About This Course
Organisations today operate in an environment of escalating uncertainty — from cybersecurity breaches and supply chain disruptions to natural disasters, reputational crises, and geopolitical instability. The ability to detect threats early, respond decisively, and recover rapidly is no longer a specialist concern reserved for risk managers alone; it is a core leadership competency expected at every level of management.
This Crisis Management and Business Continuity Planning Training programme by TrainingComplex is designed to give participants a structured, end-to-end understanding of how resilient organisations prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises of all kinds. Drawing on internationally recognised frameworks including ISO 22301, the Incident Command System (ICS), and FEMA's National Incident Management System (NIMS), the course translates global best practice into actionable strategies relevant to African and Middle Eastern business contexts.
Over five intensive days, participants will move through the full crisis lifecycle — from risk identification and Business Impact Analysis (BIA) through crisis response protocols, stakeholder and media communication, and post-crisis review. Each day combines facilitated instruction with realistic tabletop exercises and case studies drawn from actual organisational crises, ensuring that learning is immediately transferable to participants' own institutions.
By the close of the programme, each participant will have contributed to a draft Business Continuity Plan tailored to their organisation's context — leaving with a tangible, actionable deliverable rather than simply a certificate. Whether you lead a government ministry, a corporate enterprise, an NGO, or a hospital, this programme will sharpen your capacity to protect people, assets, and mission-critical operations when it matters most.
Who Should Attend
- Senior and middle managers responsible for organisational risk and resilience
- Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Officers
- Operations and Logistics Managers
- Human Resources Directors and People Managers
- Corporate Affairs and Communications Professionals
- IT and Information Security Managers
- Public Sector and Government Administrators
- NGO and Humanitarian Programme Managers
- Health Sector Administrators and Hospital Management Teams
- Internal Auditors and Compliance Officers
Learning Objectives
- Define crisis, disaster, and business continuity and distinguish between the three concepts in an organisational context
- Apply internationally recognised frameworks — including ISO 22301 and ICS — to plan and manage crises effectively
- Conduct a comprehensive Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to identify critical functions, dependencies, and maximum tolerable downtimes
- Develop a structured, actionable Business Continuity Plan (BCP) aligned to the organisation's strategic objectives
- Design and implement a Crisis Response Team structure with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and escalation protocols
- Craft effective crisis communication strategies for internal stakeholders, external partners, regulators, and the media
- Evaluate organisational vulnerabilities through risk assessment techniques and translate findings into mitigation strategies
- Lead and participate in realistic crisis simulation exercises (tabletop and functional drills)
- Apply post-crisis review and lessons-learned methodologies to strengthen organisational resilience over time
- Align business continuity planning with broader enterprise risk management and governance frameworks
Course Modules
Module 1: Foundations of Crisis Management and Business Continuity
- Defining crisis, emergency, disaster, and business continuity — distinctions that matter
- The crisis lifecycle: pre-crisis, crisis response, and post-crisis recovery phases
- Key international frameworks: ISO 22301, ICS, NIMS, and the Sendai Framework
- The business case for continuity planning — financial, reputational, and regulatory drivers
- Organisational resilience as a strategic leadership priority
- Common myths and failures in crisis management — lessons from real cases
Module 2: Organisational Risk Assessment and Threat Landscape Analysis
- Conducting a structured organisational risk assessment
- Identifying internal versus external threat sources across strategic, operational, and reputational domains
- Using risk matrices to prioritise threats by likelihood and impact
- Sector-specific risk profiles: corporate, public sector, health, and humanitarian contexts
- Emerging risks: climate disruption, cyber threats, and geopolitical instability
- Documenting and maintaining a living organisational risk register
Module 3: Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
- The purpose and scope of a Business Impact Analysis within the BCP framework
- Identifying mission-critical business functions and dependencies
- Determining Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO)
- Mapping internal and external dependencies: people, technology, suppliers, and facilities
- Quantifying financial, operational, and reputational impacts of disruption
- Prioritising recovery activities based on BIA findings
Module 4: Developing a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- BCP structure and components: scope, policy, roles, procedures, and annexes
- Aligning the BCP with organisational strategy, governance, and risk appetite
- Establishing continuity strategies for people, premises, technology, and suppliers
- Writing clear and actionable response procedures and work-around protocols
- Integrating the BCP with existing emergency response and IT disaster recovery plans
- Workshop: drafting core BCP sections for participants' own organisations
Module 5: Crisis Response Team Design and Activation
- Establishing a Crisis Management Team (CMT) — roles, responsibilities, and authority levels
- The Incident Command System (ICS) structure and how to adapt it to organisational context
- Escalation protocols: when and how to activate crisis response structures
- Decision-making under pressure: cognitive biases, information gaps, and time constraints
- Situation rooms and Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs): setup and management
- Coordinating with external agencies: government, emergency services, and regulators
Module 6: Crisis Communication Strategy
- The principles of effective crisis communication: speed, accuracy, empathy, and consistency
- Mapping stakeholder audiences: employees, customers, investors, regulators, and the public
- Developing holding statements, key messages, and communication cascades
- Managing social media during a crisis: monitoring, responding, and correcting misinformation
- Media relations and spokesperson preparation: facing journalists under pressure
- Internal communication during crisis: keeping staff informed and reassured
Module 7: Information Management and Situational Awareness
- Establishing crisis information flows and reporting structures
- Tools and technologies for real-time situation tracking and data sharing
- The role of intelligence and early warning systems in crisis prevention
