Technical Director

Wood (trading locally as WOOD KSS LLP) is looking to hire a Technical Director with extensive experience in the oil and gas petrochemical industry to join our Operations business, based in Atyrau, Kazakhstan.

Working as part of the WoodKSS leadership team, this role will provide technical delivery support within the WoodKSS Service Line. Define and guide the growth, development and delivery performance and work in parallel with the heads of functions (technical) within the region supporting the overall development of MEAC technical strategy, to deliver best practices and consistency throughout
Provide guidance and direction to technical management and support teams in day-to-day management of technical delivery, ensuring appropriate governance and controls are in place and ensuring Wood is working to the highest possible standards of technical integrity
The role will provide a consistent technical reporting line back to the General Director and produce solutions to complex service line strategic technical / operational challenges which impact our customer service and performance, in doing so improving the flow of lessons learned between services lines within MEAC. The role is instrumental in coordinating / driving technical innovation, improvement and learning across the WoodKSS technical teams
Provides the interface between WoodKSS head of disciplines with the MEAC technical directorate and provides opportunities for development and career progression to technical team
The role also acts as a technical authority for the WoodKSS business and works closely with the Technical Delivery Managers for each of the service lines and the MEAC Technical Directorate
The role will work closely with the other functions – particularly G&D, Engineering, Project Engineering, Project Controls, Supply Chain, Commercial, P&O and Risk Management

Qualifications:

• Engineering Degree
• Management Degree (preferred)
• Member of Professional Institute (Chartered Engineer / Manager)

Knowledge, skills, and experience:

• Leadership and HSSE role model
• Risk Management role model (running and chairing Risk Analysis sessions preferred)
• A thorough understanding of strategic and change management with the ability to translate this into appropriate goals, methodologies, and strategies for implementation
• Fully conversant with the life cycle of projects (from Conceptual through to Commissioning) and the business support stakeholders / how these interfaces operate effectively
• Experience in Project Controls (experience in Norms capturing and processing preferred)
• Substantial experience across onshore and offshore assets
• Substantial experience delivering mid to large sized EPC projects (must)
• Substantial experience in brownfield modifications and / or EPCC workscopes
• Previous experience in a similar role (preferred)
• Minimum 10 years in Technical Management roles
• Preferred 10 years’ experience in Project Management role on full project lifecycle
• Mixture of experience across Engineering, Construction and Completions roles
• Experience in TARs (preferred)
• Fully conversant with Wood Management Systems and understanding of the greater Wood offering (Wood Solutions)
• Experience acting as a Technical Authority and ability to act as a technical writer and PEER reviewer
• Ability to write and present Technical Business Cases
• Demonstrated experience in contract start-ups and delivery of technical execution plans
• Proven ability to build and lead a team of technical people, actively supporting, encouraging, and engaging those reporting to the position
• Ability to work independently and be results oriented, takes ownership, responsibility, and full accountability for the function
• Demonstrated organisational skills with ability to effectively manage within tight time frames
• Superior communication, stakeholder and influencing capabilities with the ability to present, inform, and persuade at all levels and externally
• Ability to identify, foster and develop staff for promotion and/or transfer within the organization
• Good time management skills and the ability to prioritize, with an ability to delegate appropriately
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships based on trust and confidence
• Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to be a team player is essential
• Ability to design and implement relevant work practices

Personal attributes:

• Strong influencer, negotiator, and mediator
• Strong collaborator to build stronger links with other parts of the Wood Business (Operation, Projects and Consulting) as well as building links with KSS 
• Passionate drive to make a difference
• Flexible to respond and adapt to changing internal and external context – technology driven
• Decisive, with ability to make decisions and follow through, ensuring learnings are captured
• Exceptional communicator both verbally and written
• Strong team builder, listens to needs of team, and capable of identifying and adopting best practices to engender a spirit of cooperation and energise people towards optimum performance
• Pragmatic in approach with a strong commercial bias and ability to balance commerciality with operational excellence
• Safety focused with an uncompromising approach to risk management. Places the welfare of both internal and customer employees at the top of the agenda
• Customer focused – develops sincere and open relationships with customers, current and potential; listens to customer needs and constantly striving to exceed expectations and add value
• Entrepreneurial approach - ability to identify opportunities
• Flexible to respond in agile ways to changing customer needs
• Ability to make decisions and follow through, ensuring learnings are captured
• A motivated self-starter, who can self-direct when required, able to use own initiative and have autonomy to make appropriate decisions but also know when escalation is required
• High standards of personal conduct
• Emotionally intelligent
• The ability to lead by personal example and encourage all employees to conduct their activities in accordance with all applicable laws and the group’s standards; policies and core values

