Executive: Engineering and Capital Projects

PetroSA is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Executive: Engineering & Capital Projects to lead the Refinery and FA Platform reinstatement programme. Accountable for the successful mobilisation, funding, execution and operational readiness of PetroSA's  Reinstatement Programme, ensuring alignment between engineering, commercial, financial, regulatory and operational workstreams to achieve safe, commercially viable restart of refinery operations.

This role serves as the single point of accountability for the strategic direction, engineering integrity, and successful execution of large-scale capital projects, ensuring the safe, compliant, and phased return to refinery operations while balancing cost, schedule, and stakeholder expectations.

Responsibilities:

• Provide executive leadership over the refinery reinstatement roadmap, from feasibility through commissioning and stabilisation.
• Oversee engineering governance, design assurance, technical authority, and capital project controls.
• Establish and enforce disciplined project execution frameworks (stage-gate reviews, risk assurance, readiness assessments).
• Ensure full integration between onshore refinery reinstatement and offshore/upstream asset reliability strategies.
• Strengthen asset integrity, reliability, and maintenance philosophies to support sustainable operations.
• Develop and execute the overall Reinstatement Strategy.
•  Lead the integrated refinery reinstatement programme across engineering, commercial, finance, supply chain, operations and upstream functions.
• Drive executive decision-making through stage-gate governance and investment readiness.
• Ensure alignment between refinery reinstatement and PetroSA's long-term commercial strategy.
• Restore confidence among shareholders, regulators, partners, and government stakeholders regarding refinery reinstatement feasibility.
• Ensure robust business cases, cost estimates, and funding models underpin reinstatement decisions.
• Promote a culture of disciplined execution, accountability, and learning from historical failures.
• Solicit Partners & Secure Funding for the Reinstatement Programme
• Accountable for capital and operational cost discipline across reinstatement initiatives.
• Ensure internal customers (Operations, Trading, Supply Chain, etc) are supported through reliable, fit-for-purpose assets

Knowledge & Competencies:

• South African Legislation relating to SHEQ (e.g. Mine Health and Safety Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act etc.)
• South African Labour Legislation.
• Strong understanding of capital project management and execution.
• In-depth understanding of the oil and gas industry
• Strong understanding of Refinery engineering and operations.
• Sound knowledge of Project finance and financing models

Minimum Qualification:  

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical Engineering)
• Project Management
• MBA or equivalent preferred
• Registration with a recognised professional engineering body (e.g., ECSA or equivalent)

Minimum Work Experience:

• Minimum 15–20 years’ experience in heavy industrial, oil & gas, petrochemical, or refinery environments.
• At least 10 years at senior or executive management level overseeing large-scale engineering and capital programmes.
• Proven track record in Refinery or major plant reinstatement / brownfield revamp programmes.
• Capital project execution in high-risk, regulated environments Asset integrity, reliability engineering, and operational readiness
• Experience operating within state-owned, regulated, or governance-intensive environments is highly advantageous.
• Demonstrated exposure to upstream and downstream integration is preferred