[BCM] [GRA] [E1] [C6] Composing BCM Team

Composing BCM Team

 

 

Introduction

A Business Continuity Management (BCM) programme cannot be successfully implemented or sustained without a clearly defined governance structure and a dedicated team responsible for planning, coordinating, implementing, and maintaining continuity arrangements across the organisation.

ISO 22301 requires organisations to establish roles, responsibilities, authorities, and governance mechanisms to support the effective operation of the Business Continuity Management System (BCMS).

For the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), the BCM team plays a critical role in ensuring that regulatory operations, licensing functions, compliance activities, enforcement actions, stakeholder communications, and supporting services can continue during disruptive events.

Given the complexity of GRA's regulatory responsibilities and its reliance on technology, inter-agency collaboration, and specialised personnel, the BCM team must represent all key functions within the organisation.

The purpose of this chapter is to propose a practical BCM governance structure and team composition that supports GRA's operational resilience objectives. This structure is designed to facilitate effective decision-making, cross-functional coordination, accountability, and continuous improvement of the BCM programme.

 

Purpose and Objective of Establishing a BCM Team

The BCM team serves as the central governance and coordination mechanism for the organisation's BCM programme.

The objectives of establishing the BCM team are to:

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for BCM implementation.
• Ensure BCM activities are aligned with GRA's regulatory mission and objectives.
• Coordinate BCM planning across all business units.
• Facilitate risk assessments and business impact analyses.
• Develop and maintain business continuity plans.
• Coordinate testing, exercising, and training activities.
• Monitor BCM performance and compliance.
• Support incident response and recovery activities during disruptions.
• Promote organisational resilience and BCM awareness.

 

Benefits of a Structured BCM Team

An effective BCM team provides the following benefits:

Strategic Benefits

• Strong governance and accountability.
• Better alignment between BCM and organisational objectives.
• Improved decision-making during disruptions.

Operational Benefits

• Faster response and recovery.
• Improved coordination between departments.
• Clear ownership of continuity responsibilities.

Regulatory Benefits

• Alignment with ISO 22301 requirements.
• Compliance with Singapore Government BCM expectations.
• Demonstrable organisational resilience capability.

Organisational Benefits

• Increased stakeholder confidence.
• Improved preparedness and awareness.
• Enhanced resilience culture.

 

Proposed BCM Governance Structure for GRA

The BCM governance structure should operate at three levels:

 

Level 1 – BCM Steering Committee

Purpose

Provide strategic oversight, executive sponsorship, and governance for the BCM programme.

Proposed Composition

 

Position	Proposed Representative
Chairperson	Chief Executive Officer / Chief Executive
Executive Sponsor	Deputy Chief Executive
Members	Heads of Regulatory Divisions
Members	Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Members	Head of Corporate Services
Members	Head of Risk Management
Members	Head of Communications
Members	Head of Legal and Policy

Responsibilities

• Approve BCM policy and strategy.
• Allocate resources and budget.
• Review BCM performance.
• Resolve strategic issues.
• Support organisational resilience initiatives.

 

Level 2 – BCM Working Committee

Purpose

Coordinate BCM implementation and maintenance activities across GRA.

Proposed Composition

 

Position	Proposed Representative
BCM Manager / BCM Coordinator	BCM Programme Lead
Licensing Representative	Licensing Division
Compliance Representative	Compliance Division
Enforcement Representative	Enforcement Division
Legal Representative	Legal & Policy Division
ICT Representative	Information Technology Division
HR Representative	Human Resources
Corporate Services Representative	Corporate Services
Communications Representative	Corporate Communications
Risk Representative	Enterprise Risk Management

Responsibilities

• Conduct risk assessments.
• Perform Business Impact Analyses.
• Develop BCM strategies.
• Coordinate BCM projects.
• Monitor BCM implementation progress.
• Report to the Steering Committee.

 

Level 3 – Department BCM Coordinators

Purpose

Implement BCM activities within individual departments and business units.

Proposed Composition

Each division should appoint:

• Department BCM Coordinator
• Alternate BCM Coordinator

Suggested Departments

 

Department	BCM Coordinator Required
Licensing	Yes
Compliance	Yes
Enforcement	Yes
Legal & Policy	Yes
ICT	Yes
Finance	Yes
Human Resources	Yes
Communications	Yes
Corporate Services	Yes
Risk Management	Yes

Responsibilities

• Maintain departmental BCM plans.
• Participate in exercises.
• Conduct annual reviews.
• Coordinate departmental recovery activities.
• Report BCM issues to the BCM Working Committee.

 

Proposed BCM Organisational Structure

BCM Steering Committee
│
▼
BCM Manager / BCM Coordinator
│
┌──────┼──────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
BCM Working Committee
│
┌──────┼───────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
Licensing Compliance Enforcement ICT Legal Corporate Services
BCM Team BCM Team BCM Team BCM Team BCM Team BCM Team

 

Key Roles Within the BCM Programme

BCM Steering Committee

Provides strategic leadership and governance.

BCM Manager / BCM Coordinator

Acts as the central coordinator of all BCM activities.

Responsibilities include:

• Programme management.
• BCM reporting.
• Training coordination.
• Exercise management.
• Plan maintenance oversight.

Department BCM Coordinators

Act as BCM focal points within their respective departments.

Responsibilities include:

• Updating plans.
• Conducting reviews.
• Supporting exercises.
• Coordinating recovery activities.

 

Integration with Crisis Management

The BCM structure should integrate closely with GRA's Crisis Management Team (CMT).

BCM Focus

• Continuity of business functions.
• Operational recovery.
• Resource management.

Crisis Management Focus

• Strategic decision-making.
• Reputation management.
• Stakeholder communications.
• Government engagement.

Many BCM team members may also participate in the Crisis Management Team during major incidents.

 

Critical Success Factors

For the BCM team to be effective, GRA should ensure:

• Executive sponsorship.
• Adequate resources.
• Clearly defined responsibilities.
• Cross-functional representation.
• Regular training and awareness.
• Frequent exercises and testing.
• Continuous improvement mechanisms.

 

The proposed Business Continuity Management (BCM) team structure for the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) provides a governance framework that aligns with the requirements of ISO 22301 and supports organisational resilience.

The structure consists of a BCM Steering Committee, BCM Working Committee, and Department BCM Coordinators representing all critical regulatory and support functions.

By establishing a formal BCM governance structure, GRA can effectively coordinate continuity planning, strengthen regulatory resilience, improve recovery capabilities, and ensure the continued delivery of critical services during disruptions.

The BCM team serves as the foundation for implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving the organisation's BCM programme, thereby supporting GRA's mission to maintain regulatory integrity, safeguard the public interest, and ensure operational continuity under all circumstances.