Engineering Manager – Brine

The Engineering Manager – Brine is a critical role within the NEOM WATER team and will be responsible to oversee all technical workstreams related to the development of the brine facilities, including design, engineering, technical and output specifications, guarantees, EPC and O&M costs, other technical interfaces, ESIAs, etc.

This role will require significant liaison with project partners in the development of the design of the facilities, with other project advisors to structure the relevant take-off and project agreements, and with a lender, and advisors to ensure that all technical due diligence issues and technical condition precedents are closed for the financing of the project.

The desalination and brine processing plants being developed are first-of-a-kind approaches to achieving a sustainable, abundant, zero-discharge, and renewable energy-powered approach to desalination. The Engineering Manager Brine shall manage the plants being developed to help capture IP and to ensure that the IP position of NEOM is not jeopardized through the delivery of the project.

Upon completion of the development phase of the project, the Engineering Manager Brine is anticipated to take a similar oversight and technical management role to ensure successful delivery of the project, commissioning, testing, and handover to operations to ensure that any product water or brines or materials generated are suitable for recovery of products in successive process stages.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• In-depth understanding of Desalination principles, chemical engineering,  membrane, and thermal process areas, NF, selective separation, and ZLD principles.
• Strong Project Management capabilities in defining and managing highly innovative and technically challenging schemes.
• Management and delivery of all technical workstreams associated with the Project
• Management of partners, technical advisors, and other project stakeholders including technical developers, constructors’ assessors, and NEOM potential alliance partners and their interface with the Projects for implementation of NEOM full-scale brine processing plants.
• Completion of projects maintaining the intent of the project to demonstrate applicability to full-scale implementation.
• Reporting on project progress and key issues to NEOM Water
• Identification and monitoring of risks and bottlenecks
• Recruit (where necessary), lead, and manage a team of appropriately qualified technical staff

To be Successful the Manager shall be:

• Experience and understanding of working practices and cultural norms within the Middle East construction sector and ability to communicate and effectively challenge unacceptable performance.
• Forward-thinking and willing to challenge typically accepted norms to achieve new working methods and practices.
• The skills to manage and lead great projects and people
• Collaboration across a Matrixed organization
• Be prepared to be challenged
• Demonstrated ability to foster trusted long-term business relationships internally, with colleagues and stakeholders for mutual benefit
• A good understanding of applying commercial concepts to develop and deliver business goals
• Good drafting skills & good presentation skills.
• Ability to work to and meet deadlines.

Education & Experience

• Degree, Chemical or Process Engineering
• Process Engineering experience with strong and proven expertise in development commissioning and testing, operations, and troubleshooting within desalination plants. Understanding and interpretation of PID, PFD, Process, and Design Calculations.
• 20+ years experience in the management of desalination, water projects, and/or chemical engineering projects and technologies
• Understanding of the regional project development frameworks, typical contract structures and risk allocation, roles played by sponsors, advisors, and lenders in developing projects and in project execution
• Experience developing planning, monitoring, and evaluation systems
• Ability to provide detailed technical assessments, recommendations, and influence people at all levels
• Innovative approach, eager to challenge the status quo
• Ability to focus on short- and long-term strategic objectives