Country Manager

About the Job Are you an experienced Oil & Gas leader with strong expertise in operations, project management, commercial development, and business growth? OCS Services is looking for a dynamic Country Manager – Ivory Coast to lead our country operations across offshore and onshore Oil & Gas services. This role will have overall accountability for operational performance, commercial results, business development, client relationships, financial performance, QHSE, and strategic growth in Ivory Coast. The Country Manager will serve as the key leadership interface between OCS, clients, employees, partners, vendors, local authorities, and other stakeholders, while strengthening OCS's presence and capabilities in the Ivorian market.

About Us
OCS Services is a seasoned player in the oil and gas industry, delivering world-class services across offshore and onshore operations. As a joint venture between Planet Energy and BW Offshore, we specialize in Operations & Maintenance, Asset Integrity Management, and Integrated Crew Management. With global operations spanning Singapore, India, UAE, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria, we are strategically positioned to support energy production safely, sustainably, and reliably. Our expertise, cutting-edge technology, and commitment to sustainability enable us to drive excellence in complex energy projects around the world. At OCS, we're guided by four core values that define everything we do – trust, driven, care and innovation. 🌐 Learn more at: www.ocs.services Join Us As we continue to expand our operations in West Africa, we are seeking an experienced Country Manager to lead our country operations and drive sustainable business growth. This is a leadership opportunity for a commercially astute professional who can combine operational excellence, business development, financial management, stakeholder engagement, and people leadership to build and strengthen OCS's presence in Ivory Coast. What You Will Do In this role, you will: Country Leadership & Operations
• Provide overall leadership and direction for OCS's Ivory Coast operations.
• Act as the focal point for country-level operational, commercial, and business matters.
• Oversee offshore and onshore projects, ensuring safe, efficient, timely, and profitable execution.
• Ensure projects are delivered in accordance with agreed scope, schedule, quality, budget, and contractual requirements.
• Lead and support Project Managers, Project Engineers, supervisors, and country-based teams.
• Ensure effective resource planning and utilisation across projects and operations.
• Oversee timely mobilisation and demobilisation of personnel, equipment, and resources.
• Lead country-level crisis management and emergency response activities when required. Business Development & Market Development
• Develop and execute the country business development strategy in alignment with company objectives.
• Identify new clients, projects, markets, service lines, and business opportunities across Ivory Coast and the wider West African market.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective clients.
• Develop local market intelligence covering clients, competitors, projects, industry developments, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead or support client meetings, commercial discussions, tenders, and contract negotiations.
• Prepare and review techno-commercial proposals in coordination with internal teams.
• Develop strategic partnerships with local companies, vendors, and service providers.
• Identify opportunities to expand OCS's portfolio across Oil & Gas, offshore maintenance, inspection, engineering, and related services. Commercial & Financial Management
• Monitor contractual commitments and ensure effective execution of customer contracts.
• Manage commercial terms, deliverables, variations, claims, and contractual obligations.
• Monitor project profitability and implement corrective actions where required.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of commercial documentation and invoices.
• Drive timely collection of customer receivables and effective working-capital management.
• Develop and manage the annual country budget in coordination with senior management and Finance.
• Monitor country revenue, profitability, operating costs, and financial performance.
• Drive effective cost control and resource optimisation.
• Provide timely financial and operational reports to senior management. Project & Technical Management
• Provide overall oversight of Oil & Gas, offshore maintenance, and related projects.
• Ensure appropriate project execution strategies, management plans, and resource plans are established.
• Monitor project productivity, quality, schedule, and cost performance.
• Coordinate effectively between project teams, clients, vendors, and internal support functions.
• Provide leadership for multidisciplinary projects involving steel repair, piping, coatings, inspection, testing, engineering, maintenance, and E&I activities.
• Ensure technical and operational issues are identified and resolved efficiently.
• Promote best practices and lessons learned across projects. QHSE, Regulatory & Risk Management
• Drive a strong Health, Safety, Environment and Quality culture across country operations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Ivory Coast regulations, international standards, client requirements, and company policies.
• Ensure required licences, certifications, permits, and training requirements are maintained.
• Implement a risk-based approach across business development, projects, and operations.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational, commercial, contractual, and business risks.
• Ensure incidents, non-conformities, and corrective actions are appropriately investigated and closed.
• Promote ethical business practices and compliance with company governance requirements. Local Content & Stakeholder Management
• Ensure compliance with applicable local-content requirements.
• Support development of local workforce capabilities and talent.
• Develop and maintain a reliable network of local vendors, subcontractors, and service providers.
• Build effective relationships with local authorities, regulatory bodies, industry stakeholders, clients, and partners.
• Represent OCS professionally with key external stakeholders. People Leadership & Continuous Improvement
• Lead, motivate, and develop country-based employees and project teams.
• Establish a high-performance culture based on accountability, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Support succession planning, career development, and local capability building.
• Ensure appropriate manpower planning for current and future projects.
• Establish and monitor country KPIs and business objectives.
• Drive productivity, efficiency, profitability, innovation, and digitalisation initiatives.
• Promote knowledge sharing and implementation of lessons learned. What We Are Looking For Qualifications
• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Science, Business Management, or a related discipline.
• Master's Degree / MBA or equivalent will be an advantage. Experience
• 12–15 years of relevant experience in Oil & Gas, Energy, Offshore, Marine, or related industries.
• Significant experience in a senior operational, country, project, or business leadership role.
• Proven experience managing multidisciplinary Oil & Gas / offshore projects.
• Strong commercial and contract management experience.
• Experience in budgeting, cost control, and financial performance management.
• Experience managing clients, vendors, subcontractors, and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working in multinational and multicultural environments.
• Strong understanding of QHSE, regulatory compliance, and risk management. Preferred Experience
• Experience in FPSO, offshore production facilities, marine operations, offshore maintenance, shipyard, MRO, or related environments.
• Experience in West Africa, preferably Ivory Coast.
• Experience managing local-content requirements and developing local teams and vendors.
• Experience in business development and market expansion.
• Experience handling large-value contracts and multidisciplinary projects. Key Competencies
• Strong knowledge of Oil & Gas and offshore operations.
• Strong project management and execution capabilities.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Contract and negotiation management.
• Business development and client relationship management.
• Risk assessment and mitigation.
• QHSE and regulatory compliance.
• Budgeting and cost management.
• Vendor and subcontractor management.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent stakeholder management and networking skills. Leadership Skills
• Strategic thinking and strong business orientation.
• Strong leadership and people-management capability.
• High level of accountability and ownership.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Commercially astute with a focus on sustainable business growth.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work under pressure.
• Commitment to safety, quality, ethics, and integrity. What You Can Expect
• Opportunity to lead OCS's Ivory Coast operations within the Oil & Gas and offshore services sector.
• Exposure to offshore and onshore projects across West Africa.
• Opportunity to drive business development and establish long-term client and stakeholder relationships.
• A leadership role with responsibility across operations, commercial performance, QHSE, finance, projects, and people development.
• Opportunity to develop local capabilities and contribute to sustainable business growth. As Country Manager, you will play a key role in leading our country operations, strengthening client relationships, developing new business opportunities, and delivering safe and commercially sustainable growth. If you have the leadership experience, Oil & Gas expertise, and commercial mindset to lead a growing country operation, we encourage you to apply today