About The Role

Wood is seeking a dynamic and experienced General Manager to join our Iraq Joint Venture leadership team. This is a full-time role based in Dubai, UAE with regular travel to Iraq as part of the position.

Job Objective

A senior role within the Wood Iraq business, managing the established joint venture company with Woods long-term Iraq partner Al Majal, The joint venture company is named ‘Wood Al. Majal’ and has been formed to combine the strengths of both partners to enter and succeed in tendering, securing, and delivering Maintenance, Completions / Commissioning Contracts and Brownfield Modifications Execution Projects within Iraq’s Oil & Gas Sector.

Manage Wood Al Majal business in accordance with the Business Plan and Budget under the direction and guidance of the Managing Committee. Deploying procedures and processes, targeting opportunities, securing contracts, and successfully delivering projects. Provide input to annual budgets and structure the company to deliver against the targets set and agreed by the Wood Al Majal Managing Committee and Board.

This is a Dubai based position with regular trips into Iraq. The intent would be to spend a minimum of 50% of time in Iraq and 50% in UAE to work with Managing Committee and Function Leads within Wood and joint venture partner.

Execution

Ownership for Business Plan and Budget and delivery against P&L targets.
Recruitment of In-country based Functions Leads and Delivery Leads to manage the daily activities and execute projects.
Arrange and manage Monthly Managing Committee and Biannual General Assembly Meetings in accordance with requirements defined in the Joint Venture Agreement and execute actions arising from the meetings.
Manage and execute all legal and statutory requirements as defined in the Joint Venture Agreement and stipulated by the Iraq Government.
Meet, engage, and build trusting relationship with Government agencies, BOC, SGC, Basra Governor, BCRO, MOO, MOI etc.
Business Development activities within Iraq
Create Key Opportunities Strategy and target agreed market/ clients.
Grow Fabrication, training and project execution capabilities.
Manage the execution model for contracts by drawing on support from Wood for services such as engineering and specialist consultancy services and from Al Majal for workshops, logistics and specialist equipment supply etc. in accordance with Joint Venture Agreement.
Lead all proposals to ensure the correct technical and commercial models are applied to ensure we are competitive and can successfully deliver at or above the tendered position.
Ensure compliance with applicable laws as wells as Wood HSSE, Quality and Ethics & Compliance policies.
Ensure correct level of governance is applied across all projects executed by Wood Al Majal.
Responsible for HSSE leadership, ensures a program of initiatives and auditing schedules are established, and that HSSE and quality management issues are proactively addressed within all Wood Al Majal activities.
Drive good practices, including corporate initiatives.
Resolve complex issues and escalate any unresolved issues to the Managing Committee for support and guidance.
Lead all proposals to ensure the correct technical and commercial models are applied to ensure we are competitive and can successfully deliver at or above the tendered position.
Ensure compliance with applicable laws as wells as Wood HSSE, Quality and Ethics & Compliance policies.
Ensure correct level of governance is applied across all projects executed by Wood Al Majal.
Responsible for HSSE leadership, ensures a program of initiatives and auditing schedules are established, and that HSSE and quality management issues are proactively addressed within all Wood Al Majal activities.
Drive good practices, including corporate initiatives.
Resolve complex issues and escalate any unresolved issues to the Managing Committee for support and guidance.

Leadership

Guide and direct the team, to achieve goals.
An advocate and role model for ethical behavior and compliance with applicable laws and policies.
Teach and empower others to make decisions within established parameters.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

Monitor effectiveness of relationships, and counsel others to take actions, as needed
Guide and direct diverse team which may include specialists from outside the company and from other countries.
Interface and coordinate with both Wood and Al Majal Operational and/or Contract Management to ensure delivery of operational and commercial goals.

External

Represent the organization externally at the highest levels with the customer, in the community and with contractors.
Work with other leaders to develop relationship management strategies for developing and maintaining strong ties with key external contacts including customers, governments, community groups, competitors.
Manage relationships with external stakeholders including interaction with suppliers and subcontractors.

LEVEL OF INFLUENCE & DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY

Requires limited guidance, works within high level policy guidance; work is assessed in relation to objectives and outcomes
Actions and decisions typically influence the long-term profitability, operating and technical results of the joint venture.
Solves complex problems requiring an understanding of social, political, and cultural issues as well as technical and business issues; exercises broad mature judgement in developing innovative solutions

Qualifications

University degree (bachelors or masters) in relevant discipline or equivalent combination of qualifications and experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Typically requires more than 15 years of broad and extensive pertinent experience.
Experience in delivering Operations and Maintenance Contracts in complex brownfield environments is essential.
Experience in delivering Construction and Commissioning Contracts will be beneficial but not essential.
Strong commercial acumen required.
Experience in Business Development and Proposals/ Tendering Process is essential.
Iraq experience preferred but not essential.
Expert in stakeholder management with extensive experience in managing challenging stakeholders and able to coach and advise others in this area.

Personal attributes

Safety focused with an uncompromising approach to risk management. Places the welfare of both internal and customer employees at the top of the agenda.
Passionately and visibly pursues, supports, demonstrates, and embeds company values.
Ability to motivate, engage and influence a diverse group of people.
Customer focused – develops sincere and open relationships with customers, current and potential; constantly striving to exceed expectations and add value. Able to develop and maintain strong customer relationships, including ability to influence.
Excellent verbal, written and presentational communication skills; able to manage sensitive communications and to communicate complex issues in simple ways.
Strong influencer, negotiator, and mediator.
Able to generate and apprise options, make decisions, and follow through, ensuring learnings are captured.
Strong team-builder capable of identifying and adopting best practices, engendering a spirit of cooperation and energizing people towards optimum performance enabling cross functional best practice.
Pragmatic in approach with a strong commercial bias and ability to balance commerciality with operational excellence.
Entrepreneurial approach - ability to identify and pursue opportunities to add value to client and Wood.
A motivated self-starter, who can self-direct when required, able to use own initiative to make appropriate decisions but also know when escalation is required.
Critical thinker, able to interpret complex data and with strong problem-solving abilities.