Protect What Matters Most – Strengthen Our Resilience
Join our Operational Resilience team and play a critical role in safeguarding the bank’s most critical products and services during times of disruption. As a Manager, Operational Resilience, you will design and execute severe yet plausible scenario tests to assess the bank’s ability to withstand crisis events—ensuring we can continue to serve our customers when it matters most.
In this highly visible and impactful role, you will:
• Help shape the Bank’s Resilience Strategy – Collaborate with stakeholders across the business to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen our response to disruptions.
• Lead Operational Resilience Scenario Testing – Develop and test scenarios affecting the bank’s most critical products and services.
• Drive Compliance and Excellence – Ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and industry best practices to enhance our resilience posture.
• Make a Real Impact – Your expertise and deliverables will directly contribute to the bank’s ability to navigate complex challenges and deliver uninterrupted service to our customers.
Join us and be part of a team that ensures the bank stands strong—no matter the storm.
**This is a Hybrid role in Toronto, Ontario**
Job Description: You will support Operational Resilience by facilitating scenario testing of Bank of Montreal’s’ critical products and services. This includes building severe but plausible storylines to perform end-to-end testing across the bank’s most critical products and services, engaging appropriate stakeholders to discuss what would be done and assess any alternate ways to continue to service our customers during the crisis event.
KEY Skills/Experience: Minimum of 5-7 years of expertise in one or more of the following areas:
Experience conducting stress and/or scenario testing activities.
Knowledge across the following resilience disciplines: Business Continuity, Incident and Crisis management, Disaster Recovery, Technology Resilience, Cyber Security and supplier/vendor management.
Strong understanding of Operational Resilience regulatory requirements and expectations, as well as awareness of Operational Resilience industry practices, evolving trends and leading practices.
Strong knowledge of enterprise risk and control frameworks and resilience risks relating to business operations, technology and supply chains.
An understanding of the bank’s businesses and organization structure, including key products and services, processes and controls.
Ability to produce concise and polished materials, including presentations and reports.
KEY Responsibilities:
The Manager, Operational Resilience, as a member of the Operational Resilience Program Team, will be responsible for helping maintain and further mature BMO’s Operational Resilience program.
Work closely with a broad range of stakeholders across first and second lines and will perform testing in order to assist the business in understanding if they can continue to operate effectively throughout any incident and meet relevant Operational Resilience targets.
Alongside the other Operational Resilience team members, you will help facilitate oversight and challenge activities, conduct scenario testing, and assess compliance with the Operational Resilience framework, to ensure that BMO’s resilience posture is appropriately managed and continuously improved.
The Manager, Operational Resilience utilizes knowledge and understanding of Operational Resilience, BMO’s businesses and external environment, emerging best practices and regulatory requirements to enable and mature the bank’s Operational Resilience, drive insights and recommendations to the Operational Resilience Team, and provide guidance to the Operating Groups and other relevant stakeholders.
In partnership with the Operational Resilience Team, you will be responsible for maintaining and maturing the Operational Resilience Framework, including identifying opportunities through scenario testing for enhancing existing capabilities across areas such as business continuity, incident response, technology resilience and oversight of third-party service provider resilience.
Additional Information:
The Manager, Operational Resilience, as a member of the Operational Resilience Program Team, will be responsible for helping maintain and further mature BMO’s Operational Resilience program. They will work closely with a broad range of stakeholders across first and second lines and will perform testing in order to assist the business in understanding if they can continue to operate effectively throughout any incident and meet relevant Operational Resilience targets. Alongside the other Operational Resilience team members, they will help facilitate oversight and challenge activities, conduct scenario testing, and assess compliance with the Operational Resilience frameworks to ensure that BMO’s resilience posture is appropriately managed and continuously improved.
Capability requirements
The Manager, Operational Resilience utilizes knowledge and understanding of Operational Resilience, BMO’s businesses and external environment, emerging best practices and regulatory requirements to enable and mature the bank’s Operational Resilience, drive insights and recommendations to the Operational Resilience Team, and provide guidance to the Operating Groups and other relevant stakeholders.
