Crisis Management Consultant

Career Guide
Crisis Management Consultants help organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptions. They assess risks, build crisis plans and business continuity programs, train teams with exercises, and guide communication and decision-making during incidents.

Key Responsibilities

  • Conduct risk assessments and business impact analyses (BIA)
  • Develop crisis response plans, playbooks, and escalation paths
  • Build and audit business continuity and resilience programs (ISO 22301)
  • Facilitate tabletop exercises and drills; document after-action reports
  • Advise leaders during incidents; coordinate incident command activities
  • Design stakeholder and media messaging for high-stakes situations
  • Align programs to regulatory and client requirements; track KPIs

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Senior Crisis Management Consultant
Director of Crisis Management / Resilience
Business Continuity Program Manager
Transition Opportunities
Emergency Management Director (public sector)
Enterprise Risk Manager
Crisis Communications Manager
Global Security/GSOC Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
ISO 22301–aligned BCP methodology and program designICS/NIMS incident management proficiencyBusiness Impact Analysis (BIA) executionTabletop exercise design and facilitationCrisis communications strategy and messaging
Development SuggestionsComplete FEMA IS-100/200/700 and a DRI business continuity course; assist with or run tabletop exercises and build a sample crisis plan portfolio.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry Level$70,000-$90,000
Mid Level$95,000-$135,000
Senior Level$140,000-$200,000
Growth Trend
growing | Cyber, supply-chain, and climate risks drive steady demand across industries.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
DeloitteControl RisksKroll
Industry Sectors
Consulting & Professional ServicesFinancial ServicesHealthcareEnergy & UtilitiesTechnology

Recommended Next Steps

1
Earn a CBCP (DRI) or MBCI (BCI) and complete FEMA ICS courses (IS-100/200/700) to validate core competencies.
2
Create a portfolio: a BIA template, a crisis playbook, and an after-action report from a tabletop you facilitated.
3
Network and learn tools: join DRJ/BCI chapters and get hands-on with Everbridge or OnSolve via trials or training.