Wood

Global energy engineering and project services

Head of Department - Mechanical, Rotating, Static, And Packages

Engineering LeadershipConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeAbu Dhabi - United Arab EmiratesNo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree at minimum in a relevant engineering discipline.
At least 25 years of experience in onshore and offshore megaprojects with capital expenditure over USD 2 billion.
At least 5 years of experience managing in a Head of Discipline role.
Experience in assessment, pre-front-end engineering design, front-end engineering design, and detailed design project stages.
Extensive experience in engineering delivery of mechanical discipline projects.
Deep knowledge of ASME, API, TEMA, ISO, and ICS codes and Middle East client specifications.
Experience working with ADNOC, Qatar Energy, KNPC, KOC, BGC, BP, and Shell.
Knowledge of design and procurement of large mechanical equipment, including compressors, turbines, large columns and vessels, heat exchangers, and tanks engineering.
Expert-level understanding of discipline engineering tools, processes, and technologies.
Strong understanding of client business drivers.
Proven experience developing and leading high-performing engineering teams.
Capability in strategic thinking and problem-solving.
Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to work effectively in multicultural and cross-functional environments.
Competence in interviewing, selection, communication, and management of people, including performance management.
Coaching and mentoring capability focused on talent development.

Responsibilities

Drive engineering excellence within the Mechanical Rotating, Static, and Packaged Equipment teams for onshore and offshore projects across the region.
Ensure consistent, safe, and high-quality engineering service delivery, effective governance of discipline practices, and development of engineering capability.
Provide functional leadership to Lead Discipline Engineers on onshore and offshore projects, maintaining oversight of all discipline engineering activities within the business.
Serve as a subject-matter expert, supporting continuous improvement and technical excellence across the wider organisation.
Model the company’s values and behaviours, demonstrating high standards of safety, ethics, and inclusivity.
Drive health, safety, security, environment, and asset integrity culture and performance across the discipline team.
Ensure engineering integrity and compliance throughout all work scopes.
Maintain a strong focus on process safety and prevent technical incidents through robust controls and lessons learned.
Support technical assurance activities, including audits and incident investigations.
Provide appropriate discipline resources to projects and deliver work in line with company procedures and customer requirements.
Manage and optimise discipline resource utilisation against workload demand and overhead budgets.
Support workforce planning, including short-term and annual resource forecasting.
Collaborate with other discipline managers to develop discipline inputs into engineering execution plans.
Establish, maintain, and continuously improve discipline engineering systems, tools, and processes to ensure cost-effective and competitive execution.
Identify and promote innovation opportunities and emerging technologies within the discipline.
Identify opportunities for margin improvement and efficiency enhancement.
Support business development activities to identify and secure new work.
Review and optimise proposal man-hours for the discipline.
Provide discipline input to proposals in collaboration with other discipline leads.
Support and strengthen workshare strategies across engineering centres.
Set the vision and strategic direction for the Discipline Engineering Group under the guidance of the Engineering Director.
Provide line management to direct reports, including performance management, objective setting, career development, and remuneration input.
Ensure recruitment, development, and succession planning meet current and future business needs.
Implement and maintain discipline competence assurance frameworks.
Identify skills and capability gaps and organise appropriate training or development plans.
Build an inclusive, diverse, and high-performing team culture.
Develop, maintain, and improve discipline processes, procedures, manuals, and intellectual property in line with company policies and regulatory requirements.
Provide guidance on applicable codes, standards, legislation, and regulatory compliance.
Maintain discipline software tools in alignment with corporate policies.
Support project delivery assurance through reviews and governance activities.
Implement continuous improvement through structured change management.
Exercise authority over recruitment, development, and performance management of discipline resources.
May hold responsibility for discipline overhead budgets, including training and professional development.
Work with internal engineering managers, other discipline managers, project and contract managers, engineering centres, workshare teams, and technical networks and communities of practice.
Work with external customers, clients, and engineering software vendors.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Department with a proven track record in leading and managing the discpline engineering department, ensuring the successful execution of projects and alignment with company goals for a high-profile client.

Our Clients and Projects

Designing the future. Transforming the world.

Wood's Oil, Gas & New Energies business is built on a strong legacy of delivering large and complex projects for national and international energy companies across the globe. We have experienced teams, a proven delivery model and a strong reputation.

We are the market-leading provider of integrated and innovative solutions that challenge the status-quo in the oil and gas upstream and midstream, onshore and offshore, gas to liquids and decarbonization and electrification markets. We pride ourselves in steady and predictable delivery, setting our sights on an exciting growth trajectory.

Energy security, transition and supply have never been more important. You, our enabling teams, are at the very forefront of transformative projects that are providing sustainable power to generations to come. We are the ones to bring low-carbon concepts to reality.

