Head of Human Resources - Oil & Gas Operator

The Challenge

Our client was an international Oil & Gas Operator who had enjoyed sustained growth in the UK North Sea over recent years through exploration, exploitation and acquisition.

As a result of this growth, the organisation had recognised the requirement to develop HR from a traditional, transactional function into a proactive, more strategic business partner.  An innovative HR professional with outstanding leadership qualities was sought to effect this change and lead continuous improvement. Rapid integration to a strong, technically focused senior management team and the ability to establish credibility through personal presence and functional gravitas were prerequisites for success in the role.

Our remit was to conduct an international Executive Search to identify exceptional HR talent from highly regulated, safety focused and technically driven industry sectors. Our challenge was to source an extremely motivated, tenacious change agent to establish a credible, professional HR function perceived as being a supportive, creative solutions provider to the wider organisation.

The Approach

Working closely with our client, we defined the technical and personal attributes required of the ideal candidate.  Having mapped the market and identified key organisations and then people, a small dedicated team of Senior Researchers with previous HR career experience in the Oil & Gas sector conducted the initial approaches to potential candidates. Sensitivity was required in defining the role whilst providing candidates with sufficient insight to engage their interest.      

Our broad, global search encompassed E&P Operators, Oilfield Service Companies and Marine, Power, Manufacturing, Energy and Petrochemical sectors. From this, 97 individuals were identified, researched and approached.  Further discussions narrowed this to a longlist of 16, all of whom were rigorously interviewed and assessed by our Oil & Gas Consultant team.  Six were shortlisted to our client, five of whom were interviewed by them. 

The successful Candidate was a Senior HR professional with a Business Studies Degree who was a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. His broad experience included UK upstream and downstream Oil & Gas operational roles, and two international roles in the US and China. At the time of our approach he was in a strategic corporate HR position in the Head Office of a US E&P Company.  We worked closely with the successful candidate, his family and our client throughout the joining process.  This included offering full support and advice on issues around schooling, housing and amenities at the new location.