Lead Planner Turnaround

Role Overview

Lead Planner Turnaround at Air Products. This key position is responsible for planning, coordinating, and preparing all maintenance, inspection, repair, and modification activities associated with various assets of BHIG including SATORP, SASREF, and Jubail Industrial Gases Hub (JIGH). The role reports directly to the Project Controls Manager in the Operation Project Management Team.

Company Overview

Air Products is a world-leading industrial gases company founded in 1940 with a proud history of innovation, operational excellence, and an unwavering commitment to safety and environmental stewardship.

Role Purpose

The Lead Planner Turnaround will focus on developing and implementing Turnaround plans such that equipment integrity and plant reliability is maintained at the lowest sustainable cost to BHIG, consistent with the facility's asset management plan.

Key Responsibilities

Turnaround and Project Planning

• Coordinate for the development, execution, and management of SATORP/SASREF/JIGH Turnaround activities with a range of $5M to $50M.
• Coordinate for the development, planning and execution of diverse brownfield projects ranging from $25K-$5M plant improvements.
• Develop detailed work scopes and job plans for turnaround activities.
• Prepare work packages including scope of work, drawings and P&IDs, safety requirements, material take-offs (MTO), quality and inspection requirements, and execution strategies.
• Develop Bills of Materials (BOMs) as required.
• Conduct site surveys and field verification to validate job requirements.
• Support development of turnaround schedules and resource-loaded plans.
• Work with planning team to identify the critical path and define all necessary actions to control critical path during planning and execution phases.
• Identify critical path activities and optimize execution sequences.
• Oversee all phases of the project lifecycle, from scope development to commissioning.
• Take a proactive, hands-on approach to project execution.
• Develop and implement specific project execution strategies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate and work with cross-functional teams through all Turnaround and Project phases, including scope development, technical bid evaluation, and execution of final handover to operations team.
• Coordinate with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Inspection, and Contractors.
• Support and work with Project Controls Manager to develop and implement strategic Turnaround/Project execution plans, ensuring alignment with BHIG's goals and stakeholder expectations.
• Work closely with various departments to ensure integrated project delivery.
• Coordinate with Blue Hydrogen Industrial Gases (BHIG) internal technical resources on complex issues.
• Collaborate with internal departments to ensure compliance with safety regulations and BHIG's zero-injury objective.

Resource and Material Management

• Support and review the manpower and equipment histogram and provide guidance in line with scope definition.
• Estimate labor, equipment, tools, and material requirements.
• Ensure procurement and availability of materials before turnaround execution.
• Work with other stakeholders for material identification, procurement and on-time availability before execution.
• Coordinate contractor mobilization and site logistics.

Safety and Compliance

• Ensure all activities comply with company HSE standards and statutory regulations.
• Actively lead, participate, and support all BHIG safety programs, safe work practices, good housekeeping, and environmental compliance.
• Responsible to ensure all EH&S standards and procedures are followed along with best industrial practice throughout the life cycle of turnaround including shutdowns.
• Provide support to review safety plans for all outages work to be carried out and ensure its execution.
• Incorporate risk assessments and mitigation plans into work packages.
• Participate in HAZOP, SIMOPS, and safety reviews.
• Ensure safe and successful execution of projects in the field.
• Collaborate with various departments (operations, finance, supply chain, safety) to ensure alignment and compliance.

Quality Assurance

• Prepare the KPIs for quality compliance for all turnarounds under BHIG.
• Review the Quality plan along with other discipline leads and ensure all required formats, ITP, and QP are reviewed and approved from authorized parties.
• Support QA/QC organization to implement the QA/QC plan for all Turnaround and projects being executed during the outages.
• Needs a business and customer service focus and passion for quality.

Cost Control

• Assist in developing turnaround budgets and cost estimates.
• Monitor planning-related costs and identify optimization opportunities.
• Support post-turnaround cost reviews and lessons learned.
• Hold EPC contractors accountable for maintaining budget and schedule.
• Utilize advanced project management tools to monitor progress, maintain budgets, and adhere to schedules.

Stakeholder Communication and Documentation

• Communicate project strategies and status to all stakeholders, including upper management.
• Able to handle high-level communication with customers and internal/external stakeholders and others as warranted.
• Oversee project documentation, ensuring all necessary records are maintained and updated.
• Manage project close-out documentation and handover to operations.

Post-Turnaround Activities

• Participate in turnaround reviews.
• Capture lessons learned and update planning standards.
• Support close-out documentation and reporting.
• Conduct thorough project evaluations and "lessons learned" sessions to drive operational excellence.

Technology and Procurement

• Support the planning team to oversee, implement, maintain, and support the continued development of enterprise management tools such as Primavera P3, P6, MS Project, and contract management tools.
• Utilize ERP systems (preferably SAP) and project management tools (e.g., Primavera, Microsoft Project) effectively.
• Utilize project metrics to monitor progress effectively.

Contract Management

• Negotiate contracts and resolve disputes effectively throughout project lifecycles.

Qualifications & Experience

• Engineering or other technical graduate degree (Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical).
• 8-12 years' experience in industrial gases, oil and gas, and/or petrochemical industry.
• Proven track record in the chemical, oil and gas, or petrochemical industry in project execution, engineering management, or construction management.
• Turnaround and/or brownfield project management experience.
• Experience in a multi-national company with excellent EHS performance and culture is highly desirable.
• ERP (SAP) project development and implementation experience is preferred.
• Basic understanding of the process technologies employed in operations of Blue Hydrogen Industrial Gases (BHIG) facilities.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong organizational and turnaround management skills.
• Experience with Primavera, Microsoft Project, or other Project/Turnaround Management tools is required.
• Demonstrates practical industrial field experience with strong leadership and communications skills.
• Must have a hands-on and proactive approach with clear accountability in steering the Turnaround execution safely and consistent with BHIG requirements.
• Demonstrates experience working in an international or multi-national organization and appreciation of international cultures.
• Preferred to have exposure to matrix reporting.
• Possess critical thinking skills and can build trust and confidence with frontline workers, supervisors, and management.
• Confident and assertive with a self-motivated approach and flexible attitude.
• Has the ability to overcome obstacles to solve problems and achieve results.
• Can cope with pressure and work to tight deadlines.
• Possess good interpersonal skills and enthusiasm about mission.
• To respect and work positively with others and create an inclusive workplace which generates credibility and confidence in others.
• Strong relationship-building skills, leading to successfully interacting with stakeholders at all levels within a multicultural environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, preferably in Arabic and English.
• Multi-lingual capability is an advantage.
• Must be self-starter able to work independently and coordinate efforts among support and leadership resources.
• High ethical standards, unwilling to compromise on worker safety and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Organizational credibility, able to influence effective planning, safe execution and on-time delivery.
• A personal commitment to corporate values and objectives and towards a culture of continuous improvement.
• A personal commitment to continuous self-development and flexibility to work outside normal working hours to meet commitments.

Additional Information

• Role model within Operations Project Management Team expected.
• Position involves working on projects with budgets ranging from $25K to $50M.