Head Of Operations (oil & Gas) At Aventa Electric Cars
full-time
Job Purpose
To lead and run the day-to-day operations of the Company's oil and gas business across upstream (primary focus) and midstream from licensing round entry and farm-in negotiation through appraisal, development, production and abandonment while originating, structuring and delivering infrastructure projects and services with NNPC Limited and its subsidiaries and with other operators, including pipelines, gas processing, storage, terminals, evacuation systems and associated services.
The role is accountable for both operational leadership and project delivery: ensuring every asset and project delivers commercial value on time and on budget, and remains fully compliant with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the regulations of NUPRC, NMDPRA and NCDMB.
Scope of the Role
Upstream (primary focus) PPLs, PMLs, marginal fields, participating interests and non-operated positions across producing, near-term, undeveloped and exploration assets.
Midstream crude and gas evacuation, pipelines, processing and treatment, storage, terminals, offtake and third-party access arrangements, and the NMDPRA licensing that sits behind them.
Infrastructure projects and services identification, qualification, bidding and delivery of projects with NNPC Limited and its subsidiaries (NPDC, NEPL, NGIC/NGML, pipeline and terminal operating companies) and with IOCs, indigenous operators and joint venture partners.
Day-to-day running the operating rhythm of the oil and gas function: planning, execution, reporting, contractor management, budget control and escalation to the MD/CEO.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership and Day-to-Day Management
Own the day-to-day running of the oil and gas function set the weekly, monthly and quarterly operating rhythm and hold the business to it.
Act as the single point of accountability to the MD/CEO for delivery across all oil and gas assets, projects and commitments.
Build, lead and develop the oil and gas team; scope and manage external consultants, technical advisers and service contractors.
Translate Board and shareholder strategy into work programmes, budgets and executable delivery plans, and drive them to completion.
Establish and enforce operating procedures, delegation of authority, approval thresholds and documentation standards across the function.
Chair internal operations and project review meetings; resolve blockers and escalate decisions with clear options and recommendations.
Project Management and Infrastructure Delivery
Act as Project Manager for assigned upstream and midstream infrastructure projects pipelines and flowlines, gas gathering, processing and treatment facilities, storage, terminals, metering and evacuation systems, and associated services.
Originate, qualify and pursue infrastructure and services opportunities with NNPC Limited and its subsidiaries, and with other operators, that the Company can deliver directly or through partnership.
Manage prequalification, tendering and bid submission end to end NipeX/NJQS and NOGIC JQS registration, technical and commercial bid preparation, clarifications and negotiation to award.
Own project scope, schedule, cost, quality and risk from concept and FEED through procurement, construction, commissioning and handover, operating a clear stage-gate process.
Select and manage EPC/EPCM contractors, vendors and subcontractors; own contract administration, variation and change control, milestone certification and close-out.
Maintain full project controls work breakdown structure, master schedule, cost report, risk register, interface register and progress measurement with a single version of the truth for the Board.
Ensure Nigerian Content, community and HSE requirements are designed into projects from the outset rather than retrofitted.
Upstream Asset Portfolio Management
Own the technical and commercial performance of assigned assets, including production forecasting, reserves tracking and reservoir performance monitoring.
Prepare and defend Field Development Plans (FDPs), work programmes and annual budgets for regulatory and partner approval.
Monitor operator activity, field uptime, deferment and unit operating costs, and drive interventions where performance falls below plan.
Evaluate new asset opportunities licensing rounds, farm-ins, divestments and participating-interest acquisitions including screening, technical due diligence and economic modelling.
Prioritise the portfolio on a producing near-term undeveloped exploration basis, and maintain a live pipeline of screened opportunities with clear go/no-go recommendations.
Midstream Operations and Commercial
Manage crude and gas evacuation, custody transfer, terminalling and third-party processing arrangements, including losses, allocation and reconciliation.
Negotiate and administer crude handling, transportation, tariff, gas sales and aggregation agreements.
Identify and develop midstream investment opportunities that unlock stranded or constrained upstream volumes.
Manage NMDPRA licensing and permitting for midstream facilities and operations.
Regulatory and Compliance
Manage all regulatory interfaces: NUPRC (licence obligations, FDP approvals, field development reporting, cost and production returns), NMDPRA (midstream licences and permits) and NCDMB.
