Business Development & Contracts Manager (Upstream Oil & Gas)

About This Role

A well-established upstream oil & gas services company in UAE with strong presence in middle-east market, is seeking a commercially strong B usiness Development & Contracts professional.

Role Overview: This is not a conventional Business Development role. It is a commercially critical position requiring a rare combination of business development strength, contract ownership , and the ability to represent the organization with confidence and credibility in front of top-tier upstream oil & gas clients.

This position combines front-end business development with deep involvement in contracts and commercial negotiations. The incumbent will work closely with operations, technical, finance, and legal teams to ensure opportunities are commercially sound, contractually compliant, and operationally executable.

Purpose of the Role: To drive sustainable business growth in the upstream oil & gas sector by developing new business opportunities, managing strategic client relationships, and leading commercial & contract engagements with major operators and service companies.

The role requires a professional who can confidently represent the organization in front of high-profile clients, while balancing technical understanding, commercial strategy, and contractual rigor.

Key Responsibilities:

Business Development

• Identify, develop, and convert business opportunities within upstream oil & gas, with emphasis on drilling.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with operators, EPCs, and service companies
• Act as the primary commercial interface for clients during pre-qualification, tendering, clarification, and negotiation stages
• Develop market intelligence on competitors, pricing trends, and client strategies
• Support strategic account management for key clients

Contracts & Commercial Management

• Lead and manage contract reviews, clarifications, and negotiations for tenders, frame agreements, and long-term contracts
• Interpret and negotiate commercial terms, scope, pricing structures, risk allocation, and contractual obligations
• Coordinate with internal legal and finance teams to ensure contractual compliance and risk mitigation
• Support contract lifecycle management including amendments, renewals, and variations
• Ensure adherence to client procurement policies and internal governance standards.

Client Representation & Stakeholder Management:

• Represent the company professionally in high-level meetings, commercial discussions, and negotiations.
• Build credibility with procurement, drilling, and commercial stakeholders on the client side
• Coordinate internally with technical, operations, supply chain, and finance teams to align client expectations with delivery capability.

Internal Coordination & Strategy:

• Work closely with technical teams to translate client requirements into viable commercial proposals
• Support management with commercial insights, pipeline forecasts, and strategic recommendations
• Ensure all BD and contract activities align with business objectives and ethical standards.

Education:

• preferably Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Chemistry / Chemical Engineering or related technical discipline
• MBA or postgraduate qualification in Business, Finance, or Contracts is an advantage

Experience Requirements:

• 8–15 years of experience in upstream oil & gas
• Proven experience in Business Development roles with significant exposure to contracts
• Mandatory experience in upstream operations; Drilling / Drilling Fluids / Performance Chemicals experience is highly preferred
• Demonstrated experience dealing with large operators or national oil companies
• UAE / Middle East market experience

Key Abilities & Skills:

Commercial & Contractual

• Strong understanding of contract structures, commercial terms, and risk allocation
• Ability to negotiate confidently with senior client stakeholders
• High attention to detail with a strategic commercial mindset

Business Development:

• Strong relationship-building and client engagement skills
• Ability to identify opportunities and convert them into revenue
• Strategic thinking with hands-on execution capability

Personal & Professional:

• High professional integrity and confidentiality
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Comfortable representing the organization independently
• Results-oriented, resilient, and commercially astute

Key Performance Metrics:

• New business opportunities generated and converted
• Revenue and margin contribution from awarded contracts
• Success rate in tenders and negotiations
• Quality and compliance of contracts executed
• Client satisfaction and relationship strength
• Accuracy of commercial forecasts and pipeline reporting
• Adherence to internal governance and risk standards

Why This Role Is Unique:

• Combines Business Development + Contracts at a higher-than-average depth
• Direct exposure to top-tier upstream clients
• Strategic role with strong visibility to senior management
• Suitable for a professional who is commercially strong, contract-savvy, and technically credible