Division Manager, Upstream & Commercial Negotiations at Oando Plc

Oando Plc is one of Africa’s largest integrated energy solutions provider with a proud heritage. It has a primary listing on the Nigeria Stock Exchange and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. With shared values of Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Passion and Professionalism (TRIPP).

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Division Manager, Upstream & Commercial Negotiations

Location: Lagos
Job Type: Full-time 
Reports to: GM, Commercial & Negotiations
Direct Reports: Manager, Gas Business / Deputy Manager, Upstream & Commercial Negotiations

Job Summary

• Lead OERNL’s upstream commercial negotiations and gas business functions at the enterprise level, providing strategic direction, commercial leadership, and governance to optimize the company’s position across JV operations, production sharing contracts, gas commercialization, asset transactions, and regulatory commercial engagements.
• Develop and execute negotiation strategies aligned with corporate objectives and Nigerian regulatory frameworks, drive value creation through commercial deal structuring and contract optimization, represent OERNL in high-stakes negotiations with JV partners, government entities, and third parties, manage commercial risks to protect and enhance revenue streams, and build organizational capability through talent development and succession planning to sustain world-class commercial performance.

Key Responsibilities Areas (KRAs) & Initiatives
Strategic Commercial Leadership, Governance & Enterprise Value Creation:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive Commercial Negotiations Framework establishing governance structures, negotiation protocols, approval workflows, and performance metrics aligned with OERNL’s corporate strategy, JV agreements, and Nigerian regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the enterprise-level Commercial Authority for upstream negotiations, providing strategic direction on deal structuring, contract terms, pricing mechanisms, and commercial risk acceptance decisions across all OERNL upstream operations.
• Shape long-range commercial strategies for portfolio optimization including asset acquisitions, divestments, farm-in/farm-out transactions, unitization agreements, and strategic partnerships to maximize shareholder value.
• Present commercial deal evaluations, negotiation outcomes, and portfolio-level risk/opportunity assessments to executive management and Board committees, influencing capital allocation and strategic investment decisions.
• Provide commercial input for M&A due diligence, asset valuation, and transaction structuring, ensuring informed decision-making on commercial terms, fiscal obligations, and residual risks.

Division Management, Budget Ownership & Operational Excellence:

• Own and manage the Commercial & Negotiations Division’s annual budget, ensuring effective resource allocation across Upstream Negotiations, Gas Business, and support functions.
• Provide leadership and direction to the Manager, Gas Business and Deputy Manager, Upstream & Commercial Negotiations, ensuring alignment of all commercial functions with corporate objectives and operational priorities.
• Oversee end-to-end execution of commercial programs including JV negotiations, production sharing contract management, gas sales agreement negotiations, tariff determinations, and third-party commercial arrangements across all OERNL assets.
• Establish performance management systems with KPIs, dashboards, and accountability mechanisms to track negotiation outcomes, deal economics, cost recovery positions, and value delivery across all Division activities.
• Drive operational excellence through continuous improvement of negotiation processes, commercial analytics capabilities, benchmarking against industry peers, and adoption of best-in-class commercial practices.

Upstream Contract Negotiations & JV Commercial Management:

• Lead negotiation of Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), farm-in/farm-out agreements, unitization agreements, and other upstream commercial instruments, ensuring optimal terms for OERNL.
• Manage ongoing JV commercial relationships including budget approvals, work programme negotiations, cost recovery disputes, cash call management, and partner alignment on operational and investment decisions.
• Negotiate crude oil lifting arrangements, export terminal access agreements, pipeline tariffs, and processing fees to maximise revenue realisation and minimise cost exposure.
• Lead commercial aspects of asset integration following acquisitions, including novation of contracts, renegotiation of legacy agreements, and establishment of new commercial frameworks with partners and counterparties.
• Coordinate with Legal on contract drafting, dispute resolution strategies, and arbitration proceedings related to upstream commercial matters.

