Commissioning Manager

Job description / Role

As the Commissioning Manager within our Project Management Consultancy (PMC) team, you will lead the transition of a world-scale petrochemical facility from a "constructed asset" to an "operational plant." You will oversee the EPC contractor’s planning and execution of all pre-commissioning, commissioning, and startup activities. Your primary objective is to ensure the plant is brought online safely, on schedule, and meets all performance guarantees while protecting the Client’s long-term operational integrity.

Key Responsibilities
• Strategic Planning: Review and approve the EPC contractor’s Commissioning Execution Plan, Systemization/Sub-systemization strategy, and detailed startup sequences.
• Safety Leadership: Enforce a rigorous "Live Plant" safety culture, managing the transition to energized systems and overseeing the implementation of Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and Permit to Work (PTW) protocols.
• Technical Oversight: Validate the completion of pre-commissioning checks (e.g., motor solo runs, loop testing, chemical cleaning, and catalyst loading) and witness critical functional tests.
• Performance Verification: Oversee the execution of Performance Test Runs (PTR) to ensure the facility achieves nameplate capacity, product purity, and energy efficiency targets as per the contract.
• Handover Management: Manage the progressive turnover of systems from Construction to Commissioning, and finally from Commissioning to the Client’s Operations team (RFSU/Final Acceptance).
• Liaison & Coordination: Act as the technical bridge between the EPC contractor, Technology Licensors, Equipment Vendors, and the Client’s permanent Operations staff.

• Education: Accredited Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Chemical or Mechanical preferred).
• Experience: 20+ years of experience in the petrochemical or refining industry, with a minimum of 10 years in a leadership role specifically focused on Commissioning and Startup of mega-projects.
• Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of process operations, logic control systems (DCS/SIS), and the startup requirements for complex rotating machinery and reactors.
• Field Leadership: Proven experience managing the high-pressure environment of a plant startup, with the ability to make decisive technical calls under tight timelines.

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with Completions Management Systems (CMS) software such as Hexagon Smart Completions or Bentley Orbit.
• Previous experience as a Commissioning Manager for a PMC organization on a project exceeding $2bn
• Advanced training in Process Safety Management (PSM) and Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR).

About the Company

Established in 1984

TRS works around the world finding and connecting the best talent with businesses and organisations that: design, build, operate, maintain or support the production of goods and services for a variety of industry sectors covering; oil, gas, chemicals, infrastructure, life sciences, manufacturing, mining, power, renewable energy and public sector.