Applications & Data Manager – 12 Months Contract Rotational – Iraq
28 x 28 Rotation
Essential:- 15+ years of progressive experience in IT, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing enterprise applications & data services & managing people. Strong experience in the Oil & Gas sector, ideally within Upstream operations (Exploration, Drilling, Subsurface/Reservoir Management, Production). Proven track record managing both off-the-shelf & bespoke applications across enterprise & technical domains (ERP, EAM, Finance/P2P, Petro technical & Engineering solutions). Solid understanding of IT governance, data/applications architecture frameworks, application development lifecycle (SDLC) & best practices, & cloud technologies. Experience in data warehousing platforms, data management/governance/compliance best practices, BI reporting platforms, database management/performance tuning/ optimization, & AI/Machine Learning solutions. Experience in project management & working knowledge of both agile & waterfall delivery methodologies. ITIL V3/V4 certification or practical experience in IT Service Management, Incident & Change Management. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
Role Synopsis
The Applications & Data Manager is a strategic integrator, technology enabler, & leader of change. The position plays a critical leadership role within the IT&C department, responsible for overseeing the strategy, delivery, & performance of all enterprise & technical applications, we well as the company’s data services. This role leads a diverse & multidisciplinary team of 15-20 professionals, & coordinates with multiple third-party vendors to ensure high-quality, secure, & scalable digital solutions.
Operating in a dynamic, large-scale, & fast-paced oil & gas operational environment, the manager will drive innovation & service excellence across business systems, Petro technical platforms, real-time data services, & digital initiatives – including AI & machine learning. The Applications & Data Manager will combine strong leadership, technical acumen, & vendor management skills with a hands-on mindset & a commitment to digital transformation & continuous improvement.
The department is structured into five key areas:
- Petro technical Applications
- Finance & P2P Systems
- Digital Factory
- Business Applications
- Data Services
Each domain is led by specialized experts, while the Applications & Data Manager provides steer & alignment of activities with departmental & organizational objectives.
Applications & Data Manager Key Accountabilities
Lead the Applications & Data Services team, ensuring delivery of high-performing, resilient, & user-centric digital solutions.
- Provide strategic oversight & coordination across five key functional domains:
o Petro technical Applications
o Finance & P2P Systems
o Digital Factory
o Business Applications
o Data Services
- Align technology initiatives with business strategy working closely with functional leads & senior stakeholders to ensure IT investments deliver measurable value.
- Oversee the full application lifecycle, from planning & implementation to operations, maintenance, & decommissioning.
- Govern delivery models across both Agile & Waterfall methodologies, ensuring project success & value realization.
- Lead & develop a high-performing team fostering a culture of innovation, ownership, & accountability.
- Manage a diverse vendor ecosystem, ensuring contractual performance, delivery quality, & adherence to standards.
- Serve as a technical escalation point & provide strong leadership during incidents or service disruptions.
- Promote effective governance, data integrity, cyber security, & compliance across all platforms & services.
- Drive continuous improvement, standardization, & modernization of the application & data landscape.
Applications & Data Manager Required Skills
- A collaborative leader who thrives in cross-functional & multicultural teams.
- A strategic thinker who can balance day-to-day operations with long-term planning.
- A strong communicator able to influence senior stakeholders & engage at all levels.
- A proactive problem solver who brings structure, clarity, & energy to complex environments.
Desirable Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Business Administration, Information Management, or a related discipline.
- Experience with Petro technical applications as OpenWorks, Petrel, OpenWells or similar.
- Experience with AI/Machine Learning platforms, data science tools, & cloud-based analytics solutions.
- Certification in IT governance/enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF.
- Certification in Project Management frameworks & methodologies such as PMP, PRINCE2, CSM/PSM/PMI-ACP/other SCRUM or agile certificates.
- Certification in Data Management & Analytics such as CDMP, Azure Data Engineer, AWS Certified Data Analytics, or similar.
- Certification in Database & Business Intelligence such as Azure Database Administrator, Oracle Database Administration, IBM Certified Data Engineer.
- Certification in IT Audit (e.g. CISA) & IT Security (e.g. CISSP).
- Certification in Cloud Technology such as AZ-900, AZ-104, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner/Solutions Architect/Developer, or other Azure or AWS certificates.
