Job Title: Head of Commissioning

Location: Initial mobilisation Qingdao, China (12 months), then Onshore Middle East (24 months)

Contract Duration: 36 months, with potential extension

Working Pattern: 10 hours per day, 6 days per week (26 days per month)

Visa Requirements: Candidates must meet the visa/work eligibility requirements for China and the Middle East as applicable. Sponsorship availability depends on project location and immigration approvals.

We are supporting a major energy project in identifying an experienced Head of Commissioning to oversee the full commissioning lifecycle for a large-scale onshore development. The role leads commissioning strategy, systemisation, procedures, contractor oversight, and handover readiness. It also acts as a key focal point between project teams, construction groups, operations, vendors, and multiple EPC contractors.

This is a senior leadership position requiring deep commissioning expertise across engineering, procurement, construction, pre-commissioning, and startup phases.

Job Purpose

• Lead all commissioning phases across multiple disciplines, ensuring safe and efficient delivery of commissioning scope.
• Provide strategic direction, technical assurance, and oversight to the project's commissioning teams, contractors, and vendors.
• Coordinate engineering inputs for systemisation, execution planning, schedules, and review/approval of commissioning procedures.
• Optimise onshore commissioning to streamline offshore execution.
• Interface with facilities teams, EPC engineers, and operations personnel to align commissioning and systems completion requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Review and validate critical documents, reports, and deliverables produced by contractors.
2. Assess technical proposals, deviations, exceptions, and new technologies for compliance with project requirements.
3. Apply lessons learned from comparable major projects and share improvements across EPC teams.
4. Support qualification of new suppliers when required.
5. Review contractor manpower loading and provide recommendations or backfill support if necessary.
6. Support engineering teams to meet major milestones, including procurement and required-on-site dates; develop recovery plans where needed.
7. Witness testing, system checks, inspections, and sign-off activities.
8. Ensure accuracy of contractor progress reporting and integrate multiple handover packages for facility readiness.
9. Participate in audit activities, report findings, and provide remediation plans.
10. Lead the timely delivery of system completion documentation, commissioning procedures, and handover packages.
11. Coordinate with operations representatives for SIMOPS, greenfield/brownfield scopes, and commissioning strategies.
12. Support site walkdowns, readiness reviews, and field-based commissioning activities.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Applied Sciences. 

Experience

• Minimum 10 years' experience across engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning within large oil and gas projects.
• At least 2 years in a supervisory, acting, or lead commissioning capacity.
• Strong background in commissioning delivery processes, systemisation, safety reviews, and completions methodology.
• Experience across greenfield, brownfield, and SIMOPS environments.
• Proven exposure to vendor packages such as compressors, power generation, control systems, and mechanical/electrical topsides equipment.
• Strong knowledge of engineering design standards, specifications, codes, and industry safety criteria.
• Experience transitioning major systems from EPC contractors into operations teams.
• Experience working within multinational operating organisations or large project teams.

Skills

• Strong organisational, leadership, coordination, and technical judgement capabilities.
• Ability to manage heavy workloads, shifting priorities, and complex multi-contractor interfaces.
• Able to analyse complex issues and produce clear recommendations and contingency plans.
• Excellent command of English (written and spoken).
• Strong stakeholder management and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficient in standard office software and comfortable working with digital documentation systems.
• Willingness to travel as project phases require.