Head Of Operations (downstream Oil And Gas) At Irecruiters Africa Limited

Job Objective:

• The client is looking to hire a highly experienced Head of Operations with deep expertise in fleet management, logistics, and downstream oil and gas operations.
• The role will oversee fleet utilization, transportation planning, dispatch, route management, driver performance, vehicle maintenance, depot coordination, safety, operational controls, and service delivery across the company's locations nationwide.
• The successful candidate must be a strong hands-on operator who understands the realities of managing a large commercial fleet and long-distance petroleum product transportation.
• The ideal candidate will take overall responsibility for ensuring the efficient, safe, reliable, and cost-effective movement of petroleum products across the company's operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the company's operations, fleet, transportation, and logistics functions.
• Take full responsibility for the operational performance, availability, utilization, and productivity of the company's 100+ truck fleet.
• Develop and manage daily, weekly, and monthly transportation plans for the efficient movement of petroleum products between depots, service stations, customers, and other approved destinations.
• Oversee route planning, truck scheduling, dispatch, delivery coordination, and turnaround times to maximize fleet efficiency and minimize idle time.
• Coordinate with depots to ensure timely loading, accurate documentation, dispatch, and delivery of petroleum products.
• Establish effective systems for monitoring trucks throughout their journeys and maintain visibility on trip status, delivery timelines, delays, and exceptions.
• Monitor key fleet KPIs including truck availability, utilization, turnaround time, trip completion, delivery performance, fuel consumption, downtime, maintenance costs, and cost per trip.
• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs to maximize vehicle uptime and minimize breakdowns and operational disruptions.
• Ensure all trucks are properly maintained, roadworthy, licensed, insured, documented, and compliant with applicable regulatory requirements.
• Lead the recruitment, deployment, supervision, performance management, and development of drivers and other fleet personnel.
• Establish and enforce clear driver performance standards covering safety, punctuality, vehicle care, route compliance, fuel management, and delivery performance.
• Ensure strict compliance with HSE and operational safety requirements for the loading, transportation, and delivery of petroleum products.
• Monitor fuel consumption, maintenance expenditure, trip costs, and other fleet-related expenses, identifying and addressing inefficiencies, leakages, and unnecessary costs.
• Develop and implement effective controls to minimize unauthorized trips, fuel losses, vehicle misuse, avoidable breakdowns, and other operational losses.
• Ensure timely replenishment and delivery of petroleum products to the company's retail outlets and other customers in line with operational requirements.
• Work closely with Finance, Retail, Procurement, HSE, Security, Sales, and other departments to ensure seamless coordination of business operations.
• Manage relationships with depots, workshops, mechanics, transport partners, drivers, regulatory stakeholders, and other key operational service providers.
• Develop contingency and incident-response procedures covering accidents, breakdowns, security risks, route disruptions, delays, and other operational emergencies.
• Prepare regular operational reports and provide management with clear visibility into fleet performance, logistics activities, operational costs, risks, and areas requiring corrective action.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce transportation costs, increase fleet productivity, and improve service delivery.
• Lead and develop a high-performing operations and fleet management team, establishing clear KPIs, accountability, and performance standards.
• Provide operational input into fleet acquisition, replacement, expansion, new routes, new locations, and other strategic business decisions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Transport Management, Logistics, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline is required.
• 10 - 15+ years of progressive experience in fleet management, transportation, logistics, operations, or supply chain, with significant experience at a senior management level.
• Professional qualifications in logistics, fleet management, supply chain, transportation, or operations management will be an added advantage.
• Strong downstream oil and gas experience is required, particularly in petroleum product transportation, distribution, haulage, or retail operations.
• Must be a core fleet and logistics professional with demonstrable experience managing a substantial commercial truck fleet.
• Proven experience managing 100+ trucks or a similarly large-scale fleet will be a significant advantage.
• Strong hands-on experience in petroleum product transportation and nationwide distribution.
• Proven experience in route planning, dispatch management, truck scheduling, depot coordination, and delivery management.
• Strong understanding of heavy-duty trucks, tankers, trailers, fleet maintenance, preventive maintenance, and vehicle uptime.
• Demonstrable experience managing commercial drivers and large, geographically dispersed operational teams.
• Strong knowledge of petroleum transportation safety standards, HSE requirements, and relevant Nigerian regulatory requirements.
• Strong understanding of fleet operating costs, fuel consumption, trip costing, maintenance expenditure, and operational cost control.
• Experience with fleet management, GPS/tracking, logistics, or transportation management systems will be an advantage.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use operational data to improve efficiency and control costs.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance safety, operational efficiency, service delivery, and profitability.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, coordination, and stakeholder management skills.
• High level of integrity, accountability, discipline, and attention to operational detail.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the company's operational locations nationwide.