What we can offer

Meaningful and interesting projects: Delivered to high profile clients across the Energy Sector
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: We are an organization actively committed to diversity and inclusion across our business
Competitive remuneration package: With regular reviews to ensure we are rewarding at the right level in line with the market
Medical Insurance: Ensures inpatient, and outpatient medical care is available should you require treatment
Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance: The company provides Life Assurance cover
End of Service Gratuity: In line with UAE Labor Law, all employees are eligible for an End of Service benefit
The Employee Share Plan: Gives you the opportunity to purchase Wood shares and receive a match from the company
Long Service Award: Wood values the commitment and loyalty of our people. Celebrating Long Service provides an opportunity for the business to demonstrate their appreciation of the hard work, dedication and many years’ services of our employees at 5 - year service milestones
Commitment to continued professional development: Development plans that are tailored to your individual needs and interests
Global connections: Join experts around the world who are at the leading edge of our industry, shaping the standards of our profession
Energy Transition Academy: Join a community of experts sharing your knowledge and gaining more exposure to a variety of existing and emerging energy systems - delivered by experts in their field

The key objectives for this role are:

Accountable for driving engineering excellence within the Mechnical Rotating, Static and Packaged Equipment teams for both Onshore and Offshore Projects across the region
Ensure consistent, safe, and high-quality delivery of engineering services, effective governance of discipline practices, and development of engineering capability
Provide functional leadership to Lead Discipline Engineers of both onshore and offshore projects and maintains oversight of all discipline engineering activities within the business
Serve as a subject-matter expert, supporting continuous improvement and technical excellence across the wider organisation
Expected to role-model the company’s values and behaviours, demonstrating the highest standards of safety, ethics, and inclusivity

Skills And Qualifications

What makes you remarkable?

At Wood, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree as a minimum in a relevant engineering discipline

Knowledge & Experience

Minimum 25 years of experience in Onshore and Offshore Mega Projects (Capex of over 2 billion USD)
Minimum 5 years of experience in managing in the role of Head of Discipline
Experience in ASSESS, Pre-FEED, FEED and Detailed Design stages of projects
Extensive experience in engineering delivery of Mechanical Discipline projects
Deep Knowledge in ASME, API, TEMA, ISO, ICS Codes and Middle East Clients' Specifications
Experience in working with ADNOC, Qatar Energy, KNPC, KOC, BGC, BP and Shell
Good Knowledge in design and procurement of large Mechanical Equipment, Compressors, Turbines, Large Columns and Vessels, Heat Exchangers, Tanks Engineering
Expert-level understanding of discipline engineering tools, processes, and technologies
Strong understanding of client business drivers
Proven experience in developing and leading high-performing engineering teams

Core Competencies

Strategic thinking and problem-solving capability
Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
Ability to work effectively in multicultural and cross-functional environments
Competent in people interviewing, selection, communication, and management, including performance management
Proactively always interact with team members in a positive and professional manner
Coaching and mentoring capability with a focus on talent development

Engineering Delivery & Performance

Drive HSSEA culture and performance across the discipline team
Ensure engineering integrity and compliance throughout all work scopes
Maintain a strong focus on process safety and eliminate technical incidents through robust controls and lessons learned
Support technical assurance activities, including audits and incident investigations
Provide appropriate discipline resources to the projects and deliver work in line with company procedures and customer requirements
Manage and optimise discipline resource utilisation against workload demand and overhead budgets
Support workforce planning activities, including short-term and annual resource forecasting
Collaborate with other discipline managers to develop discipline inputs into engineering execution plans
Establish, maintain, and continuously improve discipline engineering systems, tools, and processes to ensure cost-effective and competitive execution
Identify and promote innovation opportunities and emerging technologies within the discipline
Identify opportunities for margin improvement and efficiency enhancement

Strategy, Development & Business Support

Support business development activities to identify and secure new work
Review Proposal Manhours for your discipline and optimise
Provide discipline input to proposals in collaboration with other discipline leads
Support and strengthen workshare strategies across engineering centres

People & Capability Management

Set the vision and strategic direction for the Discipline Engineering Group under guidance from the Engineering Director
Provide line management to direct reports, including performance management, objective setting, career development, and remuneration input
Ensure recruitment, development, and succession planning to meet current and future business needs
Implement and maintain discipline competence assurance frameworks
Identify skills and capability gaps and organise appropriate training or development plans
Build an inclusive, diverse, and high-performing team culture

Governance, Policies & Procedures

Develop, maintain, and improve discipline processes, procedures, manuals, and intellectual property in line with company policies and regulatory requirements
Provide guidance on applicable codes, standards, legislation, and regulatory compliance
Maintain discipline software tools in alignment with corporate policies
Support project delivery assurance through reviews and governance activities
Implement continuous improvement through structured change management

Authority & Influence

Decisions significantly impact technical quality, financial performance, and project outcomes
Authority over recruitment, development, and performance management of discipline resources
May hold responsibility for discipline overhead budgets, including training and professional development

Working Relationships

Internal

Engineering Managers (local and regional)
Other Discipline Managers
Project Managers and Contract Managers
Engineering Centres and Workshare Teams
Technical Networks and Communities of Practice

External

Customers and Clients
Engineering Software Vendors

About the Company

Wood

Global energy engineering and project services

Wood is a global engineering and consulting firm that provides project management, engineering, and technical services for energy and materials markets, including oil and gas, renewables, and environmental work. Its approach combines engineering know-how with program management to plan, design, build, and optimize large projects. The firm differentiates itself through a long track record of growth via organic expansion and major acquisitions, notably the Amec Foster Wheeler merger, creating an integrated portfolio from traditional energy to sustainability consulting. Its goal is to help clients navigate the global energy transition by delivering reliable project delivery at scale and sustainable value in international energy services.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Founded: 1912

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