Gas Business Development & Commercialization:

• Provide strategic oversight of OERNL’s gas business including domestic gas supply obligations, gas sales agreements (GSAs), gas processing arrangements, and LNG/export gas commercial frameworks.
• Drive negotiation and execution of gas sales agreements with power plants, industrial consumers, gas aggregators, and distribution companies, optimizing pricing, volume commitments, and take-or-pay provisions.
• Develop gas monetization strategies aligned with Nigeria’s Decade of Gas initiative, domestic gas pricing regulations, and OERNL’s production forecasts and infrastructure development plans.
• Oversee flare gas commercialization programmes and associated commercial arrangements, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements while maximizing economic returns.
• Coordinate with Production Operations, Engineering, and Finance on gas nomination management, delivery shortfall resolution, and commercial impact assessment of operational decisions.

Regulatory Commercial Affairs & External Representation:

• Ensure full compliance with Nigerian petroleum fiscal terms, NUPRC commercial regulations, Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provisions, and applicable industry codes across all OERNL commercial arrangements.
• Serve as OERNL’s principal commercial representative to NUPRC, NNPC Ltd, and other government entities on upstream commercial and fiscal matters, leading regulatory submissions and defending commercial positions.
• Represent OERNL in OPTS (Oil Producers Trade Section) and industry forums on commercial policy matters, contributing to industry positions on fiscal terms, local content, and regulatory frameworks.
• Engage with Ministry of Petroleum Resources, FIRS, and other government agencies on fiscal matters including royalties, petroleum profit tax, hydrocarbon tax, and other fiscal obligations.
• Coordinate with Insurance/Underwriters and Financial Advisors on commercial risk transfer mechanisms, providing input for policy structuring and claims related to commercial losses.

Talent Development, Succession Planning & Organizational Capability:

• Build and sustain a high-performing Commercial & Negotiations organization in collaboration with HCM through strategic workforce planning, talent management, competency development, and retention strategies for critical commercial roles.
• Develop and maintain succession plans for all key positions within the Division, ensuring leadership continuity and a robust talent pipeline for Gas Business, Upstream Negotiations, and Commercial Analytics career paths.
• Establish competency frameworks and professional development programmes aligned with industry certification requirements (e.g., AIPN, IACCM/WorldCC, CFA), ensuring team members progress through defined career ladders.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and innovation through commercial forums, deal retrospectives, mentoring programmes, and cross-functional secondments.
• Lead performance management for the Division, setting objectives aligned with corporate goals, conducting performance reviews, and driving accountability at all levels.

Cross-Functional Integration & Stakeholder Management:

• Align commercial strategies with Production Operations, Finance, Legal, Business Development, and Corporate Planning to create coordinated approaches balancing revenue optimisation, risk management, and strategic positioning.
• Ensure commercial considerations are embedded in field development planning, production optimisation decisions, infrastructure investments, and capital project reviews through participation in relevant governance forums.
• Lead commercial advisor engagement and performance management for negotiation support services, ensuring quality advisory outputs, competitive procurement of external counsel, and effective oversight.
• Facilitate executive-level communication through periodic commercial reports, deal status dashboards, and Board presentations detailing negotiation outcomes, commercial risk exposure, and revenue performance.
• Champion commercial awareness across the organization through communication campaigns, training sessions, and engagement with Operations and Finance leadership on commercial priorities and value drivers.

Key Internal Interfaces:

• Production Operations, Business Development, Finance & Treasury, Legal, Corporate Planning & Strategy, Government Relations, Supply Chain, IT, Executive Management.

Key External Interfaces:

• NUPRC, NNPC Ltd, JV Partners (current and prospective), Gas Buyers & Aggregators, IOCs, Independent E&P Companies, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Industry Bodies (OPTS, SPE, Nigerian Gas Association), Financial Advisors, External Legal Counsel, Insurance/Underwriters.

Qualifications & Experience Requirements
Minimum Qualification:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Law, Economics, Finance, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• MSc/MBA or relevant advanced degree strongly recommended given the strategic and commercial depth of the role.

Required Professional Certifications / Accreditations / Registrations:

• Relevant professional body membership (e.g., Nigerian Bar Association, ICAN, CIS, SPE, AIPN).
• Certifications in Contract & Commercial Management (WorldCC/IACCM), Negotiation (e.g., Harvard PON), or Petroleum Economics highly advantageous.

