Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Conduct a thorough **Business Impact Analysis (BIA)** to identify and prioritize the most critical cash center functions.
• Establish realistic and measurable **Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs)** and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) for all critical systems.
• Develop and document comprehensive **Business Continuity Plans (BCPs)**, including alternate site activation and staff relocation protocols.
• Design a **Disaster Recovery (DR)** strategy for all critical IT systems, including Cash Inventory Management (CIMS) and sorter software.
• Formulate a **Crisis Communication Plan** for internal, external (banks), and regulatory stakeholders during a disruption.
• Develop and execute realistic **scenario testing and simulation exercises** (e.g., site denial, power outage) to validate the BCP.
• Understand the requirements for **mutual aid agreements** and coordination with other cash centers/central bank entities.
• Analyze the legal and policy implications of a prolonged failure to provide currency issuance or processing services.

• Cash Center Operations Managers and Supervisors.
• Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery (DR) Specialists.
• Risk Management and Operational Resilience Officers.
• IT Infrastructure and System Administrators.
• Logistics and Cash-in-Transit (CIT) Managers.
• Internal Auditors focused on Operational Risk and Resilience.

• Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and RTO/RPO Setting Workshops
• BCP Tabletop and Full-Scale Simulation Exercises (Site Denial Scenarios)
• Case Studies on Cash Center Operational Failures and Recovery Strategies
• Group Activities on Drafting a Crisis Communication Plan for External Stakeholders
• Expert Lectures on FMI Resilience Standards and Mutual Aid Agreements
• Individual Exercises on Designing a Disaster Recovery Plan for a CIMS

Unit 1: Foundations and Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

• Defining BCP, DR, and their importance in a systemically important cash center.
• Legal and regulatory drivers for BCP in financial market infrastructure (FMI).
• Methodology for conducting a **Business Impact Analysis (BIA)**: identifying critical processes and dependencies.
• Determining the **Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD)** for key functions (e.g., issuance, processing).
• Setting the **Recovery Time Objective (RTO)** and **Recovery Point Objective (RPO)** for each critical function.

Unit 2: BCP Strategy and Alternate Site Activation

• Developing the strategy for **alternate site operation** (hot, warm, or cold sites) and their activation.
• Protocols for the secure transfer and setup of critical IT and communication equipment at the alternate site.
• Planning for the relocation, housing, and operational support of essential personnel.
• The role of **mutual aid agreements** with other cash centers or central bank branches.
• Strategies for maintaining security protocols (vault access, dual control) at the alternate site.

Unit 3: Disaster Recovery for Cash Center IT

• Designing the **Disaster Recovery (DR)** plan for the Cash Inventory Management System (CIMS).
• Data backup, storage, and recovery protocols for sorter software and transactional logs.
• Redundancy and failover planning for critical communication infrastructure (e.g., network, phone systems).
• Protocols for ensuring data integrity and synchronization between primary and alternate site systems.
• Managing vendor dependencies and service agreements for IT system recovery.

Unit 4: Crisis Management and Communication

• Establishing a formal **Incident Management Team (IMT)** and clear command structure for activation.
• Developing detailed **Crisis Communication Plans** for commercial banks, media, regulators, and the public.
• Protocols for managing the transfer of inbound/outbound cash flows to the alternate processing site.
• Decision-making framework for declaring a disaster and initiating the BCP/DR plan.
• Legal and policy requirements for reporting major operational failures to regulatory authorities.

Unit 5: Testing, Training, and Continuous Improvement

• Developing and executing a comprehensive **BCP testing and simulation program** (tabletop, full-scale).
• Designing realistic scenarios (e.g., total facility denial, extended power outage) that test RTOs.
• Training all staff on BCP/DR roles, responsibilities, and emergency procedures.
• Conducting a post-test and post-incident **lessons learned** analysis and root cause identification.
• Establishing a continuous review cycle to update the BCP based on organizational changes and new risks.