Commissioning Manager

Wood; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Wood is seeking a seasoned Commissioning Manager to lead the pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up, and performance testing for major offshore upstream Oil & Gas projects in the Middle East. The role requires delivering large EPC/EPCI/PMC programs with extensive offshore experience and a strong emphasis on HSE and project readiness.

You will coordinate cross-functional teams, drive documentation, and ensure on-time handover to Operations, while maintaining adherence to international

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Chemical, Process, or equivalent).
• Master's degree is an advantage.
• Professional Engineering certification is preferred.
• Minimum 20+ years of experience in Oil & Gas projects.
• Predominant experience in Upstream Offshore Oil & Gas facilities.
• Significant experience in Pre-Commissioning, Commissioning, Start-up, and Operations Readiness.
• Proven experience delivering mega projects (> USD 500 Million).
• Extensive offshore commissioning experience including platforms, CPPs, subsea, pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement commissioning philosophy, strategy, and execution plans.
• Lead multidisciplinary commissioning teams across offshore and onshore facilities.
• Manage pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up, operational readiness, and handover activities.
• Ensure commissioning activities are aligned with project schedules and milestones.
• Provide leadership and technical guidance to commissioning engineers and specialists.
• Review and approve commissioning procedures, dossiers, systems completion plans, and start-up sequences.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Operations, HSE, and Quality teams to ensure seamless project execution.
• Monitor commissioning progress and implement corrective actions to maintain schedule commitments.
• Participate in constructability, operability, and maintainability reviews throughout project phases.
• Ensure proper integration between offshore platforms, subsea systems, pipelines, utilities, and onshore facilities.
• Interface with Client, PMC, EPC Contractors, Vendors, and Operations teams.
• Lead commissioning meetings and progress reviews with senior project stakeholders.
• Manage vendor representatives and specialist support during commissioning and start-up.
• Coordinate final handover of systems and facilities to Operations.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with project HSE requirements.
• Lead risk assessments, SIMOPS reviews, HAZOP follow-up actions, and commissioning risk mitigation plans.
• Ensure all commissioning activities comply with international standards and client specifications.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of commissioning documentation and turnover packages.
• Develop and execute operational readiness plans.
• Manage integrated system testing and performance testing activities.
• Support initial start-up and stabilization of facilities.
• Ensure successful achievement of production and performance guarantees.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Team management

Decision-making

Problem-solving

Multicultural teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Master's degree

Professional Engineering certification

Job description

Job Description

The Commissioning Manager will be responsible for leading, planning, coordinating, and executing the pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up, performance testing, and handover activities for major offshore upstream Oil & Gas projects. The role requires extensive experience in delivering large EPC/EPCI/PMC projects for major Middle Eastern operators.

The successful candidate will ensure safe, efficient, and timely commissioning and start-up of facilities while maintaining compliance with project specifications, international standards, client requirements, and HSE regulations.

Responsibilities

Commissioning Leadership

• Develop and implement overall commissioning philosophy, strategy, and execution plans.
• Lead multidisciplinary commissioning teams across offshore and onshore facilities.
• Manage pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up, operational readiness, and handover activities.
• Ensure commissioning activities are aligned with project schedules and milestones.
• Provide leadership and technical guidance to commissioning engineers and specialists.

Project Planning & Execution

• Review and approve commissioning procedures, dossiers, systems completion plans, and start-up sequences.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Operations, HSE, and Quality teams to ensure seamless project execution.
• Monitor commissioning progress and implement corrective actions to maintain schedule commitments.
• Participate in constructability, operability, and maintainability reviews throughout project phases.
• Ensure proper integration between offshore platforms, subsea systems, pipelines, utilities, and onshore facilities.

Stakeholder Management

• Interface with Client, PMC, EPC Contractors, Vendors, and Operations teams.
• Lead commissioning meetings and progress reviews with senior project stakeholders.
• Manage vendor representatives and specialist support during commissioning and start-up.
• Coordinate final handover of systems and facilities to Operations.

HSE & Quality Assurance

• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with project HSE requirements.
• Lead risk assessments, SIMOPS reviews, HAZOP follow-up actions, and commissioning risk mitigation plans.
• Ensure all commissioning activities comply with international standards and client specifications.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of commissioning documentation and turnover packages.

Operational Readiness & Start-Up

• Develop and execute operational readiness plans.
• Manage integrated system testing and performance testing activities.
• Support initial start-up and stabilization of facilities.
• Ensure successful achievement of production and performance guarantees.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Chemical, Process, or equivalent).
• Master's degree is an advantage.
• Professional Engineering certification is preferred.
• Minimum 20+ years of experience in Oil & Gas projects.
• Predominant experience in Upstream Offshore Oil & Gas facilities.
• Significant experience in Pre-Commissioning, Commissioning, Start-up, and Operations Readiness.
• Proven experience in PMC (Project Management Consultancy) organizations is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale mega projects (Brownfield and Greenfield) with project values exceeding USD 500 Million.
• Extensive offshore commissioning experience including:
• Offshore platforms
• Wellhead platforms
• CPPs (Central Processing Platforms)
• Gas processing facilities
• Subsea systems
• Pipelines and associated infrastructure
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multicultural project teams.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
• Proven ability to work effectively under project schedule pressures.

About Us

Wood is a global leader in consulting, engineering and operations for the energy and materials sectors. With 33,000 people in around 50 countries, Wood supports clients across the full asset lifecycle, delivering safe, predictable outcomes while enabling resilient operations and a lower carbon future. Wood forms the Energy & Materials pillar of Sidara - a global partnership uniting leading multidisciplinary engineering, design, and project management companies. www.woodgroup.com

Diversity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer that recognises the value of a diverse workforce. All suitably qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment on the basis of objective criteria and without regard to the following (which is a non-exhaustive list): race, colour, age, religion, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or other characteristics in accordance with the relevant governing laws.