Mid-Senior Petrochemical Professionals

Hire Resolve.com; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is assisting in hiring experienced petrochemical professionals across the UK. Positions involve responsibilities in plant operations and project management, focusing on process optimisation and safety compliance. Candidates should have 7–15 years of relevant experience and hold a degree in Chemical Engineering or a related field. Benefits include a private healthcare plan, pension, and training opportunities. Onsite work in an industrial environment is required, with roles potentially involving on-call rotation and travel.

Benefits

Private Healthcare Plan

Pension Plans

Life Assurance

Leave Package

Training & Development

Qualifications

• 7–15+ years of experience in petrochemicals or similar environments.
• Demonstrated experience in operations leadership or process engineering.
• Familiarity with UK process safety and regulatory expectations.

Responsibilities

• Lead safe, efficient plant operations across processes and utilities.
• Drive process optimisation and cost reduction initiatives.
• Support or lead capital projects from scope development to execution.

Skills

Process optimisation

Stakeholder management

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or related discipline

Tools

CMMS/EAM (e.g., SAP/Maximo)

Process historians (e.g., PI System)

Job description

Hire Resolve is assisting petrochemical organisations in hiring experienced petrochemical professionals to support refinery, chemicals, and downstream manufacturing operations across the United Kingdom. This is a multi-role opportunity covering several functions within the sector, including plant operations, process and project engineering, reliability and maintenance, process safety and HSE, quality, supply chain, and commercial / technical services. These opportunities suit mid- to senior-level professionals and offer clear progression toward senior leadership roles (for example, Operations / Production Manager, Engineering Manager, Reliability Lead, HSE / Process Safety Manager, and Site Leadership roles).

Key Responsibilities

• Lead safe, efficient plant operations across continuous and batch processes, utilities, and supporting units
• Drive process optimisation, debottlenecking, yield improvement, energy efficiency, and cost reduction initiatives
• Support or lead capital projects from scope development through execution, commissioning, and handover
• Maintain robust technical and operational documentation (P&IDs, procedures, operating envelopes, change control)
• Strengthen asset reliability through preventive / predictive maintenance strategies, RCA, shutdown planning, and integrity programmes
• Ensure compliance with UK HSE expectations, COMAH requirements (where applicable), and site safety management systems
• Participate in or lead risk assessments (HAZOP / LOPA), incident investigations, and corrective action tracking
• Oversee contractor management and safe systems of work (Permit to Work, LOTO / isolations, method statements and risk assessments)
• Monitor KPIs for safety, production, quality, reliability, and budget performance; report and improve outcomes
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Laboratory, Supply Chain, and external vendors)
• Support audits, inspections, and regulatory interactions; ensure actions are closed out effectively
• Develop and coach teams through training, competency development, and continuous improvement initiatives

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical / Instrumentation Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline; relevant professional registration (e.g., Chartered Engineer) is advantageous for some roles
• Typically 7–15+ years’ experience in petrochemicals, refining, specialty chemicals, polymers, industrial gases, or similar process manufacturing environments
• Demonstrated experience in one or more functional tracks: operations leadership, process engineering, reliability / maintenance, rotating equipment, process safety / HSE, projects, quality, or commercial / technical support
• Working knowledge of UK process safety and regulatory expectations (HSE frameworks, COMAH where applicable, Permit to Work, isolations / LOTO, contractor safety)
• Familiarity with common plant systems and tools such as CMMS / EAM (e.g., SAP / Maximo), process historians (e.g., PI System), and standard engineering documentation practices
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and reporting skills; able to lead cross-functional delivery and influence decisions
• Willingness to work onsite in an industrial environment; some roles may involve on-call rotation, shift coverage, or travel depending on site requirements

Benefits

• Private Healthcare Plan
• Pension Plans
• Life Assurance
• Leave Package
• Training & Development