Commissioning Director

NES Fircroft; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

NES Fircroft is actively recruiting a Commissioning Director based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to lead the commissioning lifecycle for a major onshore Oil & Gas EPC/EPCM project. This senior role requires delivering strategic execution from early planning through start-up and handover, with strong governance across multiple teams and contractors.

You will drive the commissioning plan, ensure HSE and quality compliance, and manage interfaces with engineering, construction, and operations to meet project

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in oil & gas commissioning/start-up environments.
• Proven ability to lead across multidisciplinary, multi-contractor teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning strategy, planning, and execution for a large onshore Oil & Gas project.
• Develop and drive the Commissioning Execution Plan aligned with milestones and readiness.
• Oversee interfaces across engineering, construction, completions, pre-commissioning, commissioning, and start-up teams.
• Ensure commissioning activities meet HSE, quality, and schedule requirements.
• Manage turnover, punch, and handover/close-out documentation.
• Provide leadership and governance across contractors and stakeholders to ensure safe, compliant delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Project governance

Job description

NES Fircroft is recruiting an experienced Commissioning Director to support a major onshore Oil & Gas EPC/EPCM project based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This is a senior leadership position for an individual with a strong track record delivering commissioning and start-up activities on large-scale developments.

Role OverviewAs Commissioning Director, you will provide strategic and hands-on leadership across the commissioning lifecycle—driving execution excellence from early planning through to start-up, performance testing, and final handover.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning strategy, planning, and execution for a large onshore Oil & Gas project.
• Develop and drive the overall Commissioning Execution Plan aligned with project milestones and readiness.
• Oversee interfaces across engineering, construction, completions/mechanical completion, pre-commissioning, commissioning and start-up teams.
• Ensure commissioning activities meet project HSE, quality, and schedule requirements.
• Manage system turnover, punch management, and handover/close-out documentation.
• Provide leadership and governance across contractors and stakeholders to ensure safe, compliant delivery.

Candidate Requirements

• 25+ years of Oil & Gas commissioning / start-up experience, with senior leadership responsibility.
• Proven experience delivering commissioning for major onshore EPC/EPCM projects.
• Strong capability across pre-commissioning, cold/hot commissioning, start-up and handover.
• Excellent stakeholder management and leadership in multi-discipline, multi-contractor environments.
• GCC experience preferred (UAE/Abu Dhabi experience highly beneficial).

Contract Details

• Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• Engagement: Contract

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining andManufacturingsectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.