Principal Marine Operations Specialist

McDermott International, Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd is seeking a Principal Marine Operations Specialist in Dubai to lead strategic marine resource planning, fleet optimization, and offshore demand forecasting. You will support project execution and develop asset deployment and cost-saving initiatives to improve productivity and profitability.

The role requires extensive offshore EPCI experience, advanced analytical and leadership skills, and collaboration across multicultural teams to optimize schedules and resource

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering.
• Minimum 10 years of offshore oil & gas experience.
• Proven experience with EPCI/EPC contractors.
• Strong background in marine operations, forecasting, and capacity planning.
• Experience in risk and opportunity management and cost-saving initiatives.
• Proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and planning/reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop marine resource forecasts and vessel deployment plans.
• Monitor resource utilization and mitigate constraints.
• Analyze costs and optimize fleet deployment.
• Provide input for tenders, proposals, and pre-award activities.
• Lead risk and opportunity assessments and develop mitigation plans.
• Develop management reports and dashboards.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Planning & scheduling

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

Planning tools

Reporting tools

Job description

Job Overview:

The Principal Marine Operations Specialist is responsible for strategic marine resource planning, fleet optimization, offshore demand forecasting, and project execution support across offshore oil and gas operations. The role develops and monitors marine resource plans, vessel utilization strategies, and cost optimization initiatives to ensure efficient deployment of marine assets aligned with business and project objectives.

Job Description

Job Overview:

The Principal Marine Operations Specialist is responsible for strategic marine resource planning, fleet optimization, offshore demand forecasting, and project execution support across offshore oil and gas operations. The role develops and monitors marine resource plans, vessel utilization strategies, and cost optimization initiatives to ensure efficient deployment of marine assets aligned with business and project objectives.

The position serves as a focal point for marine operation controls, risk and opportunity management, and business case development, supporting both ongoing operations and future project opportunities. Working independently with minimal supervision, the specialist provides strategic recommendations to improve operational efficiency, resource utilization, schedule performance, and overall project profitability.

The role requires extensive experience in offshore EPCI projects, marine operations, commercial planning, and execution support within the oil and gas industry.

Responsibilities

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Marine Planning & Resource Management

• Develop marine resource forecasts, vessel deployment plans, and capacity models to support project and business requirements
• Translate project pipeline, tender opportunities, and awarded projects into executable marine resource plans
• Monitor resource utilization, identify constraints, and recommend mitigation strategies
• Support project planning, scheduling, and project controls activities related to marine operations

Fleet Optimization & Cost Management

• Optimize vessel deployment and fleet utilization across regional operations
• Identify, prepare, implement, monitor, and control cost-saving initiatives related to vessel operations, logistics, chartering, and resource allocation
• Analyze utilization trends and performance metrics to improve productivity and reduce idle time
• Support chartering and asset deployment strategies that minimize commercial and operational risks

Commercial & Business Support

• Prepare business cases, economic evaluations, and cost-benefit analyses for marine assets and operational improvements
• Provide marine planning input for tenders, proposals, and pre-award activities
• Support business development efforts through resource planning, execution strategies, and market assessments

Risk & Opportunity Management

• Lead risk and opportunity assessments related to vessel availability, resource constraints, and offshore operations
• Develop mitigation and optimization plans to enhance project performance and profitability
• Monitor key planning, cost, and schedule risks throughout project lifecycles

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Develop management reports, dashboards, forecasts, and performance metrics
• Improve planning methodologies, forecasting tools, reporting systems, and project controls processes
• Promote best practices and lessons learned across marine operations and project teams

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications and Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering
• Minimum 10 years of experience in offshore oil & gas, marine operations, operations planning, project controls, or resource management
• Proven experience working with major EPCI/EPC contractors in offshore and marine projects
• Strong background in Marine Operations, Resource Forecasting, and Capacity Planning
• Demonstrated experience in Risk and Opportunity Management and project performance improvement initiatives
• Experience in preparing business cases, cost optimization studies, investment evaluations, and strategic recommendations
• Strong understanding of offshore vessel operations, marine logistics, chartering practices, and fleet management
• Proven track record of developing, implementing, monitoring, and controlling cost-saving initiatives and operational efficiency programs
• Advanced analytical, commercial, and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Power BI, planning tools and reporting tools
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills in multicultural project environments

About Us

Our ingenuity fuels daily life. Together, we’ve forged some of the most trusted partnerships across the energy value chain to make what was once just an idea a reality: laying subsea infrastructure thousands of feet below sea level, installing platforms hundreds of miles from shore, using our expertise to design and build offshore wind infrastructure, and reshaping the onshore landscape to deliver the energy products the world needs safely and sustainably.

For more than 100 years, we've been making the impossible possible. Today, we're driving the energy transition with more than 30,000 of the brightest minds across 54 countries.