2. Crisis Management Team Roles and Responsibilities.

By /

Module 2: Overview

Understanding the Crisis Management Team: Roles, Responsibilities, and Effective Operation

This module explores the structure, purpose, and operation of a Crisis Management Team (CMT) within an organisation. The CMT is responsible for leading the response to crisis events and plays a critical role in protecting people, assets, and the organisation’s reputation. Key responsibilities of the CMT include:

  • Detecting early signs of a crisis and identifying vulnerabilities
  • Managing unfolding events during a crisis
  • Anticipating risks and assessing potential impacts before they occur
  • Executing planned crisis response actions
  • Managing stakeholder communications and preserving organisational reputation

Each CMT role is supported by a role card that outlines specific responsibilities, actions, and coordination requirements for that position.

Module Lesson Structure

  • Lessons 1 to 4 introduce the structure and functions of the CMT, the prerequisites for establishing an effective team, the key skills and traits required of team members, and the format and use of CMT role cards.
  • Lesson 5 examines the CEO’s role during a crisis, including their relationship with board members and potential responsibilities as a spokesperson.
  • Lessons 6 to 16 provide detailed overviews of the remaining CMT roles through individual role cards, covering positions such as:
    • CMT Leader
    • CMT Coordinator
    • CMT Administrator
    • CMT External Communications
    • CMT Spokesperson
    • CMT Communications Support
    • CMT People Support Team Leader
    • CMT Internal Communications & HR Support
    • CMT Technical & Operations
    • CMT Legal
    • CMT Finance

Each role card includes responsibilities across the crisis lifecycle: initial, follow-up, concluding, and ongoing phases. In addition to role-specific duties, the module also highlights how various CMT roles interact with each other and with external stakeholders.

Together, these lessons provide new and existing team members with a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to be an effective member of the Crisis Management Team.

Scroll to Top