Skip to main content
Operational resilience

Certified Lead Crisis Manager

Certified Lead Crisis Manager. Review available formats, prerequisites, current inclusions and certification terms before booking.

PECBLead5 daysLiveSelf-pacedIn-house
  • Practitioner-led, taught by a working CISO
Christophe Mazzola

Taught by

Christophe Mazzola

Practicing CISO · Founder of Cyber Academy

See full profile →

For

Right fit if you are.

  • ✓Individuals responsible for delivering or overseeing crisis management capability within an organization
  • ✓Professionals tasked with implementing crisis management plans and organizational structures
  • ✓Crisis leaders, senior managers, and decision-makers involved in crisis response and strategic direction
  • ✓Members of crisis management teams and emergency response teams
  • ✓Professionals who want to start or advance a career in crisis management
  • ✓Consultants and advisors seeking in-depth knowledge of ISO 22361 crisis management guidelines

Honest call

NOT for. When to skip it.

We'd rather you keep your money than buy the wrong path.

  • ✗Individuals with no prior familiarity with crisis management concepts may find the course moves quickly without some foundational background study beforehand
  • ✗Those seeking a narrow operational focus on physical emergency response only, rather than organizational crisis governance, may find the strategic and framework content broader than anticipated
  • ✗Professionals looking for a brief single-day awareness session will find this programme far more extensive than a general introduction

Outcomes

What you'll be able to do

  • 1Explain the fundamental concepts and principles of crisis management as defined by ISO 22361
  • 2Establish and maintain a crisis management framework covering leadership, structure, culture, and competence
  • 3Continually improve a crisis management framework based on organizational learning and performance feedback
  • 4Support organizational efforts to anticipate, assess, and prepare for potential crises
  • 5Contribute to strategies that reduce the likelihood and impact of crises before they occur
  • 6Coordinate and execute crisis response and recovery activities in a structured manner
  • 7Extract lessons from crisis events to strengthen future crisis management capability

Programme

Day by day

Day 1Introduction to ISO 22361 and Crisis Management

  • ISO 22361 Overview and Purpose

    This module introduces ISO 22361 as the international guideline for crisis management, covering its structure, scope, and the principles it establishes for organizational crisis preparedness and response.

  • Core Concepts and Principles of Crisis Management

    Participants explore foundational crisis management concepts, including how crises differ from everyday incidents, the role of leadership in crisis situations, and why a structured framework is essential.

By end of day

  • • Explain the purpose and structure of ISO 22361 and its relevance to organizational resilience
  • • Distinguish crises from routine incidents and describe the principles that guide effective crisis management
Day 2Crisis Management Framework and Crisis Anticipation

  • Establishing the Crisis Management Framework

    This module covers how to design and implement a crisis management framework that integrates leadership accountability, organizational structure, a resilient culture, and the necessary competencies.

  • Crisis Anticipation and Risk Assessment

    Participants learn how to scan the environment for emerging threats, assess the likelihood and potential impact of crises, and use this intelligence to strengthen organizational preparedness.

By end of day

  • • Define the components of a sound crisis management framework and assign governance responsibilities
  • • Apply crisis anticipation methods to identify and prioritize potential organizational threats
Day 3Crisis Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

  • Crisis Prevention and Preparedness Strategies

    This module focuses on the measures organizations can take to reduce crisis likelihood and to prepare their people, processes, and resources for effective action when a crisis does occur.

  • Crisis Response Coordination

    Participants examine how to activate and coordinate a crisis response, including decision-making under pressure, communication with stakeholders, and managing the crisis team in real time.

  • Recovery and Organizational Learning

    This module addresses how to manage the transition from crisis response to recovery, restore normal operations, and capture lessons that feed back into improving the crisis management framework.

By end of day

  • • Develop prevention and preparedness measures that reduce organizational exposure to crises
  • • Coordinate a structured crisis response that covers communication, decision-making, and team management
  • • Design a recovery process that incorporates learning for continual improvement
Day 4Practical Exercises

  • Scenario-Based Crisis Simulations

    Participants work through realistic crisis scenarios that require them to apply anticipation, response, and recovery techniques learned during earlier days, reinforcing decision-making skills under simulated pressure.

  • Crisis Communication and Stakeholder Management Exercises

    This module uses role-based exercises to develop participants' ability to communicate clearly and manage diverse stakeholder expectations during an active crisis situation.

