Head of Department - Technical HSE

Wood

Abu Dhabi

On-site

AED 500,000 - 800,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Group Life and Personal Accident보험

End of Service Gratuity

Employee Share Plan

Long Service Award

Continued professional development

Global connections

Energy Transition Academy

Competitive remuneration package

Job summary

Wood is seeking an experienced Head of Discipline Engineering to lead the Civil, Structural and Architectural teams on onshore and offshore projects in the region. You will drive engineering excellence, governance, and capability development to deliver safe, high‑quality outcomes aligned with our clients' expectations.

You will mentor Lead Discipline Engineers, collaborate with Engineering Directors, and shape discipline processes, tools, and standards while promoting safety, inclusion, and

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
Minimum 25 years of experience in Onshore and Offshore Mega Projects.
Minimum 5 years of experience in leading as Head of Discipline.
Deep knowledge of API, IEC, NFPA, ISO, OSHA and related codes.

Responsibilities

Drive HSSE culture and performance across the discipline team.
Ensure engineering integrity and compliance throughout all work scopes.
Provide discipline resources to projects and deliver work in line with procedures and customer requirements.
Develop discipline inputs into engineering execution plans in collaboration with other leads.
Maintain discipline processes, tools, and standards to enable cost‑effective execution.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

People management

Coaching & mentoring

Diversity & inclusion

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Head of Department with a proven track record in leading and managing the discpline engineering department, ensuring the successful execution of projects and alignment with company goals for a high-profile client.

Our Clients and Projects

Designing the future. Transforming the world.

Wood's Oil, Gas & New Energies business is built on a strong legacy of delivering large and complex projects for national and international energy companies across the globe.We have experienced teams, a proven delivery model and a strong reputation.

We are the market-leading provider of integrated and innovative solutions that challenge the status-quo in the oil and gas upstream and midstream, onshore and offshore, gas to liquids and decarbonization and electrification markets. We pride ourselves in steady and predictable delivery, setting our sights on an exciting growth trajectory.

Energy security, transition and supply have never been more important. You, our enabling teams, are at the very forefront of transformative projects that are providing sustainable power to generations to come. We are the ones to bring low-carbon concepts to reality.

What we can offer

Meaningful and interesting projects:Delivered to high profile clients across the Energy Sector
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:We are an organization actively committed to diversity and inclusion across our business
Competitive remuneration package:With regular reviews to ensure we are rewarding at the right level in line with the market
Medical Insurance: Ensures inpatient, and outpatient medical care is available should you require treatment
Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance: The company provides Life Assurance cover
End of Service Gratuity:In line with UAE Labor Law, all employees are eligible for an End of Service benefit
The Employee Share Plan: Gives you the opportunity to purchase Wood shares and receive a match from the company
Long Service Award:Wood values the commitment and loyalty of our people. Celebrating Long Service provides an opportunity for the business to demonstrate their appreciation of the hard work, dedication and many years’ services of our employees at 5 - year service milestones
Commitment to continued professional development:Development plans that are tailored to your individual needs and interests
Global connections: Join experts around the world who are at the leading edge of our industry, shaping the standards of our profession
Energy Transition Academy:Join a community of experts sharing your knowledge and gaining more exposure to a variety of existing and emerging energy systems - delivered by experts in their field

The key objectives for this role are:

Accountable for driving engineering excellence within the Civil, Structural and Architectural teams for both Onshore and Offshore Projects across the region
Ensure consistent, safe, and high-quality delivery of engineering services, effective governance of discipline practices, and development of engineering capability
Provide functional leadership to Lead Discipline Engineers of both onshore and offshore projects and maintains oversight of all discipline engineering activities within the business
Serve as a subject‑matter expert, supporting continuous improvement and technical excellence across the wider organisation
Expected to role‑model the company’s values and behaviours, demonstrating the highest standards of safety, ethics, and inclusivity

Responsibilities

Engineering Delivery & Performance

Drive HSSEA culture and performance across the discipline team
Ensure engineering integrity and compliance throughout all work scopes
Maintain a strong focus on process safety and eliminate technical incidents through robust controls and lessons learned
Support technical assurance activities, including audits and incident investigations
Provide appropriate discipline resources to the projects and deliver work in line with company procedures and customer requirements
Manage and optimise discipline resource utilisation against workload demand and overhead budgets
Support workforce planning activities, including short‑term and annual resource forecasting
Collaborate with other discipline managers to develop discipline inputs into engineering execution plans
Establish, maintain, and continuously improve discipline engineering systems, tools, and processes to ensure cost‑effective and competitive execution
Identify and promote innovation opportunities and emerging technologies within the discipline
Identify opportunities for margin improvement and efficiency enhancement

Strategy, Development & Business Support

Support business development activities to identify and secure new work
Review Proposal Manhours for your discipline and optimise
Provide discipline input to proposals in collaboration with other discipline leads
Support and strengthen workshare strategies across engineering centres

People & Capability Management

Set the vision and strategic direction for the Discipline Engineering Group under guidance from the Engineering Director
Provide line management to direct reports, including performance management, objective setting, career development, and remuneration input
Ensure recruitment, development, and succession planning to meet current and future business needs
Implement and maintain discipline competence assurance frameworks
Identify skills and capability gaps and organise appropriate training or development plans
Build an inclusive, diverse, and high‑performing team culture
Develop, maintain, and improve discipline processes, procedures, manuals, and intellectual property in line with company policies and regulatory requirements
Provide guidance on applicable codes, standards, legislation, and regulatory compliance
Maintain discipline software tools in alignment with corporate policies
Support project delivery assurance through reviews and governance activities
Implement continuous improvement through structured change management

Authority & Influence

Decisions significantly impact technical quality, financial performance, and project outcomes
Authority over recruitment, development, and performance management of discipline resources
May hold responsibility for discipline overhead budgets, including training and professional development

Working Relationships

Internal

Engineering Managers (local and regional)
Other Discipline Managers
Project Managers and Contract Managers
Engineering Centres and Workshare Teams
Technical Networks and Communities of Practice

External

Customers and Clients
Engineering Software Vendors

Qualifications

Skills And Qualifications

What makes you remarkable?

At Wood, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree as a minimum in a relevant engineering discipline

Knowledge & Experience

Minimum 25 years of experience in Onshore and Offshore Mega Projects (Capex of over 2 billion USD)
Minimum 5 years of experience in managing in the role of Head of Discipline
Experience in ASSESS, Pre-FEED, FEED and Detailed Design stages of projects
Extensive experience in engineering delivery of Technical Safety Discipline projects with over 100K manhours
Deep Knowledge inAPI, IEC, NFPA, ISO, OSHA, etcCodes and Middle East Clients' Specifications
Experience in working with ADNOC, Qatar Energy, KNPC, KOC, BGC, BP and Shell Clients
Good Knowledge in Process Safety Studies (FERA, QRA, CFD, Radiation and Dispersion), Loss Prevention, Environmental, and Occupational Engineering
Experience in facilitating in-house Process Safety Workshops (HAZID, HAZOP, What if, ISD, Etc.)
Expert-level understanding of discipline engineering tools, processes, and technologies
Strong understanding of client business drivers
Proven experience in developing and leading high-performing engineering teams

Core Competencies

Strategic thinking and problem-solving capability
Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
Ability to work effectively in multicultural and cross‑functional environments
Competent in people interviewing, selection, communication, and management, including performance management
Proactively always interact with team members in a positive and professional manner
Coaching and mentoring capability with a focus on talent development

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.

Job Info