Ensure timely renewal of permits and registrations, including OGISP permits and NOGIC JQS registration, and maintain a live compliance calendar covering every licence and statutory obligation.
Prepare and submit Nigerian Content Plans, community development obligations and Host Community Development Trust deliverables under the PIA.
Coordinate with Legal and Compliance on JOAs, PSCs, farm-in/farm-out agreements, unitisation, crude handling and infrastructure access arrangements.
Joint Venture and Partner Management
Represent the Company on Technical and Operating Committees; prepare positions, review AFEs and challenge partner cost submissions.
Manage relationships with NNPC Limited and its subsidiaries, operators, technical partners, service contractors and host communities.
Review and validate cash calls, joint interest billings and cost recovery positions.
Commercial, Financing and Investment Support
Build and maintain asset and project economic models (NPV, IRR, payback, sensitivity and risk analysis) to support investment decisions.
Prepare investment-grade asset packages for financiers full technical, reserves, cost and risk breakdown supporting a clear go/no-go decision.
Support structured financing, including crude prepayment and project finance facilities, by producing the technical and reserves data lenders, investors and advisers require.
Track crude and gas offtake, lifting schedules and revenue reconciliation.
HSE and Risk
Ensure all operations and projects meet Company and statutory HSE standards; escalate incidents and non-conformances without delay.
Maintain the asset and project risk registers and drive mitigation actions to closure.
Reporting and Governance
Deliver monthly and quarterly performance reports to the MD/CEO and Board covering production, project progress, cost, compliance status and forward outlook.
Present investment cases, project approvals and variance explanations at Board level.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
Bachelor's degree in Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical or Civil Engineering, Geology, Geosciences, Reservoir Engineering or a related discipline.
Minimum of 10 years' oil and gas experience, with 12 - 15 years preferred, spanning both upstream and midstream and including at least 5 years at management level with full accountability for assets, projects or budgets.
A verifiable track record across several completed or in-flight oil and gas projects. Candidates must be able to evidence their role, scope, value and outcome on each project lists, references and supporting documentation will be requested at interview.
Demonstrable experience managing or supporting producing or development-stage assets in Nigeria.
Demonstrable experience delivering infrastructure projects or services for NNPC Limited or its subsidiaries, an IOC, or a major indigenous operator including prequalification, bidding and execution.
Proven project management capability across the full cycle: scope, schedule, cost control, contractor management and commissioning.
Working knowledge of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the NUPRC, NMDPRA and NCDMB regulatory frameworks.
Proven experience with FDP preparation, licence obligations and regulatory submissions.
Strong commercial and economic modelling capability.
Desirable
Master's degree or MBA; SPE membership; COREN or NAPE registration.
Recognised project management certification (PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent).
Experience in petroleum licensing rounds, farm-in negotiations or marginal field operations.
Familiarity with subsurface and economics software (Petrel, OFM, MBAL, PEEP, Palantir or equivalent) and project controls tools (Primavera P6, MS Project).
Experience managing JV or non-operated interests.
Established relationships across NNPC Limited, NUPRC, NMDPRA and NCDMB.
Competencies
Operational leadership able to run a function day to day and be held to delivery, not just advise on it.
Project management discipline: planning, sequencing, cost control and follow-through to close-out.
Technical depth in reservoir, production and field development engineering, with practical midstream and facilities understanding.
Commercial judgement and comfort with asset valuation, deal structuring and negotiation.
Regulatory literacy and precision in statutory reporting.
Stakeholder management across regulators, NNPC and its subsidiaries, partners, financiers, contractors and host communities.
Analytical rigour and sound decision-making under uncertainty.
Clear written and verbal communication, including Board-level reporting.
Key Performance Indicators
Production and reserves delivered against approved work programme and budget.
Projects delivered on schedule, within budget and to specification; stage gates met and close-outs completed.
New infrastructure and services opportunities identified, bid and converted.
Unit operating cost and capital cost performance versus plan.
Zero material regulatory breaches; all licence and statutory obligations met on schedule.
Nigerian Content and Host Community obligations delivered on time.
Quality, accuracy and timeliness of asset and project reporting to the MD/CEO and Board.
Value delivered from new asset entries, portfolio transactions and financing support.