Project Director - Offshore

Position Overview

The Project Director - Offshore provides overall leadership and strategic direction for major offshore capital projects, typically valued at 500M–5B+, from concept through to first oil/gas. This role carries full accountability for project delivery across safety, cost, schedule, and quality, and requires seasoned leadership to navigate the complexity of offshore multi-contract execution. The scarcity of individuals with a proven track record of delivering large-scale offshore projects on time and budget makes this one of the most critical talent gaps in the industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and accountability for the delivery of major offshore projects from concept selection through to first hydrocarbons and handover to operations.
• Establish and maintain project governance frameworks, including stage-gate reviews, assurance processes, and reporting structures.
• Manage a multi-disciplinary project team of 50–200+ personnel across engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning functions.
• Oversee EPC and installation contractor management, including contract administration, change management, and dispute resolution.
• Drive project risk management, including identification, quantification, mitigation, and contingency planning.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, HSE, and quality requirements across all project phases.
• Manage stakeholder relationships with joint venture partners, government agencies, and internal executive leadership.
• Control project budgets ($500M–$5B+) and ensure expenditure remains within approved funding envelopes.
• Champion project assurance and independent review processes at key decision gates.
• Develop and mentor the next generation of project leaders within the organisation.

Qualifications

Required

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering; MBA or Master's preferred
• Certifications: PMP or equivalent; NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent HSE qualification; BOSIET/FOET
• Experience: 20+ years in the offshore oil & gas industry with 10+ years in senior project leadership roles; proven track record of delivering major offshore projects
• Technical Skills: Multi-contract strategy and management; project controls (cost, schedule, risk); stage-gate governance; EPC contractor management; HSE leadership

Preferred

• Experience delivering FPSO, subsea, or deep-water projects from concept to first oil
• Familiarity with multiple contract strategies (LSTK, reimbursable, hybrid)
• International project experience across multiple regulatory regimes
• Track record of managing joint venture partner relationships