Operations Readiness Manager

The Santos (Oil Search) Alaska LLC Business Unit (OSA) is responsible for appraising discovered resources in Alaska, commercializing the appraised resources and ultimately developing a project leading to oil production. In addition, OSA will be responsible for securing additional acreage and the discovery of new resources in the region. The President OSA is accountable for managing this Business Unit to the parent Company, Santos LLC, headquartered in Adelaide, Australia.

Through its merger with Oil Search, Santos has acquired and assumed operatorship over a world-class portfolio of oil leases on the Alaskan North Slope, USA. Our focus in Alaska is advancement of our Pikka Phase 1 project, which includes a single drill site, an oil processing facility, and other infrastructure to support production of 80,000 barrels of oil per day.

Pikka has been identified as being among the top quartile of oil and gas development projects for greenhouse gas emissions performance. Pikka is poised to play an important role in the energy transition and is aligned with our company goal of managing climate change risk. The project is on track to be ready for first oil in 2026.

The Pikka Unit is one of the largest conventional oil discoveries made in the United States in the last 30 years, and the Pikka Phase 1 Project is the most significant development on Alaska's North Slope in more than 20 years. The permitted Pikka development project includes two additional drill sites. The Alaska assets also include discoveries made from both the Mitquq and Stirrup exploration wells drilled in 2020. These opportunities combine to offer a clear path to long-term growth in Alaska.
Purpose

The Operations Readiness Manager is responsible for ensuring the successful transition from the construction and commissioning phases to full operational status. This role is critical in establishing and implementing processes, systems, and structures that guarantee the project's operational readiness in accordance with Santos Operations Excellence. The Operations Readiness Manager will coordinate across various disciplines, manage risk, and ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards. This position requires a strategic mindset, exceptional leadership skills, and a thorough understanding of operations in the oil and gas industry.
Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

Operational Transition Planning

Develop and implement a comprehensive operations readiness plan, ensuring alignment with project milestones and operational objectives.

Coordinate the transition of personnel and resources from the project delivery phase to the operational phase.

Participate in corporate opportunity delivery process and accountabilities community of practices, and drive enhancements to operations readiness program.

System and Process Implementation

Establish and oversee the implementation of operational systems, processes, and procedures to ensure efficient and safe operations in accordance with the Santos Management System.

Ensure that all operational systems are tested and validated before commissioning.

Risk Management and Mitigation

Identify potential operational risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.

Conduct regular risk assessments and ensure that contingency plans are in place and participate in development of the Process Hazard Evaluation process.

Ensure program development for compliance of Process Safety Management (PSM) & Management of Change.

Stakeholder Coordination and Communication

Actively work with all functions to ensure Operations has input to project basis of design and considers all aspects required for long term operability, reliability, and maintainability.

Collaborate with project teams, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure alignment on operational readiness activities.

Facilitate effective communication channels to ensure that all parties are informed and engaged.

Training and Development

Govern the program to develop and implement training programs to ensure that all operational staff are adequately prepared for their roles.

Oversee the competency development of operational personnel to meet project requirements.

Compliance and Safety

Ensure that all operations comply with regulatory, environmental, and safety standards.

Promote a culture of safety and continuous improvement within the operational team.

Performance Monitoring and Reporting

Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor operational readiness and performance.

Provide regular reports to senior management on the status of operational readiness and any issues or challenges.

Continuous Improvement

Identify opportunities for process optimization and operational efficiency.

Implement best practices and lessons learned from other projects to enhance operational readiness.

Manage portfolio of opportunities for sustaining capital management.

Qualifications and Experience Required

Formal Qualifications

A bachelor's or master's degree or equivalent

Applicants must be eligible and authorized to work in the United States

Experience

10+ years of major asset or projects experience with a focus on designing and implementing operations readiness program(s)

Demonstrated strong technical competence and leadership

Experience in leading teams from project delivery to operations

Major project delivery experience

Upstream and/or process plant

Ability to work within a diverse cultural environment and demonstrated interpersonal/teambuilding skills

Strong written and oral communication skills

Alaska experience preferred