Disaster Recovery Specialist

Position Summary:

The Disaster Recovery Specialist plays a critical role in the Credit Union's resilience by helping develop, maintain, and test disaster recovery (DR) plans and procedures. This position supports enterprise-wide preparedness efforts and regulatory compliance, minimizing operational disruptions and safeguarding member trust. This position safeguards the Credit Union in facing significant gaps in disaster recovery preparedness, increasing the risk of prolonged outages, regulatory non-compliance, and financial loss.

This role ensures operational integrity and supports the Credit Union's mission to maintain stability and member trust.

Work Arrangement: This position is available to work hybrid (3-4 days/week), or onsite at our Headquarters building in East Lansing, MI.

Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm ET

An offer of employment with MSU Federal Credit Union and affiliates is contingent upon the agreed work arrangement (onsite/hybrid) and work location. MSU Federal Credit Union may or may not be able to accommodate temporary or permanent changes to work arrangements or allow employment outside the city and/or state of residency in which the new hire resides at the time of offered employment.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary Range: $85,000-$100,000 dependent on experience
• 100% Company-Paid Health, Dental, Vision, Life, and Long-Term Disability Premiums
• Up to 26 days of PTO within your first year, as well as Volunteer Time Off & 11 Paid Holidays
• 401(k) with a company match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Up to 12 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Learn more about our benefits here

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and continuously improve enterprise disaster recovery (DR) strategy aligned with business continuity objectives and organizational risk appetite.
• Works with IT in developing, maintaining, and updating DR plans for identified systems, applications, platforms, and cloud infrastructure; ensure plans reflect current architecture and recovery priorities.
• Collaborate with Business and IT Leadership to design, coordinate, and lead DR exercises (tabletop, functional, and simulated), and support full-scale testing as appropriate; ensure test objectives, scenarios, and success criteria are defined and communicated.
• Analyze and document test/exercise outcomes, identify systemic gaps and non-conformities, and drive remediation plans to closure, track actions and report progress to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with software development and Dev Ops teams to ensure DR capabilities are built into the application lifecycle (including CI/CD pipelines), automation, backup, redundancy, and failover patterns.
• Support validation of backup, redundancy, and failover mechanisms for core and critical systems, and advise on improvements to resilience design and operational readiness.
• Ensure the DR program meets regulatory requirements and industry best practices (including NCUA, FFIEC, and other regulatory or contractual requirements); maintain supporting documentation and evidence for audits/exams.
• Serve as a subject matter resource during incidents or crises, providing coordination and guidance to help maintain operational resilience and restore services efficiently.
• Leads the creation and facilitation of training programs and awareness initiatives to strengthen preparedness.
• Understand and follow Credit Union policies, procedures, and internal controls to ensure compliance and accountability for managing operational risk; safeguard assets, help prevent fraud, and maintain operational integrity.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology (IT), Risk Management, Cybersecurity, or related field is required; OR 3 years of experience in disaster recovery business continuity, or IT operations in mid-to-large organizations in lieu of degree.
• ABCP, CBCP, or equivalent business continuity/disaster recovery certification (e.g., Disaster Recovery Certified Specialist (DRCS)) required; OR a minimum of 3 years of experience in disaster recovery, business continuity, or IT operations in mid-to large organizations.
• Prior experience applying DR/BC regulatory guidance and industry best practices (e.g., NCUA, FFIEC, ISO 22301) and supporting audits and exams through appropriate documentation in a regulated environment.
• Experience leading (formally or informally) DR program activities, including influencing cross-functional teams, facilitating training, and coordinating testing and remediation.

Competencies:

• Core Competencies that must be demonstrated by all Credit Union employees include Communicate, Navigate Change & Evolve, Solve Problems & Make Decisions, Plan, Prioritize, and Achieve, and Collaborate.

Functional Competency

Behavioral Description

AI & Digital Proficiency

Developing

Leverages artificial intelligence and digital tools to enhance decision-making, identify trends, and manage emerging risks. Applies AI-driven insights to support due diligence, validate outcomes, and refine prompt…