BC - SC and O - O and G Upstream Ops - Manager
EY · Kochi
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Manager – Subsurface (O&G Upstream)
Desired Experience: 8–10 years
Mandatory Skill:
- O&G Upstream Operations (Field / Production Operations domain depth)
Preferred Background:
- Experience with Integrated Oil Companies such as Exxon Mobil / Shell / BP
Role Purpose
Upstream Operations Subject Matter Expert (SME) embedded within a digital / AI use case delivery squad, acting as the functional bridge between upstream operations stakeholders and cross-functional technical teams (product, data science, data engineering, architecture). The role is non-coding and focuses on shaping, translating, validating, and governing upstream operations analytics / AI solutions to improve asset profitability, production efficiency, and recovery.
Operating Model & Reporting
- Workstream leadership role within an Agile / product-style delivery environment; responsible for end-to-end functional success of upstream operations use cases from discovery to deployment.
- Interfaces with upstream business teams and technical delivery teams (product managers, data scientists, data engineers, solution architects).
- Reports into Consulting Delivery Leadership and partners closely with MENA stakeholders on SC&O / Digital Ops priorities.
Key Responsibilities
- Upstream Operations Use Case Discovery & Functional Support
- Lead discovery sessions with upstream operations stakeholders to capture decision workflows, operational pain points, constraints, and success criteria
- Own the creation of structured documentation: use case descriptions, functional requirements, assumptions, constraints, acceptance criteria, and stakeholder-ready narratives.
- Define and align upstream operations transformation roadmaps to improve asset profitability, production efficiency, and recovery.
- Digital / AI Use Case Delivery Support (Non-Coding)
- Translate upstream operations requirements into technical inputs for delivery teams (features, inputs, operational constraints, data definitions/classifications), ensuring feasibility and traceability.
- Support delivery of upstream operations digital solutions by helping define and validate data and workflow needs, including combining inputs from field planning, operations, and finance for performance optimization
- Validate analytics outputs, dashboards, and insights against operational realism and operating philosophies; drive iterative improvements with product/data teams.
- Stakeholder Management & Client-Facing Delivery
- Act as a trusted interface between upstream operations stakeholders and technical delivery teams; sustain credibility through practical workflow understanding.
- Lead structured feedback cycles (including pilots and phased rollouts) and convert feedback into clear requirements/backlog items.
- Lead cross-functional engagement and interviews across relevant upstream stakeholders as needed for platform delivery (e.g., field operations interfaces such as drilling/completions/facilities, HSE & emissions, finance/accounting, data infrastructure).
- Governance, Quality & Assurance
- Support definition of data quality standards, operational assumptions, and validation checkpoints for upstream operations datasets and model outputs.
- Ensure solutions align with established practices and contribute to documentation, playbooks, and governance artifacts for deployed use cases.
- Drive UAT planning and execution from a functional lens; confirm outputs are credible and usable for operations decision-making.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- 8–10 years of upstream Oil & Gas experience with strong upstream operations / field operations depth.
- Practical experience articulating upstream operations workflows in practice, including operational constraints and data quality considerations.
- Strong communication and structured documentation skills; ability to translate operations concepts clearly to non-engineers and technical teams.
- Demonstrated cross-functional delivery experience spanning operations / engineering / digital teams in Agile delivery environments.
- Fluency in English (mandatory).
- Engineering Degree in Chemical / Mechanical / Instrumentation / Petroleum disciplines
- MBA
- Experience from/with IOC environments and particularly Exxon Mobil / Shell / BP-type operating models.
Preferred / Nice-to-Have
- Exposure to AI, advanced analytics, digital transformation, optimization, or surveillance initiatives in upstream contexts.
- Familiarity with upstream operations / production data sources and reporting environments used for operational performance tracking.
- Arabic language capability (optional).
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