IT Disaster Recovery Lead

Description:

IT Disaster Recovery Lead

This is a fantastic opportunity to step into a new position where you'll help design, strengthen, and continuously improve how we prepare for, and recover from, disruptive events. If you're passionate about building modern, resilient recovery capabilities, enjoy solving complex technical challenges, and want the chance to shape best‑practice approaches from the outset, this role offers an opportunity to make a lasting impact on a large, diverse organisation.

About The Team

As part of the Information Security team, you will join a growing team that's driving major improvements in Governance, Risk and Compliance including modernising disaster recovery capabilities. We operate a hybrid working model, with the team on site for a minimum of one day a week.

About The Role

As the Disaster Recovery Lead, you will be the University's subject-matter expert for IT recovery, responsible for designing, maintaining, and validating the organisation's ability to restore critical digital services following disruption. You will be responsible for shaping the University's resilience posture, influencing technology design, and ensuring recovery expectations are embedded into new services, procurement, and change processes.

Reporting to the Head of Information Security – Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC), you will be working alongside a team of Operational Security Architects whilst collaborating closely with colleagues in Cyber Security, IT Operations and Service Delivery.

Key Responsibilities
 

• Leading the University's Disaster Recovery Framework aligned to ISO 22301 and NIST CSF.
• Defining system tiering, RTOs and RPOs for critical services.
• Driving creation, review and testing of recovery plans.
• Owning and optimising backup and restore strategy across all environments.
• Ensuring backup integrity and robust off‑site protection.
• Leading regular recovery exercises and deliver clear improvement actions.
• Providing assurance for audits and regulators.
• Managing recovery‑related risks within the Security Risk Register.
• Acting as technical lead for restorations during major incidents.
• Delivering DR training and awareness sessions.
• Bringing in emerging best practice through sector collaboration.
   

Key Skills & Experience
 

• Disaster recovery expert with hands-on experience restoring critical IT services.
• Strong backup and data protection knowhow across cloud, on prem, and hybrid environments.
• Sharp problem solver able to cut through complexity and drive clear recovery decisions.
• Confident communicator who can influence stakeholders and simplify technical detail.
• Skilled at leading recovery tests, simulations, and incident response restoration activities.
• Solid grasp of risk, compliance, and resilience standards (ISO 22301, NIST CSF).
• Collaborative team player who can bring IT, security, and operations together under pressure.