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Job title
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Principal Commercial Projects Assurance
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Grade
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Stream
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Commercial
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Function
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Commercial
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Location
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Oman – Muscat
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Budget control
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*OPEX and/or CAPEX and/or Revenue amount as relevant*
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Reporting to
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Chief Executive Commercial
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Direct reports
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-
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Job purpose
Drive and deliver expert-level assurance across OQEP's commercial projects portfolio, ensuring that all commercial initiatives, investment proposals, and project deliverables meet the required standards of quality, governance, and strategic alignment. Apply mastery of commercial frameworks, project evaluation methodologies, and assurance practices to provide independent and authoritative assessments that protect OQEP's commercial interests and support sound decision-making at the executive level. Serve as the principal point of expertise for commercial projects assurance within the Commercial function, interfacing directly with the Chief Executive Commercial and relevant internal and external stakeholders to ensure value is preserved and risks are effectively identified and mitigated across the commercial projects lifecycle.
The position will act in accordance with the OQEP’s Mission, Vision, Values & Strategies, as well as, policies, guidelines, and international standards, supported by an IT Technology platform, QHSE & Energy Management System requirements standards, Omani’s government & other legal justifications, and best international practices in consonance with national objectives.
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Main tasks and responsibilities
- Lead the development and implementation of the commercial projects assurance framework, ensuring it is fit for purpose, consistently applied, and aligned with OQEP's governance standards and strategic objectives.
- Conduct independent, expert-level assurance reviews of commercial projects at key decision gates, evaluating the robustness of commercial assumptions, risk assessments, economic models, and investment cases.
- Provide authoritative recommendations to the Chief Executive Commercial and relevant leadership on the readiness of commercial projects to progress through approval stages.
- Scrutinise commercial project proposals, business cases, and investment submissions to ensure accuracy, completeness, and alignment with OQEP's commercial strategy and value creation objectives.
- Lead the identification, assessment, and mitigation of commercial risks across the projects portfolio, ensuring appropriate risk management measures are embedded throughout the project lifecycle.
- Drive quality assurance across commercial project documentation, including contracts, agreements, financial models, and reporting deliverables, ensuring consistency and adherence to applicable standards.
- Develop and maintain assurance tools, templates, and guidelines to standardise commercial project evaluation practices across the Commercial function.
- Collaborate with relevant functions, including Finance, Legal, Business Development, Exploration and Joint Ventures, to ensure integrated and comprehensive assurance coverage across all commercial project touchpoints.
- Monitor and track the progress of commercial projects against approved plans, budgets, and performance targets, highlighting deviations and recommending corrective actions to leadership.
- Provide expert input into the development of commercial policies, procedures, and governance frameworks, continuously identifying improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
- Support post-project reviews and lessons-learned exercises to strengthen future commercial project assurance practices.
- Represent the Commercial function in internal governance forums, assurance committees, and relevant external engagements as required.
- Perform other related duties as assigned by the Chief Executive Commercial.
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Key interactions
Internal: Chief Executive Commercial, Finance function, Legal function, Joint Ventures function, Business Development function, Exploration function, and other relevant Commercial functions.
External: Group’s assurance team, JV partners, external consultants and advisors, government ministries and regulatory authorities, contractors and vendors.
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Notable Working Conditions. Office environment, intensive computer screen use, occasional travel to operational sites and partner offices as required.
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Education requirements
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- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Geoscience, with background on Business Administration, Economics, or related disciplines. Postgraduate qualification (MSc or MBA) is preferred.
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Language requirements
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Excellent knowledge of written, read, and spoken English (required) | Arabic - Native (desirable)
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Background and experience
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Competencies and skills
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- 10+ years of experience in the upstream oil and gas industry, with a strong focus on commercial management, project assurance, investment evaluation, or business development. Demonstrated experience in conducting assurance reviews, project gate assessments, and risk evaluations within a commercial or upstream context. Proven ability to critically assess business cases, economic models, and commercial frameworks at an expert level. Familiarity with upstream contractual structures including EPSAs, JOAs, and commercial agreements. Prior exposure to governance frameworks, project controls, and quality assurance practices in an oil and gas or energy environment. Experience in Oman or the wider Middle East region is an advantage.
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Soft:
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with ability to independently assess complex commercial situations and provide well-founded recommendations
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with ability to convey complex commercial findings clearly to senior leadership and diverse stakeholders
- High level of professional integrity and independence, essential for an assurance-focused role reporting directly to executive leadership
- Strong influencing and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to challenge and advise constructively across all levels of the organisation
- Results-oriented with strong attention to detail, planning, and organisational capabilities
- Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and functions
- Proactive and self-driven, capable of managing multiple assurance workstreams with minimal supervision
Technical:
- Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), including financial modelling and data analysis
- Deep knowledge of commercial project evaluation methodologies, investment analysis, and economic modelling
- Strong understanding of upstream oil and gas commercial frameworks, including EPSAs, JOAs, and concession agreements
- Experience in project assurance, gate review processes, and governance frameworks
- Familiarity with risk management methodologies and their application in commercial project contexts
- Knowledge of upstream project lifecycle phases and associated commercial decision points
- Understanding of financial reporting, budget management, and performance tracking in a commercial context.
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