Shift Manager - Refinery Operations Control

ADNOC Abu Dhabi UAE; Al Ruways Industrial City; On-site; AED 25,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

ADNOC Group in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates, seeks a Shift Manager for Refinery Operations Control. The role requires coordinating safe, efficient refinery activities across units, including material movement, blending, and loading, while serving as on-scene commander during emergencies.

The ideal candidate holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering with at least eight years of operational experience and three years in supervision.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent.
• Minimum of eight years of operational experience across different process plants.
• At least three years in a supervisory position.
• Direct experience in refinery or continuous-process operations.
• Knowledge of DCS, HSE Management Systems, emergency response and Incident Command System.
• Fluent English; Arabic preferred; UAE driving license advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Review operating parameters, laboratory analyses, production data, and unit conditions throughout the shift.
• Direct corrective action to achieve production targets with minimum waste and cost.
• Coordinate movement, storage, blending, and loading of materials and products.
• Synchronize operations across marine jetties, road tankers, storage, and refinery units.
• Ensure safety and compliance with HSE manuals and permit requirements.
• Act as on-scene commander during emergencies.
• Review accidents and near misses to prevent recurrence.
• Maintain shift records and handover to incoming team.

Skills

Refinery shift management

Process-plant operations

DCS software

HSE Management Systems

Emergency response

Incident Command System

On-scene command

Operational reporting

English communication

Arabic communication preferred

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Shift Manager - Refinery Operations Control Job Snapshot Role: Shift Manager - Refinery Operations Control Location: Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates Industry: Oil and Energy Function: Operations-Plant Management Experience: Minimum 8 years Job Type: Full-time Position Overview The Shift Manager - Refinery Operations Control role in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates, is an Oil and Energy hiring opportunity responsible for coordinating safe, efficient, and synchronized refinery activities across critical operating units. The position will control raw materials, sulphur, and refined-product movement, storage, blending, marine-jetty loading, and road-tanker loading. During afternoon shifts, night shifts, and holidays, the Shift Manager will assume overall operational responsibility for the refinery and serve as the on-scene commander during emergencies.

Job Details Country: United Arab Emirates City: Abu Dhabi Emirate Industry: Oil and Energy Function: Operations-Plant Management Salary: 25000-40000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

Refinery operations require continuous coordination among processing units, laboratories, maintenance disciplines, product-handling facilities, marine terminals, and emergency teams. A disruption in one area can affect production volume, product quality, utility consumption, safety, or delivery commitments. The Shift Manager will act as the refinery 's central operational authority outside normal working hours. By monitoring plant conditions, directing resources, and responding quickly to abnormal situations, the role will protect production continuity, personnel safety, environmental performance, and facility reliability.

Key Responsibilities

• Review operating parameters, laboratory analyses, production data, and unit conditions throughout the shift.
• Direct corrective action to achieve production targets with minimum waste and optimum operating cost.
• Maintain product specifications and support responsible environmental performance.
• Coordinate the movement, storage, blending, and loading of raw materials, sulphur, and refined products.
• Synchronize operations involving marine jetties, road tankers, storage systems, and refinery units.
• Contact on-call mechanical, electrical, control, production, safety, and general-services personnel when support is required.
• Ensure maintenance work is completed safely with minimal interruption to operating plants.
• Verify that activities comply with approved HSE manuals, operating procedures, and permit requirements.
• Coordinate operational interfaces with external companies and connected facilities.
• Confirm that section employees understand unit operations, abnormal conditions, and emergency procedures.
• Ensure scheduled emergency simulations are conducted across operational sections.
• Act as on-scene commander and determine the appropriate emergency classification.
• Direct the immediate refinery response to incidents in the safest and most effective manner.
• Review accidents, incidents, and near misses with employees to prevent recurrence.
• Work with Unit Supervisors to identify and eliminate unplanned flare sources.
• Monitor and optimize utility consumption across refinery operations.
• Coordinate security, administration, and general-service activities after normal working hours.
• Manage unexpected plant problems and operational emergencies during assigned shifts.
• Report unit status, critical issues, operational risks, and implemented workarounds to management.
• Maintain clear shift records and ensure effective handover to the incoming operational team.

Ideal Profile

Applicants should hold a bachelor 's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or an equivalent discipline. A minimum of eight years of operational experience across different process plants is required, including at least three years in a supervisory position. Direct experience in refinery or comparable continuous-process operations is highly relevant. The successful candidate will understand business impact, production priorities, plant safety, and emergency decision-making. Strong knowledge of DCS software, HSE Management Systems, emergency response, and the Incident Command System is essential. Fluent English communication is required, while Arabic language ability is preferred. A valid UAE driving license would be advantageous. Candidates should also demonstrate leadership, planning, time management, numerical ability, computer literacy, and professional report-writing skills.

Skills Set

• Refinery shift management
• Process-plant operations
• Central operations control
• Raw-material movement
• Refined-product handling
• Sulphur operations
• Product storage and blending
• Marine-jetty loading
• Road-tanker loading
• DCS software
• Operating-parameter monitoring
• Laboratory-result interpretation
• Production-target control
• Utility optimization
• Flare-source reduction
• Maintenance coordination
• HSE Management Systems
• Emergency response
• Incident Command System
• On-scene command
• Incident and near-miss review
• Shift handover
• Operational reporting
• English communication
• Arabic communication preferred

Why Join Us

This role offers substantial operational authority within a complex refinery environment where decisions directly affect production, safety, product quality, and business continuity. It provides exposure to multiple processing units, product logistics, maintenance disciplines, emergency teams, and external operating partners. ADNOC Group provides a stable platform for experienced operations professionals to develop broader leadership, incident-command, and refinery-management capabilities. The position carries visible responsibility for maintaining safe and efficient operations during critical shifts.

About the Company

ADNOC Group is a major integrated energy organization headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Its activities span exploration, production, processing, refining, distribution, and the development of advanced energy solutions. The group supports the UAE 's energy sector through operational expertise, technology investment, large-scale infrastructure, and a strong commitment to safety, reliability, and responsible resource development.