Mechanical Project Manager - Oil & Gas

Blake Anderson Recruitment; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 550,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

Blake Anderson Recruitment is assisting a leading Tier 1 contractor in Abu Dhabi to recruit a Mechanical Project Manager for major Oil & Gas and Chemical projects. The role spans FEED to installation, acceptance and reliability testing, with responsibility for strong leadership and cross-functional stakeholder management.

The candidate will have extensive EPC delivery experience, a deep mechanical/piping background, and a proven track record managing large-scale projects in complex environments.

Qualifications

• Minimum 20 years of Oil & Gas and/or Chemical industry experience, with 20–30 years preferred.
• Proven experience as a Project Manager delivering major EPC projects.
• Experience delivering EPC from FEED through Installation Acceptance and Reliability Testing.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage mechanical project execution across EPC and consortium environments.
• Provide leadership from FEED through installation, acceptance, and reliability testing.
• Manage interfaces with consortium partners, subcontractors, clients and stakeholders.
• Ensure objectives are met on scope, schedule, cost, quality and safety.
• Represent the company professionally with clients and partners, with strong leadership and stakeholder management.
• Support governance activities including senior management reporting and decision-making.
• Oversee commercial and contractual aspects including cost control and risk management.
• Drive collaboration across engineering, construction and commissioning teams.

Job description

My client a leading Tier 1 Contractor is seeking an experienced Mechanical Project Manager to support major Oil & Gas and Chemical projects across EPC, consortium, and subcontracting environments for their regional office in Abu Dhabi. The successful candidate will provide strong project leadership, manage complex stakeholder interfaces, and ensure successful delivery of projects from FEED through Installation, Acceptance, and Reliability Testing.

The role requires a senior professional with extensive EPC project delivery experience, strong commercial awareness, and a proven track record managing large-scale mechanical and piping scopes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage mechanical project execution across EPC and consortium project environments.
• Provide project leadership from FEED development through engineering, procurement, construction, installation, commissioning, acceptance, and reliability testing.
• Manage interfaces with consortium partners, subcontractors, clients, and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure project objectives are achieved in line with scope, schedule, cost, quality, and safety requirements.
• Represent the company professionally with clients and partners, demonstrating strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Support project governance activities, including senior management reporting and decision-making processes.
• Manage commercial and contractual aspects of projects, including cost control, delivery performance, and risk management.
• Drive effective collaboration across multidisciplinary engineering, construction, and commissioning teams.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Minimum 20 years of Oil & Gas and/or Chemical industry experience, with 20-30 years preferred.
• Proven experience as a Project Manager delivering major EPC projects.
• Demonstrated experience managing complete EPC delivery from FEED through Installation Acceptance (IA) and Reliability Testing.
• Strong background in mechanical systems and/or piping engineering
• Experience working for: Tier 1 EPC contractors such as Technip, Samsung, Chiyoda, L&T, or equivalent.
• Tier 2 EPC contractors such as Clough, Saipem, UGL, Kent, Petrofac, JGC, INCO, or equivalent.
• Major operators/employers with direct project delivery and P&L responsibility (e.g., senior project leadership roles with organizations such as Aramco, OQ, ADNOC, or equivalent).
• Tier 1 Project Management Office (PMO) organizations such as Worley, KBR, Fluor, or equivalent.

Preferred Candidate Profile

Candidates with experience in the following order of preference:

• EPC Contractor project leadership background.
• EPC Employer/operator experience with direct delivery and P&L accountability.

Additional preferences:

• Currently based in the UAE; candidates from the wider Middle East region will also be considered.
• Strong professional references demonstrating leadership capability and successful project delivery.
• Excellent English communication skills with the ability to manage complex stakeholder environments.
• High energy, proactive, and capable of operating effectively in demanding project conditions.

Candidate Exclusions

Candidates will not be considered if they have:

• Only subcontractor experience or limited exposure to full EPC project delivery.
• Insufficient experience managing complex EPC projects and stakeholder interfaces.
• Weak communication skills or limited ability to engage senior clients and partners.
• A lack of enthusiasm, motivation, and commitment to leading challenging projects.