Technical Assistant to the Executive Chairman (EC) at an Established Maritime Company - Refine Concepts

Refine Concepts - Our client is an established organisation within the maritime sector, providing essential services to the oil and gas industry. The company operates in Nigeria and another African market, with plans to expand into additional locations. The organisation functions within a technically driven and operational environment, with a strong emphasis on safety, efficiency, and service delivery.

They are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Assistant to the Executive Chairman (EC)

Location: Lagos (with travel to various operations locations within and outside Nigeria)
Employment Type: Full-time
Industry: Maritime (Oil & Gas Services)

Position Summary

• As part of its growth agenda, the company is focused on strengthening its leadership capacity, enhancing organisational structures, and fostering a performance-driven culture across its operations.
• The Technical Assistant to the Executive Chairman (EC) provides high-level strategic and technical support to the EC, alongside high-quality secretarial and administrative support. The role maintains an up-to-date, consolidated management overview of project and contract performance and serves as the EC’s focal point for technical analysis, project tracking, and decision support.
• The successful candidate will follow through on matters arising from Board, Executive Management, and Management meetings, and ensure that the EC’s office is consistently equipped with the materials and inputs required for effective decision-making. The role blends technical depth with strong coordination, governance, and stakeholder-management capability.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide input to technical studies, research projects, technical reports, and project planning reports for presentation to the EC.
• Attend meetings with or on behalf of the EC, respond to technical inquiries, present project and service information, and follow up on action points until they are satisfactorily closed out.
• Evaluate, review, and interpret technical inquiries on contractors and vendors, and advise the EC on both existing and potential contractors and vendors.
• Track projects and the decision-making process for initiatives requiring Board and top-level committee approvals, ensuring the relevant information is readily available for informed decisions.
• Support the EC in the development, coordination, and implementation of strategic plans for the company and its affiliates.
• Prepare and maintain a business-wide dashboard capturing each department’s project progress, highlighting risks and achievements, and reporting performance to the EC on a timely basis.
• Assist in the collation and presentation of monthly departmental budget performance and other reports, including monthly cash-call performance from JV partners.
• Ensure proper and timely follow-up on reports from units, departments, and divisions.
• Research, draft, and prepare speeches and presentations in a variety of formats to support the EC’s activities.
• Develop and maintain technical databases and spreadsheets, and maintain effective electronic and paper filing systems for the efficient flow of correspondence and documentation.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory authorities and statutory bodies.
• Interface regularly with the Project Management Office and Technical Planners to keep the EC up to date on the progress of ongoing technical projects.
• Work with the Executive Assistant to the EC to coordinate and align the EC’s schedule for optimal use of time and resources.
• Provide management oversight for the development of integrated engineering blueprints and plans.
• Act as a focal point for information requests requiring knowledge of the leadership structure and how roles across the organisation connect.
• Undertake local and international travel, and all other duties, as required by the EC.

Qualifications

• University Degree in Engineering or a Science discipline.
• An MBA or a Master’s degree in Engineering or a science discipline will be an added advantage.
• Membership of relevant professional bodies (for example, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NAPE, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, or registration with COREN) will be an advantage.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience working with chief executives or executive directors, or managing a business unit with technical responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to distinguish between and balance competing priorities while meeting both short- and long-term goals.
• Proven commercial acumen, including experience handling large contracts.
• Experience liaising with relevant statutory bodies, regulators, and contractors.
• Experience in budget preparation and defence, including liaising with NAPIMS.
• Strong understanding of HSE and engineering standards.
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team.

Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Business planning and analysis, with strong report-writing and presentation skills.
• Project tracking and decision support for Board and committee approvals.
• Development and maintenance of technical databases, dashboards, and spreadsheets.
• Knowledge of process equipment, welding techniques, tools, and equipment.
• Focus on successful project execution on time, within budget, and in line with agreed requirements, specifications, and standards.
• Budget preparation and interface with regulatory authorities and statutory bodies.
• Proficiency in MS Office tools and calendar management.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities to completion under tight timelines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong people and time-management skills.
• High level of discretion and protection of confidential information.
• Good negotiation and excellent relationship-management skills.
• Strong problem-solving and lateral-thinking ability.
• Proactive in articulating risks and hazards and recommending mitigations to the EC.

Key Interfaces:

• Internal: Executive Chairman; Heads of Departments and Managers; Board of Directors; Project Management Office and Technical Planners; Internal Audit; all staff.
• External: Regulators and regulatory agencies (DPR, NAPIMS, NCDMB); contractors and vendors; State and Federal Government agencies; industry chief executives; banking executives.

Application Closing Date
7th June, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their application to: refineconceptjobs@gmail.com using the job title as the subject of the email.