Location: Duhok
Job Type:
Permanent
Closing Date:
2025-06-04
About vacancy
mselect is looking to hire a Business Unit Emergency Response Advisor for an international oil and gas operator in Duhok, Iraq. Candidates must have a minimum of 15 years’ practical experience in emergency response crisis management and business continuity which must include oil and gas onshore experience. Fluency in Kurdish, Arabic and English is a must.
Job Purpose
The role is responsible for maintaining excellence in Emergency Response, Crisis Management, and Business Continuity across the Kurdistan Business Unit (BU), ensuring the organization maintains a strong capability to respond effectively to incidents and business disruptions. As a key member of a dynamic and initiative-taking HSE team, this role will help ensure the BU is fully prepared to manage incidents that may impact operations. A major focus will be on coaching and training BU personnel to competently manage all credible emergencies.
Key interactions
Key Responsibilities
Requirements
Required Qualifications & Experience:
*Only applicants meeting the strict criteria outlined above will be contacted as part of the shortlisting process.
Job Purpose
The role is responsible for maintaining excellence in Emergency Response, Crisis Management, and Business Continuity across the Kurdistan Business Unit (BU), ensuring the organization maintains a strong capability to respond effectively to incidents and business disruptions. As a key member of a dynamic and initiative-taking HSE team, this role will help ensure the BU is fully prepared to manage incidents that may impact operations. A major focus will be on coaching and training BU personnel to competently manage all credible emergencies.
Key interactions
- Field HSE Team
- Asset Managers
- Environmental Advisors
- Medical and Health Superintendent
- Field Medics
- Security Superintendent
- Field Managers
- Site Superintendents
- Department Heads
- Country Manager
- Well Services
- Drilling Team
Key Responsibilities
- Ensure the availability of appropriate resources to manage incidents across all facilities and offices including drilling and well sites
- Lead the planning, design, and execution of all BU drills and exercises, ensuring lessons learned are captured, actions are assigned, and follow-up is completed
- Provide tactical and technical support across all levels of the Incident Command System
- Ensure alignment with industry best practices and regulatory standards
- Oversee the full Business Continuity cycle, maintaining the effectiveness of the programme through continuous business impact analysis, response planning, and support for organizational resilience
- Emergency Response and Crisis Management plans – Maintain, review, and update the organization’s emergency response, crisis management, and business continuity plans to ensure operational readiness and effective risk mitigation
- Training and Development – Trains and Coaches designated teams in the following at a minimum: Fire and explosion response; Confined space and at height rescue; Vehicle Accident Response; Hazardous Substance Spill Response; Toxic Gas Release including H2S; Health-related emergencies in coordination with the Medical and Health Superintendent and field location-based Medics; Security related incidents in coordination with the BU Security Manager and Field-based security personnel; IT related incidents in coordination with the Chief Information officer
- Coordinates the maintenance of the ER capability of BU Incident Management locations through document management, management of the IT infrastructure and boards in the individual locations, coordinate, plan, and schedule training to ensure that nominated personnel can effectively use the resources at these locations
- Collaborate with local authorities to improve local authority capability to assist in the event of an incident
- Ensure Family Liaison and Relative response teams are trained and able to effectively support family and relatives in the event of an incident
- Ensure all Department Heads receive regular Business Continuity training and awareness to ensure competence and continual improvement
- Testing & Exercising The role Holder will be responsible for the planning, design and execution of all BU drills and exercises, ensuring any lessons learnt are recorded, actions are allocated to owners and followed up on Testing and Exercising will involve the following areas in coordination with department heads: Production and Operations, Drilling & Wells, IT, Security, Medical, Office Locations, Business Continuity
- ER Equipment - Advises on procurement and use of equipment necessary to respond to credible scenarios based on risk assessment at the field and office locations
- Maintenance of ER equipment - Ensure that all emergency response equipment and fixed Firefighting systems at all sites are tested, inspected and recorded as per recommended intervals, with any defects reported ensuring all repairs are carried out in a timely manner
- A Safety Champion – All employees are expected to be Safety Champions playing active roles in BU programs such as safety observations and putting safety first (RICH: Report, Intervene, Comply and Help)
- Continuous improvement – Through drills, exercises, and awareness of up-to-date industry best practices the role holder will continuously improve readiness through written documented improvement plans
- Coaching – The Role Holder will be assigned national personnel and must develop their competencies in the subject of Emergency Response and shall progress national staff via competency development and assessment
- Working with local stakeholders – the Role Holder will be expected to
- Work closely with CSR, to enhance the capabilities of local and national authorities in Emergency Response and Crisis Management
- Work with local Contractors to ensure that their Emergency Response Plans meet’s expectations
- Compliance and Ethics – The role Holder shall operate within ethics and compliance procedures
Requirements
Required Qualifications & Experience:
- ICS
- Emergency Response
- Crisis Management
- Business Continuity
- At least 15 years of practical experience in emergency response crisis management and business continuity which must include oil and gas onshore experience
- Practical and theoretical training development and delivery experience, ideally with some familiarity with virtual delivery and competency management frameworks
- Has fulfilled a similar role and can provide references of capability
- Experience in a range of tactical response matters, i.e. firefighting, country evacuation, pollution response including Oil Spill Response, fatality management, security, or civil crisis response, road traffic collisions, confined space, and rescues from height
- Incident Commander competencies in an international setting
- Experienced coach and trainer with a preference for candidates with experience in developing local nationals
- Experienced in the planning and delivery of multi-level exercises
- Must be able to develop, write and maintain clear and credible ER & CM and BC plans that are easily understood and executed
- Previous engagement with National authorities and other IOCs
- Preferred – incident and accident investigation experience
- Preferred – Qualified and authorized to deliver internationally recognized training
- Ethical conduct
- A Self-starter with a positive attitude and flexible, proactive in looking for solutions
- Possesses a hands-on approach to problem-solving and project execution
- A trained Coach and Mentor with high personal integrity
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Build networks to enhance effectiveness and share knowledge
- Demonstrates shared commitment to the success of the team and the wider organization
- Takes personal responsibility for achieving challenging HSE or other organizational goals
- Has strong work output and is comfortable multitasking and delivering deadlines
- Is comfortable working both independently and as part of the team
- Is personable, and able to foster trust with internal and external stakeholders
- Takes pride in the presentation of their work, and has matching proficiency in Microsoft applications
- Is adaptable and able to quickly grasp new concepts (ways of working and technical subjects which may be new to them)
- Is value-focused and effective at prioritization
- Effective in a concise communication
- Experience working in remote and hostile environments
*Only applicants meeting the strict criteria outlined above will be contacted as part of the shortlisting process.
