HIRING – Head of Operations (Downstream Oil and Gas)

Job Description

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Work Schedule: Full-time

About Company: Our client is a growing downstream oil and gas company with operations spanning petroleum products, retail service stations, transportation, haulage, logistics, and fuel distribution. The company operates a significant transportation fleet of over 100 trucks supporting the movement of petroleum products across Nigeria, alongside retail and operational locations in Lagos and other parts of the country.

As the company continues to grow its nationwide operations, it is seeking an experienced Head of Operations to provide strategic and hands-on leadership across its fleet, transportation, logistics, petroleum distribution, and wider operational activities.

Job Objective: The client is looking to hire a highly experienced Head of Operations with deep expertise in fleet management, logistics, and downstream oil and gas operations.

The role will oversee fleet utilization, transportation planning, dispatch, route management, driver performance, vehicle maintenance, depot coordination, safety, operational controls, and service delivery across the company's locations nationwide.

The successful candidate must be a strong hands-on operator who understands the realities of managing a large commercial fleet and long-distance petroleum product transportation.

The ideal candidate will take overall responsibility for ensuring the efficient, safe, reliable, and cost-effective movement of petroleum products across the company's operations.

Key Responsibilities:

§ Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the company's operations, fleet, transportation, and logistics functions.

§ Take full responsibility for the operational performance, availability, utilization, and productivity of the company's 100+ truck fleet.

§ Develop and manage daily, weekly, and monthly transportation plans for the efficient movement of petroleum products between depots, service stations, customers, and other approved destinations.

§ Oversee route planning, truck scheduling, dispatch, delivery coordination, and turnaround times to maximize fleet efficiency and minimize idle time.

§ Coordinate with depots to ensure timely loading, accurate documentation, dispatch, and delivery of petroleum products.

§ Establish effective systems for monitoring trucks throughout their journeys and maintain visibility on trip status, delivery timelines, delays, and exceptions.

§ Monitor key fleet KPIs including truck availability, utilization, turnaround time, trip completion, delivery performance, fuel consumption, downtime, maintenance costs, and cost per trip.

§ Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs to maximize vehicle uptime and minimize breakdowns and operational disruptions.

§ Ensure all trucks are properly maintained, roadworthy, licensed, insured, documented, and compliant with applicable regulatory requirements.

§ Lead the recruitment, deployment, supervision, performance management, and development of drivers and other fleet personnel.

§ Establish and enforce clear driver performance standards covering safety, punctuality, vehicle care, route compliance, fuel management, and delivery performance.

§ Ensure strict compliance with HSE and operational safety requirements for the loading, transportation, and delivery of petroleum products.

§ Monitor fuel consumption, maintenance expenditure, trip costs, and other fleet-related expenses, identifying and addressing inefficiencies, leakages, and unnecessary costs.

§ Develop and implement effective controls to minimize unauthorized trips, fuel losses, vehicle misuse, avoidable breakdowns, and other operational losses.

§ Ensure timely replenishment and delivery of petroleum products to the company's retail outlets and other customers in line with operational requirements.

§ Work closely with Finance, Retail, Procurement, HSE, Security, Sales, and other departments to ensure seamless coordination of business operations.

§ Manage relationships with depots, workshops, mechanics, transport partners, drivers, regulatory stakeholders, and other key operational service providers.

§ Develop contingency and incident-response procedures covering accidents, breakdowns, security risks, route disruptions, delays, and other operational emergencies.

§ Prepare regular operational reports and provide management with clear visibility into fleet performance, logistics activities, operational costs, risks, and areas requiring corrective action.

§ Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce transportation costs, increase fleet productivity, and improve service delivery.

§ Lead and develop a high-performing operations and fleet management team, establishing clear KPIs, accountability, and performance standards.

§ Provide operational input into fleet acquisition, replacement, expansion, new routes, new locations, and other strategic business decisions.

Requirements

§ Bachelor's degree in Transport Management, Logistics, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline is required.

§ 10–15+ years of progressive experience in fleet management, transportation, logistics, operations, or supply chain, with significant experience at a senior management level.

§ Professional qualifications in logistics, fleet management, supply chain, transportation, or operations management will be an added advantage.

§ Strong downstream oil and gas experience is required, particularly in petroleum product transportation, distribution, haulage, or retail operations.

§ Must be a core fleet and logistics professional with demonstrable experience managing a substantial commercial truck fleet.

§ Proven experience managing 100+ trucks or a similarly large-scale fleet will be a significant advantage.

§ Strong hands-on experience in petroleum product transportation and nationwide distribution.

§ Proven experience in route planning, dispatch management, truck scheduling, depot coordination, and delivery management.

§ Strong understanding of heavy-duty trucks, tankers, trailers, fleet maintenance, preventive maintenance, and vehicle uptime.

§ Demonstrable experience managing commercial drivers and large, geographically dispersed operational teams.

§ Strong knowledge of petroleum transportation safety standards, HSE requirements, and relevant Nigerian regulatory requirements.

§ Strong understanding of fleet operating costs, fuel consumption, trip costing, maintenance expenditure, and operational cost control.

§ Experience with fleet management, GPS/tracking, logistics, or transportation management systems will be an advantage.

§ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use operational data to improve efficiency and control costs.

§ Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance safety, operational efficiency, service delivery, and profitability.

§ Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, coordination, and stakeholder management skills.

§ High level of integrity, accountability, discipline, and attention to operational detail.

§ Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the company's operational locations nationwide.

Benefits

Compensation: Highly Competitive + attractive benefits, commensurate with experience and industry expertise

Requirements
§ Bachelor's degree in Transport Management, Logistics, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline is required. § 10–15+ years of progressive experience in fleet management, transportation, logistics, operations, or supply chain, with significant experience at a senior management level. § Professional qualifications in logistics, fleet management, supply chain, transportation, or operations management will be an added advantage. § Strong downstream oil and gas experience is required, particularly in petroleum product transportation, distribution, haulage, or retail operations. § Must be a core fleet and logistics professional with demonstrable experience managing a substantial commercial truck fleet. § Proven experience managing 100+ trucks or a similarly large-scale fleet will be a significant advantage. § Strong hands-on experience in petroleum product transportation and nationwide distribution. § Proven experience in route planning, dispatch management, truck scheduling, depot coordination, and delivery management. § Strong understanding of heavy-duty trucks, tankers, trailers, fleet maintenance, preventive maintenance, and vehicle uptime. § Demonstrable experience managing commercial drivers and large, geographically dispersed operational teams. § Strong knowledge of petroleum transportation safety standards, HSE requirements, and relevant Nigerian regulatory requirements. § Strong understanding of fleet operating costs, fuel consumption, trip costing, maintenance expenditure, and operational cost control. § Experience with fleet management, GPS/tracking, logistics, or transportation management systems will be an advantage. § Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use operational data to improve efficiency and control costs. § Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance safety, operational efficiency, service delivery, and profitability. § Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, coordination, and stakeholder management skills. § High level of integrity, accountability, discipline, and attention to operational detail. § Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the company's operational locations nationwide.