- Avoiding information overload while maintaining operational awareness
- Documentation and audit trails during a crisis — legal and governance implications
- After-action reporting standards and templates
Module 8: Supply Chain and Operational Continuity
- Assessing supplier and partner resilience as part of business continuity planning
- Developing supplier continuity agreements and alternative sourcing strategies
- Managing inventory buffers, logistics redundancy, and critical asset protection
- IT and data system continuity: backup, failover, and cloud-based resilience strategies
- Facility and workplace continuity: alternate sites, remote working, and space recovery
- Human resource continuity: succession, cross-training, and staff welfare during disruption
Module 9: Crisis Simulation and Tabletop Exercise
- Designing effective tabletop and functional exercises for organisational crisis testing
- Running a full-scale tabletop simulation: roles, scenario injection, and real-time decision-making
- Evaluating team performance against predefined exercise objectives
- Identifying gaps in plans, communication, and decision-making revealed by the simulation
- Debriefing methodology: hot wash and structured after-action review
- Using exercise results to update and strengthen the BCP
Module 10: Post-Crisis Recovery, Review, and Building Long-Term Resilience
- Post-crisis recovery planning: restoring operations, reputation, and stakeholder trust
- Conducting a formal lessons-learned review and root cause analysis
- Updating the BCP based on post-crisis findings and evolving risk landscape
- Embedding a culture of resilience: training cycles, awareness campaigns, and leadership commitment
- Aligning BCP with enterprise risk management (ERM) and corporate governance frameworks
- Participant action planning: 90-day implementation commitments and next steps
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have at least two years of professional experience in a supervisory, managerial, or specialist role within their organisation. A basic familiarity with organisational risk or operational management concepts is helpful, though no formal qualifications in risk or continuity management are required. The course is designed to be accessible to professionals from diverse sectors and functional backgrounds.
Training Methodology
- Facilitated conceptual instruction using real-world organisational crisis scenarios to anchor each theoretical framework
- Tabletop simulation exercises in which participant teams must respond in real time to an unfolding crisis scenario, making decisions under simulated pressure
- Case study analysis of landmark crises — including corporate collapses, hospital system failures, and government emergency responses — to extract transferable lessons
- Small-group Business Continuity Plan drafting workshops where participants develop BCP components directly applicable to their own organisations
- Crisis communication role-plays including mock media press conferences and internal stakeholder briefings
- Guided risk and Business Impact Analysis (BIA) exercises using structured templates and facilitated peer review
- Reflective debrief sessions after each simulation to consolidate learning and surface participant insights
- Guest practitioner perspectives shared through video interviews and case vignettes from crisis management professionals
- Individual and group action-planning exercises to translate course learning into 90-day implementation commitments
Organisational Benefits
- Reduced operational downtime and financial loss during crisis events through structured response protocols
- Enhanced organisational reputation and stakeholder confidence stemming from demonstrated preparedness
- A cadre of managers equipped to lead calmly and decisively under pressure, reducing panic-driven decision-making
- A tangible, organisation-specific Business Continuity Plan developed during the training and ready for immediate implementation
- Improved regulatory compliance with business continuity and risk management standards required by industry regulators
- Stronger cross-departmental coordination during emergencies through shared frameworks and common terminology
- Reduced insurance premiums and liability exposure associated with demonstrable continuity planning
- Greater staff confidence and morale, knowing the organisation has a clear plan to protect their safety and livelihoods
- Improved supply chain and partner resilience through extended continuity planning beyond internal operations
- A culture of proactive risk awareness embedded at management level across the organisation
Where Is Crisis Management and Business Continuity Planning Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Nakuru, Abuja, Zanzibar, Cape Town, Lagos, Riyadh, Mombasa, Nairobi, Dubai, Kigali, Dar es Salaam, Naivasha, Kampala, Johannesburg, Arusha, Kisumu, Addis Ababa, Pretoria, Accra, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
24 Oct 2026 – 15 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,800 |
| Zanzibar, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,500 |
| Mombasa, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
KES 105,000 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
+228 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a formal background in risk management to attend this course?
No formal qualifications in risk or continuity management are required. The course is designed for experienced managers and professionals from any sector who want to build or deepen their crisis and continuity planning capabilities. A basic understanding of how your organisation operates is sufficient preparation.
Will I leave the course with a Business Continuity Plan for my organisation?
Yes — a core feature of this programme is that participants work on BCP components directly relevant to their own organisation throughout the week. By the end of Day 5, you will have a structured draft BCP ready for review and implementation, not just theoretical knowledge.
Is a certificate awarded upon completion?
Yes. Participants who attend and actively complete all modules receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in Crisis Management and Business Continuity Planning. The certificate is recognised by employers across the public and private sectors and is a valuable addition to any professional portfolio.
Can this training be delivered in-house for an entire organisation or department?
Absolutely. TrainingComplex offers customised in-house delivery of this programme tailored to your organisation's specific industry, risk profile, and existing plans. In-house delivery also allows your team to work on your actual BCP together, maximising practical value. Contact us to discuss a bespoke arrangement.
Which international standards does this course align with?
The course is aligned with ISO 22301 (Business Continuity Management Systems), the Incident Command System (ICS), FEMA's National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. These frameworks are internationally recognised and provide a globally transferable foundation for crisis and continuity management.