In partnership with the Operational Resilience Team, this role is responsible for maintaining and maturing the Operational Resilience Framework, including identifying opportunities through scenario testing for enhancing existing capabilities for areas such as cyber security, business continuity, incident response, technology resilience and oversight of third-party service provider resilience.
Ensures Operating Groups are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities regarding Operational Resilience and are provided with the relevant guidance, data and management information so they can execute against their Operational Resilience requirements.
Ensures Critical Business Products and Services are identified, mapped, assessed for resilience through scenario testing, including identifying gaps to improve resilience.
In conjunction with the Operational Resilience Team, builds and maintains effective and collaborative relationships with business partners when designing, embedding and facilitating enhancements to the Operational Resilience Program and its tool/book of record. Ensure not only business requirements are met but the approach is aligned across the group and with the various regulators, as applicable.
Maintains a deep understanding of the emerging business strategy and model to ensure processes and policies remain current and relevant and continue to align to internal policies and standards.
Supports self-assessments and reporting to appropriate committees, ensuring it is concise and timely to facilitate applicable governance functions.
When potential significant deficiencies or material weaknesses are identified, supports escalation as appropriate and assists in overseeing the evaluation of the sufficiency of engagement with stakeholder groups and documentation of remedial activities to satisfy Program objectives.
Provides strategic input into business decisions as a trusted advisor and makes recommendations to leaders on strategy and new initiatives or enhancements, based on an in-depth understanding of the business / group.
Interprets new regulations and assesses impacts to the Operational Resilience governance framework.
Supports development of reports on the status of the governance program or framework components to various internal & external stakeholder audiences. Monitors remediation of the control environment when deficiencies are identified.
Leads change management programs of varying scope and type, including readiness assessments, planning, stakeholder management, execution, evaluation and sustainment of initiatives. Leads the development of the communication strategy focusing on positively influencing or changing behaviour.
Supports Resilience & Integration execution interests and perspectives in corporate forums, and influence corporate policy related to area(s) of expertise. May network with industry contacts to gain competitive insights and best practices.
Qualifications:
Post secondary education.
5-7 years in an Operational Risk or Resilience environment.
Certification in any of the follow would be an advantage: BCI, CCSA, CISA, CA, CCSP, ISC, ITIL.
An advanced understanding of risk and control and governance frameworks, and practices and Operational Risk management or other assessment methodologies.
Practical experience of working in the governance structures expected in a financial services business including the management and delivery of governance items, including high-quality reports and proposal documents.
Experience conducting stress and/or scenario testing activities.
Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with a demonstrated ability to work independently, lead multiple projects, effectively prioritise, and manage a high volume of tasks, deadlines, requirements, and decisions.
Strong knowledge of enterprise risk and control frameworks and resilience risks relating to business operations, technology and supply chains.
Knowledge across the following resilience disciplines: Business Continuity, Incident and Crisis management, Disaster Recovery, Technology Resilience, Cyber Security and supplier/vendor management.
An understanding of the Enterprises businesses, including key products and services, processes and controls.
Strong understanding of concepts and application of change management.
Strong understanding of Operational Resilience regulatory requirements and expectations, as well as awareness of Operational Resilience industry practices, evolving trends and leading practices.
Awareness of multi-jurisdictional regulatory practices and requirements, where warranted.
Ability to produce concise and polished materials, including presentations and reports.
Demonstrate leadership behaviours that are consistent with Being BMO Values and Ambition 2025.
Strong presentation and communication skills.
Sound judgement.
Critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.
Time management and prioritization.
Strong executive presence with ability to motivate, influence and negotiate.
Stakeholder relationship management.
Conflict management and resolution skills.
Strong data analytics skills, including Microsoft Excel.
Collaboration skills.
About Us
At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose: Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.
As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact. We strive to help you make an impact from day one – for yourself and our customers. We’ll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in-depth training and coaching, to manager support and network-building opportunities, we’ll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.
To find out more visit us at https://jobs.bmo.com/ca/en.
BMO is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace. By learning from each other’s differences, we gain strength through our people and our perspectives. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To request accommodation, please contact your recruiter.
Note to Recruiters: BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.
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E mail: diversity.recruitment@bmo.com
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At BMO, you’ll have the opportunity to use your commitment, discipline, and dedication to teamwork to make a difference. Come and grow your career with us.