Technical Operations

• Play an active role as part of the Leadership team of WoodKSS with continuous stakeholder engagement with Technical Directorate MEAC, Services lines Technical Delivery Managers, Head of Functions – MEAC, HVEC Interface Manager and Head of Technical Training
• Provide a consistent approach within the WoodKSS service line, through visible technical leadership and support of the Project Managers involved in service delivery, ensuring strong individual and team motivation and productivity
• Provide a single technical focal point within WoodKSS, to distil, introduce, and share best practice across Wood Solutions
• Provide a single point of contact within WoodKSS to traffic technical support requirements within the Engineering, Project Controls, Supply Chain, and Risk function to ensure consistent strategic delivery strategies are in place
• Ensure technical operations maintain a continued alignment with overall corporate policy, strategy, and direction and to ensure consistent objectives are set, achieved, and aligned to the strategic imperatives of the WoodKSS and MEAC BU
• Support the Heads of Function (MEAC) in establishing and implementing policies to ensure appropriate governance mechanisms for continuous monitoring of their proper implementation
• Tracks risks and opportunities via registers and mitigation of current or emerging technical risks across the WoodKSS service line
• Support and steer the functions to ensure technical innovation, improvement and learning in WoodKSS is drawing upon best practice across all the service lines within MEAC
• Where concerns arise regarding technical integrity or performance, liaise with the Heads of Function to conduct or organise for independent ‘deep dives’ to determine causes and mitigations.
• Support the Heads of Function (MEAC) in ensuring and overseeing compliance with the Wood technical processes and procedures in all aspects of the business
• Actively participate in the decision-making process to drive WoodKSS work to HVEC (where it makes sense and aligned with In-country value) 
• Participate in technical audits and PEER reviews
• Responsible for coordination and development of Engineering Estimates and coordination of lead Engineers
• Ensure all projects comply with Project Reporting and arrange all project management reviews
• Coordinates Technical input (Engineering, Construction and Project Management) into all Process and Energy tenders

Business Growth

• Support or influence operational growth in the areas of responsibility, through close collaboration with G&D team by introducing innovative ways to reduce costs of our technical delivery
• Support (or act as required) as Pursuit Manager as necessary for key tenders and support technical submissions of tender processes and clarifications
• Lead and support development of an EPC capability within WoodKSS 
• Lead and support positioning for new opportunities and strategic partnerships within WoodKSS
• Lead and support WoodKSS growth aspirations as engineering hub working to promote workshare competences within Wood as means to build competence
• Actively identifies, pursues, and develops opportunities for innovation such as digitalisation and technology use, diversity and inclusion, workshare (Wood Solutions) and HVEC to bring value to Wood and their customers
• Foster and enhance customer relationships with open, honest, and effective communications. Work with the customer facing teams to improve scope of work / offering, understand and deliver customer required level of services

Leadership

• Act as a champion and role model for ethical behaviour and compliance with applicable laws and policies
• Responsive to customer needs whilst ensuring the company operates with the utmost integrity, in line with the Code of Conduct and Company policies
• Facilitate open and effective communication to optimise delivery of objectives, maximise team performance and achieve continuous performance improvement, working closely with other areas of the operation to promote and enhance collaboration
• Generate team spirit, enthusiasm and passion pursue eradication of unproductive practices and negative mindsets to create a vibrant culture of positive thinking and attitude
• Support the Heads of Function (MEAC) in overseeing the competence management system for the WoodKSS technical function