with various operational and support groups in IS.  

Northwestern Medicine Information Services drives innovative, high-value solutions to transform health care.

We are committed to supporting the relentless pursuit of better medicine by providing exceptional service to our patients and guests as well as internal clients across the organization. To ensure excellence, our team goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure that our systems work together seamlessly.

Northwestern Medicine understands that technology plays an integral role in shaping the future of health care. Information Services strategically supports the organization by:

• Leveraging AI, automation and rollout of advanced cyber controls that support digital transformation strategies
• Implementing advanced technologies in clinical and administrative areas
• Furthering development of the end user support model to help enhance modern infrastructure

Responsibilities:

• Work with IS and Business Continuity teams to ensure that the disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) plans support disaster recovery strategy and procedures. 
• Maintains the overall plans for executing all DR procedures and understand their interdependencies. 
• Reviews and supports critical DR parameters (RPO, RTO, Recovery Tier definitions) in line with the business needs of the institution. 
• Maintains detailed DR communications and command and control plans through a change management process. 
• Work with the IS architectural and technical staff to ensure that DR solutions are adequate, in place, maintained, and tested as part of the regular operational life cycle. 
• Provide input in the design of systems to comply with DR requirements. 
• Actively participates in change management and project prioritization (SDLC) meetings to provide input on whether DR Team’s requirements have been met in the change or project. 
• Support and understand all testing necessary for a successful DR execution. 
• Participate in all DR exercises. Coordinates, tests, and administers DR and resumption plans. 
• Provide ongoing feedback for risk management, mitigation, and prevention. 
• Provide DR cost estimated in the annual budgeting process. 
• Regularly report DR activities to Team Lead and senior leadership. 
• Help ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. 
• Must be able to take direction and work independently. 
• Maintain confidentiality based on NMHC policies and regulations. 
• Support critical business processes and establish resources required for the successful resumption of business operations in the event of a disaster. 
• Implement a Business Impact Analysis and act as a contributor to DR plans. 
• Participate in conducting business resumption interviews and planning sessions with customers. 
• Comply with all recovery plans, including process and procedural standards to address routine, backup, redundancy and recovery architectures. 
• Actively participate in an exercise, testing, maintenance and audit program to maintain confidence in a predictable and repeatable performance of recovery.

Required:

• 3+ years of experience in IS operations implementing and supporting application or technical solutions in a data center environment.  
• Understanding of current recovery solutions, high availability architectures and virtual or converged architectures is needed, as is knowledge of crisis communication solutions. Must know basic IS network principles. Require excellent oral and written communication skills to convey plans, exercises, and activities.  Must be able to interact with technical, non-technical, and management staff. 
• Familiarity with business continuity program life cycle plans and source deliverables (e.g., risk assessments, BIAs, continuity planning) is essential. 
• Knowledge of: 
  • Database management 
  • Data storage and repository management 
  • Microsoft Word, Access, Exchange, Excel, Project and VISIO 
  • Disaster recovery methodologies and tools 
  • Data network architectures including solid understanding of TCP/IP 
  • Data processing, PC software, voice and data telecommunications

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, information protection (information security), or a related IS field. 
• 3+ years of experience dedicated to disaster recovery operations and management or related IS experience. Familiarity with PMI standard methods and tools. 
• Certification from DRII or BCI (ABCP, CBCP or CBCI is preferred)

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

If we offer you a job, we will perform a background check that includes a review of any criminal convictions. A conviction does not disqualify you from employment at Northwestern Medicine. We consider this on a case-by-case basis and follow all state and federal guidelines.