The EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) sets a single resilience framework for financial entities and their critical ICT providers. This five-day course gives you a method to interpret its requirements, build a compliance programme and keep it running over time. It is equally relevant to organizations outside the EU that serve European financial clients. Throughout the week you work on a running case study, from the initial gap analysis to the improvement plan, so that you leave with templates and a structured approach you can reuse in your own organization.
The essentials
Publisher : PECB
Certification : PECB Certified DORA Lead Manager
Duration : 5 days, exam on day 5 (31 CPD credits)
Level : Advanced
Formats : Live virtual class · In-person in Casablanca · On-site (intra-company)
Exam voucher : Official PECB offer: exam and certification fees are included in the course price, with one free exam retake within 12 months if you do not pass.
Explain DORA's purpose and interpret its requirements
Master the fundamentals of ICT risk and incident management
Prepare and plan the implementation of DORA requirements
Put the five pillars of digital operational resilience into practice
Organise ICT third-party risk management
Measure, review and continually improve the programme
Program
Day 1 – DORA concepts and requirements
Regulatory context and scope
Role of the management body
Gap analysis and project scoping
Day 2 – ICT risk and incident management
ICT risk management framework
Classifying and reporting major incidents
Digital operational resilience testing
Day 3 – Third parties and information sharing
Register of information and contractual clauses
Oversight of critical ICT providers
Sharing cyber threat intelligence
Day 4 – Review and continual improvement
Metrics and monitoring
Internal audit and management review
Improvement plan and exam preparation
Day 5 – Certification exam
PECB DORA Lead Manager exam
Prerequisites
A fundamental understanding of information security and cybersecurity
Familiarity with ICT risk management principles
Target audience
Executives and decision-makers in financial institutions
Compliance officers and risk managers
IT and security professionals
Legal and regulatory affairs staff
Consultants in financial regulation and cybersecurity
The exam
The exam takes place on day five, either online with remote proctoring or on paper. It covers five domains: ICT risk management fundamentals, preparing a DORA project, risk and incident management, resilience testing and third-party risk, and continual improvement. Depending on your experience you apply for Provisional Manager, Manager, Lead Manager (five years of experience including two in ICT risk, plus 300 project hours) or Senior Lead Manager. The certification application and the first-year maintenance fee are included.
Preparation tips
Read the DORA regulation and flag the articles on incidents and third parties
Map your critical functions before the course to feed the exercises
Revise the five exam domains using the case studies
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Does DORA apply to companies outside the EU?
It applies directly to EU financial entities, but non-EU banks, insurers and ICT providers that serve them often inherit its requirements through contracts. Understanding the regulation therefore helps you anticipate client audits, negotiate clauses and prove your resilience.
Since when has DORA applied?
Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 has applied since 17 January 2025.
How does DORA differ from NIS 2?
NIS 2 covers many essential sectors; DORA is specific to finance and goes further on resilience testing, incident classification and the oversight of ICT providers. Where an entity falls under both, DORA takes precedence for financial-sector obligations.
Is the exam included?
Yes, with one free retake within 12 months, as part of the official PECB offer.
How is the course delivered?
Live online, in person in Casablanca or on-site at your organization, in French or English. On-site sessions can use your own policies and contracts as working material.