Job Summary
The Lead Planner/Planning Manager is responsible for developing, integrating, monitoring, and controlling the Work Plan and Budget (WP&B) for the Asset. The role ensures full integration of wells, surface facilities, operations, and enabling scope into a coherent and realistic plan, and provides effective budget formulation, control, and performance measurement to support safe, timely, and cost-effective delivery.
The position acts as the single point of accountability for planning, schedule integration, and earned value-based cost control, budget formulation and control, supporting decision-making by Asset and Project leadership.
Relationships
-Reports to: Asset Manager (or Planning Manager depending on organization)
-Works closely with:
-Drilling, Completions, WO and Interventions teams.
-Facilities Engineering and Construction teams.
-Operations, Logistics, Materials Management and Supply Chain.
-Finance and Cost Control.
-Regulatory, Permitting and HSE teams.
-Interfaces with: Asset Controller, HQ Planning Manager, HQ Governance Manager, SLB Business Lines, EPC contractors, drilling contractors, service companies, and key vendors.
Key Responsibilities
Planning, Integration and Control
-Develop and maintain integrated plans and schedules covering:
-Wells: drilling, completions, workovers and interventions.
-Surface facilities: well tie-ins, FEED, detailed engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, pre-commissioning and commissioning.
-Operational and enabling scope: permitting, licensing, regulatory approvals, long-lead items, logistics, planned activities by KOC, materials management and site readiness.
-Integrate inputs from multiple disciplines and contractors into a single, aligned master schedule.
-Integration with production forecasts, considering planned and unplanned losses, planned facilities turnarounds, etc.
-Establish planning standards, milestones, progress measurement rules and reporting cycles.
-Perform critical path and schedule impact analysis, identify risks and constraints, and support mitigation and recovery planning.
-Lead schedule updates, forecasting, and change control.
-Keep records for all activities (Drilling, Facilities, Production-Enhancement, Maintenance) performed at each installation (well, manifold, treatment unit, etc.).
-Participate actively in investment project startups and planning.
-Track value from investment projects and provide timely support to ensure their success.
Work Plan and Budget (WP&B)
-Define guidelines and assumptions for annual and multi-year budget formulation in alignment with Integration governance framework.
-Integrate WP&B for approval by HQ, with all main components, including but not limited to activities, production, revenues, -CAPEX, OPEX, Profitability, G&A costs, Technology, Digital, Sustainability etc.
-Ensure alignment between scope, schedule, resources, and budget.
-Support prioritization and optimization of the activity portfolio within budget constraints.
Budget Control and Performance Reporting
-Execute budget and cost control using Earned Value Management principles.
-Monitor and report key KPIs, including Production, Revenues, Costs, G&A, Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV), Actual Cost (AC), cost and schedule variances, and forecasts.
-Prepare clear and concise planning and budget reports for management.
-Support decision-making through scenario analysis and performance insights.
Governance and Continuous Improvement
-Ensure compliance with internal planning, cost control, and governance requirements.
-Capture lessons learned and promote continuous improvement in planning and control practices.
-Ensure planning and execution logic incorporates HSE, regulatory, and operational constraints.
-Support development of specific and generic workflows for production accounting, expenditure recognition, investments, profitability and project KPIs.
-Ensure compliance with Contract Governance Framework between KOC and SLB.
Qualifications and Experience
-Education: Bachelor's degree (Engineering, Economics), preferably with specialization or certifications in Project Management.
Experience:
-Minimum 8-12 years of experience in planning and project controls within Upstream Oil & Gas.
-Strong exposure to wells, facilities, and operations integration.
-Proven experience in Work Plan & Budget preparation and control.
Technical Skills:
-Advanced knowledge of planning and scheduling tools (e.g. Primavera P6, MS Project).
-Solid understanding of Budget Formulation & Control practices.
-Solid understanding of Earned Value Management and cost control concepts.
-Understanding of economics, finance and accounting principles.
-Strong analytical and reporting skills.
Competencies:
-Ability to integrate complex, multi-discipline scopes.
-Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
-Structured, proactive, and delivery-focused mindset.
-High attention to detail with a pragmatic, business-oriented approach.