Senior Director - Business Continuity Management (BCM)

Company: First American
Location: Santa Ana
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

Who We Are Join a team that puts its People First! Since 1889, First American (NYSE: FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people. They are passionate about what they do, and we are equally passionate about fostering an environment where all feel welcome, supported, and empowered to be innovative and reach their full potential. Our inclusive, people-first culture has earned our company numerous accolades, including being named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for ten consecutive years. We have also earned awards as a best place to work for women, diversity and LGBTQ employees, and have been included on more than 50 regional best places to work lists. First American will always strive to be a great place to work, for all. For more information, please visit www.careers.firstam.com. What We Do The Senior Director of Business Continuity Management is responsible for leading the enterprise-wide resilience strategy to ensure the organization can withstand, respond to, and recover from business disruptions. This executive role provides strategic direction, governance, and oversight of the Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Crisis Management, and Operational Resilience programs. The Senior Director partners closely with executive leadership, business unit heads, Technology, Security, Legal, Compliance, and Risk to embed resilience into core business operations. This role ensures regulatory compliance, strengthens operational readiness, and protects the organization’s financial stability, reputation, and customer commitments. Key Responsibilities: Enterprise Strategy & Leadership Develop and execute a comprehensive enterprise-wide Business Continuity and Operational Resilience strategy aligned with corporate objectives and risk appetite. Establish governance structures, policies, and standards for continuity and recovery programs. Serve as the executive sponsor for enterprise resilience initiatives. Provide regular updates to executive leadership and Board committees. Program Oversight & Governance Oversee Business Impact Analyses (BIA), risk assessments, and continuity planning across all business units. Ensure clearly defined Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs), Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs), and Minimum Business Continuity Objectives (MBCOs). Maintain centralized oversight of Business Continuity Plans (BCPs), Disaster Recovery (DR) plans, and Crisis Management protocols. Drive integration between BCM, IT Disaster Recovery, Cybersecurity, Third-Party Risk, and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). Crisis Management & Incident Leadership Lead enterprise crisis management framework and executive response structure. Serve as senior advisor to executive leadership during major incidents. Oversee crisis simulations, tabletop exercises, and enterprise-wide testing programs. Ensure post-incident reviews are conducted and corrective actions implemented. Regulatory & Compliance Leadership Ensure program compliance with applicable regulatory and industry standards (e.g., ISO 22301, FFIEC, OCC, SOC, etc.). Act as primary point of contact for regulators and auditors regarding business continuity. Oversee audit responses and remediation activities. Third-Party & Operational Resilience Integrate business continuity requirements into vendor risk management processes. Ensure critical third parties meet continuity and recovery expectations. Strengthen supply chain resilience strategies. Culture, Training & Awareness Promote a culture of resilience across the organization. Develop executive and employee training programs on crisis management and continuity preparedness. Coach senior leaders on continuity ownership within their business units. Metrics & Continuous Improvement Establish KPIs and KRIs to measure program effectiveness and resilience maturity. Conduct maturity assessments and benchmark against industry best practices. Drive continuous improvement initiatives based on emerging risks and lessons learned. Qualifications: Education Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Risk Management, Information Systems, or related field. Experience 12 years of experience in Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Enterprise Risk, or Operational Resilience. 7 years in progressive leadership roles with enterprise-wide responsibility. Demonstrated experience interacting with executive leadership and Boards. Experience in a highly regulated industry preferred. Certifications (Preferred) CBCP or MBCP ISO 22301 Lead Implementer/Auditor CRISC, CISA, or related certifications Leadership Competencies Strategic enterprise thinking Executive presence and Board-level communication Crisis leadership and high-pressure decision-making Strong governance and regulatory expertise Cross-functional influence and stakeholder alignment Program transformation and change leadership Success Indicators Enterprise-wide continuity plan coverage and validation Successful execution of crisis exercises and remediation Regulatory compliance with minimal audit findings Reduced operational disruption impact Increased resilience maturity across business units Pay Range: $197,200.00 - $263,000.00 Annually This hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job-related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location. Note that the following statements only apply to candidates who will be working from an unincorporated area within Los Angeles County. First American will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws (e.g., the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act). First American intends to conduct a review of an applicant’s criminal history in connection with a conditional offer. First American reasonably believes that a criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following material job duties for this position potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment: handling of confidential, proprietary or trade secret information belonging to First American or its customers, administrating or facilitating financial transactions, and the ability to meet customer-imposed criminal history requirements. What We Offer By choice, we don’t simply accept individuality – we embrace it, we support it, and we thrive on it! Our People First Culture celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion not simply because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the key to our success. We are proud to foster an authentic and inclusive workplace For All. You are free and encouraged to bring your entire, unique self to work. First American is an equal opportunity employer in every sense of the term. Based on eligibility, First American offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401k, PTO/paid sick leave and other great benefits like an employee stock purchase plan.

Keywords: First American, Santa Monica , Senior Director - Business Continuity Management (BCM), IT / Software / Systems , Santa Ana, California