Minimum Years of Experience:

• 15–20 years total experience in upstream commercial negotiations, contract management, gas commercialisation, or related commercial disciplines in oil and gas.
• 7–10 years in senior managerial or strategic leadership roles with commercial accountability.

Demonstrated Experience in:

• Enterprise-level upstream commercial negotiations and governance.
• JV commercial management, PSC administration, and partner engagement.
• Gas sales agreement negotiation and gas business development.
• Nigerian petroleum fiscal regime and regulatory compliance (PIA, NUPRC).
• Managing multidisciplinary commercial teams across multiple deal streams.
• Budget ownership, financial planning, and strategic resource allocation.
• Board/Executive-level reporting and stakeholder management.
• M&A transactions, asset acquisitions, and divestment processes in upstream oil and gas.

Behavioural and Technical Competencies Required:
Behavioural Competencies:

• Strategic Vision & Business Acumen: Develops and communicates long-range commercial strategies aligned with corporate objectives; understands industry dynamics, fiscal regimes, and market conditions and translates commercial opportunities into executive-level business cases.
• Leadership & Organizational Development: Builds high-performing teams, develops talent pipelines, drives succession planning, and creates a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement across the Division.
• Negotiation Mastery & Influence: Demonstrates exceptional negotiation skills across complex, multi-party, high-value transactions; builds consensus, manages tensions, and secures optimal outcomes through compelling positioning and creative problem-solving.
• Stakeholder Management & Relationship Building: Builds effective relationships with executives, regulators, JV partners, government entities, and industry bodies; influences decision-making and secures alignment through trust, credibility, and compelling communication.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Facilitates alignment across Operations, Finance, Legal, Business Development, and Corporate Planning; breaks down silos and drives integrated commercial decision-making.
• Decision-Making Under Uncertainty: Makes high-stakes commercial decisions on deal terms, risk acceptance, and resource allocation with enterprise-wide impact under conditions of ambiguity and time pressure; takes ownership of outcomes.
• Ethics, Integrity & Compliance: Champions ethical business conduct, regulatory compliance, and transparency in all commercial dealings; models integrity and professionalism; never compromises on governance for commercial expediency.
• Communication & Executive Presence: Communicates complex commercial positions with clarity and impact to diverse audiences including Board members, regulators, and JV partners; demonstrates composure and authority in high-pressure negotiations.

Technical Competencies:

• Upstream Commercial & Contractual Frameworks: Mastery of JOAs, PSCs, farm-in/farm-out agreements, unitization agreements, and upstream commercial instruments; deep understanding of contract structures, risk allocation, and commercial terms.
• Petroleum Fiscal & Regulatory Regime: Expert knowledge of Nigerian petroleum fiscal terms (PIA, PPT Act), royalty structures, cost recovery mechanisms, NUPRC regulations, and international upstream fiscal benchmarking.
• Gas Commercialization & Market Dynamics: Strong command of domestic and export gas markets, GSA structures, pricing mechanisms (cost-plus, willing buyer-willing seller), take-or-pay provisions, and gas infrastructure economics.
• Deal Structuring & Transaction Management: Proficiency in M&A transaction structuring, asset valuation methodologies (DCF, reserves-based), due diligence processes, and commercial risk assessment for upstream transactions.
• Financial Analysis & Commercial Economics: Advanced skills in petroleum economics, project economics modelling, sensitivity/scenario analysis, and financial evaluation of commercial proposals and investment decisions.
• Dispute Resolution & Contract Administration: Strong understanding of commercial dispute resolution mechanisms including negotiation, mediation, expert determination, and arbitration; experience with contract claims management.
• JV Governance & Partner Management: Skilled in JV governance frameworks, operating committee management, partner alignment strategies, and multi-party commercial relationship management.
• Digital Commercial Tools & Analytics: Familiarity with commercial analytics platforms, contract lifecycle management systems, deal management tools, and data-driven approaches to commercial decision-making.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online