By end of day

  • • Apply crisis management framework principles to realistic scenarios in a structured exercise environment
  • • Demonstrate effective communication and stakeholder management during a simulated crisis event
Day 5Consolidation and Exam Preparation

  • Competency Domain Review

    This session revisits all four competency domains covered during the week, helping participants consolidate knowledge and identify areas requiring additional attention before the assessment.

  • Exam Orientation and Q&A

    Participants receive an overview of the PECB Lead Crisis Manager exam structure and have the opportunity to clarify any outstanding questions before sitting the assessment.

By end of day

  • • Identify personal knowledge gaps across the four crisis management exam competency domains
  • • Approach the certification exam with clarity about its scope and what each domain requires

Public sessions

Upcoming public sessions

Open-enrolment cohorts. Pick a date and book your seat. Want a private cohort for your team instead? Request an in-house quote.

No confirmed live cohort right now. You can still:

Buy the self-paced licenceRequest an in-house quote

Deep dive

Everything inside this certification

The detail behind the headline. Read at your own pace. Each section answers a buyer question we get on discovery calls.

  • Domain 1: Fundamental concepts and principles of crisis management
  • Domain 2: Establishing the crisis management framework
  • Domain 3: Crisis management prevention and preparedness
  • Domain 4: Crisis management response and recovery

The requirements for PECB Lead Crisis Manager certifications are as follows:

  1. Designing and implementing a crisis management framework
  2. Establishing and managing the crisis management team
  3. Conducting pre-crisis training and testing
  4. Implementing crisis response strategies
  5. Performing post-crisis reviews

Certification Rules and Policies

  • Certification and examination fees are included in the price of the training course.
  • Participants will be provided with training course materials containing over 400 pages of information, practical examples, exercises, and quizzes.
  • An attestation of course completion worth 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued to the participants who have attended the training course.
  • Candidates who have completed the training course but failed the exam are eligible to retake the exam once for free within a 12 month period from the initial date of the exam.

Educational Approach

  • Theoretical and practical examples and best practices related to crisis management
  • Quizzes with stand-alone questions (at the end of each section) and scenario-based quizzes (at the end of each day), intended to prepare the participants for the certification exam
  • Interaction between the trainers and participants by means of questions and discussions

FAQ

Buyers always ask

What is the difference between finishing this training and earning the PECB Lead Crisis Manager certification?+

Completing the five-day training programme means you have participated in all instructional and exercise content. It does not automatically confer the PECB Certified Lead Crisis Manager credential. To pursue certification, you must separately pass the PECB Lead Crisis Manager exam and then apply to PECB for the credential, demonstrating that you meet its professional experience requirements.

Cyber Academy provides the training. The exam and certification are administered by PECB, and candidates should consult PECB directly for current exam rules and credential application procedures.

Which international standard underpins this course?+

The programme is built around ISO 22361, the international guideline for crisis management. This standard provides the conceptual framework, principles, and terminology used throughout the course, ensuring that learning is grounded in a globally recognized approach to crisis preparedness, response, and recovery.

What competency domains does the PECB Lead Crisis Manager exam assess?+

According to PECB, the exam covers four domains: fundamental concepts and principles of crisis management; establishing the crisis management framework; crisis management prevention and preparedness; and crisis management response and recovery.

Candidates seeking details on exam format, available languages, and logistics should consult the official PECB List of Exams and Exam Rules and Policies.

Why does the course include a dedicated practical exercises day?+

Crisis management is a discipline where the ability to act decisively under pressure matters as much as theoretical knowledge. Day 4 is designed to help participants apply what they have learned through scenario-based simulations and role exercises, developing the judgment and communication skills needed in a real crisis situation.

This practical element also helps participants consolidate knowledge across all three earlier days before moving into exam preparation on Day 5.

Is this course relevant for professionals whose organizations are not yet certified to any crisis management standard?+

Yes. The course is valuable regardless of whether an organization has pursued formal certification against ISO 22361 or any other standard. It equips participants to build and improve a crisis management capability from the ground up, and the framework-based approach means the skills and knowledge gained are applicable in any organizational context.

Participants who later wish to support their organization's pursuit of formal certification will find the course provides a strong foundation for that work.

Next step

Where this leads

Pillar guide

Read the full Operational resilience guide

How DORA, NIS 2 and ISO 22301 interlock when the lights go out.

Ready to get certified?

Taught by a practicing CISO. Prices and exam terms shown up front.

Buy a live seatBuy self-paced licenceRequest a quote