Oliver Dawson

• Provide strategic oversight of project controls functions (planning, scheduling, cost control, and risk management) across all projects in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Bahrain.
• Develop and implement standardized project controls processes, tools, and reporting to ensure consistency across locations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop project controls teams, ensuring capability building and succession planning.
• Act as the primary interface with regional leadership, portfolio directors, and clients on matters related to project performance, forecasting, and commercial risk.
• Review and challenge project performance reports, ensuring accuracy in progress measurement, earned value reporting, and cost forecasts.
• Support business development and bids by providing cost and schedule expertise for proposals.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives, leveraging integrated systems (e.g., EcoSys, Primavera P6, SAP) for improved data accuracy and reporting.
• Oversee compliance with contractual requirements and corporate financial governance, supporting audits and risk reviews.
• Provide strategic recommendations to improve portfolio performance, mitigate risks, and maximize commercial outcomes.

I drive success at Sembcorp UK by strategically managing Project Controls, Commercial, Health and Safety, and Project Engineering. From aligning goals with Sembcorp's vision to overseeing portfolio management and implementing cutting-edge methodologies, I ensure projects not only meet but exceed expectations. A dynamic leader, I've managed high-stakes projects like the £120 million Battery Energy Storage System.

Key Competencies

· Strategic Alignment: Aligning PMO goals with Sembcorp's strategic objectives.

· Project Governance: Establishing and maintaining governance standards for adherence to best practices.

· Portfolio Management: Prioritizing projects, optimizing resource allocation, and managing risks strategically.

· Project Methodology: Implementing a consistent, results-driven project management methodology.

· Performance Metrics: Defining and tracking KPIs for data-driven decision-making.

· Risk Management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating project and program risks.

· Stakeholder Communication: Establishing effective channels and providing regular, impactful updates.

· Resource Management: Allocating resources appropriately and resolving conflicts.

· Quality Assurance: Setting and exceeding quality standards through audits and continuous improvement.

· Budget Management: Developing and managing the PMO budget for on-target project deliveries.

Notable Projects

· Battery Energy Storage System 210 MW, Wilton Site, UK - £120M - Construction

· Waste Water Treatment Plant, Wilton Site, UK - £40M – Detailed Design

· 15 MW Solar Farm, Wilton Site, UK - £40M - Concept

· Hydrogen Turbine - Wilton Site, UK - £310M - Concept

In my Sembcorp Energy tenure, I consistently delivered excellence, turning complex projects into success stories.

Seasoned Leadership | Multi-disciplinary Team Management | Operational Excellence

As a highly effective Project Controls Manager with KBR, I successfully led a diverse team of 30 experts across risk, cost, planning, document control, and change management. My proven track record includes:

· Team Leadership: Directed a dynamic team, ensuring seamless collaboration among risk, cost, planning, document control, and change management specialists.

· Operational Optimization: Engineered an increase in project efficiency and cost-effectiveness by refining Project Controls frameworks within PPP.

· Multi-disciplinary Expertise: Successfully managed and coordinated a multi-disciplinary team, integrating risk mitigation, cost control, precise planning, document integrity, and change management seamlessly.

Key Achievements:

· Led the provision of a coordinated Project Controls framework, aligning actions with business objectives.

· Maintained a strategic overview of work programs, providing guidance to Heads of Programmes, Projects, Operating Units, and Functions.

· Identified corrective strategies through trend analysis, maximizing benefits to the business.

· Agreed on Project Controls level of service and staffing plan, engaging Project Controls Capability for resource allocation.

· Delivered approved Project Control level of service, managing teams using standard Sellafield systems.

· Supervised Project Controls personnel, setting expectations for service delivery standards.

· Led integrated project management, ensuring precision in scope, schedules, cost baselines, and estimates.

· Implemented effective change management processes for evolving project dynamics.

· Implemented timely performance monitoring, trending, variance analysis, and forecasting processes.

· Ensured accuracy in data communicated, providing periodic reports on project performance and status.

· Interfaced with internal and external clients and contractors, ensuring integration, assurance, validation, and reconciliation.

· Ensured compliance with the risk process, providing estimate and schedule support.

· Maintained compliance with approved processes, procedures, and Project Execution Plans.

· Mentored and supported the development of Project Controls personnel, contributing to continuous improvement.

Jacobs ZATE is an Engineering and Construction professional services company based in Saudi Arabia that employs over 1100 people. The company is focused on the Energy and Chemicals and Resources Market Sector, serving major clients such as Saudi Aramco, SABIC, and Ma'aden. In this role as Project Controls Manager for the Hydrocarbon's Line of Business, Oliver manages 30 employees and has a total portfolio of around 340 projects with a total value of 200 million dollars. Oliver is responsible for ensuring the Project Controls Department delivers cost and schedule effectively to a high standard of project control services to all internal and external clients.

Key Achievements:

• To attract, assemble and manage a high-quality project controls team
• To promote Jacobs's Project Controls Capability to our clients
• To set overall directions and oversee the development of Jacob's Project Controls systems.
• To routinely report on the cost, schedule, and resource trends and forecasts on all projects.
• To provide governance and corporate support for the Project Controls function within Projects.
• Ensure the Project Controls team provides consistent, accurate management and reporting of services and capital cost, schedule, and resources on projects.
• Ensure the Project Controls team provides timely trend information and variance reports to Project Managers and develops recovery plans on cost and schedule within agreed timeframes.
• Pre-award support in proposals (Cost and Schedule)
• Claims/Change management support.
• Ensure Project Controls teams supports Project teams on managing claims for variations and extensions and assists in resolutions of contract disputes Identify and implement best practices, procedure and tools, and systems for project controls
• Manage the selection and development of project controls tools
• Manage the rollout of corporate initiatives concerning project controls
• Ensure relevant lesson learned output is communicated and reviewed
• Provide HSE, technical leadership and guidance to all staff within the group.
• Determine the necessary discipline training requirements and arrange for appropriate training
• Liaise and train project managers/directors to clarify project control related issues
• Provide leadership, direction, supervision and inspirational management to all team members (direct & indirect)
• Directed day-to-day operational aspects of project and scope and monitored progress of construction activities.

Notable Projects:

• Upstream - Master Gas Pipeline - Conceptual – TIC $10.2 B
• Downstream - Riyadh Refinery -Sulphur Recovery Unit – Conceptual and FEED – TIC $180 M
• Downstream - Riyadh Refinery - Supercritical Solvent Deashpalting – FEED – TIC $220 M
• Downstream - Riyadh Refinery - Upgrade Hydroprocessing– Detailed Design- TIC $350 M
• Downstream - Riyadh Refinery - PMC – TIC $220 M
• Downstream - Ras Tanura - Sulphur Recovery Unit– Conceptual, FEED and Construction- $350 M
• Downstream - Ras Tanura - Sour Water Stripper – Conceptual and FEED - $200 M
• Downstream - Berri Refinery - Sulphur Recovery Unit – Conceptual– TIC $550 M
• Downstream - Yanbu Refinery - Sulphur Recovery Unit – Conceptual– TIC $115 M
• Built Environmental Solutions - Shaybah Security – Detailed Design - $96 M
• Built Environmental Solutions - Zuluf Onshore Oil Facilities – Detailed Design - $370 M

In Oliver’s role as a Senior Planning Engineer at Nuvia, he worked as part of the PMC Team to Manage, supervise, monitor, and guide the day-to-day activities of Planning, Cost Control and Estimating. The Project had an overall TIC of over 50 million pounds in which Oliver was responsible for:

• Ensuring clear definition of the Project Control requirements of his assigned project and to be fully familiar with the NEC3 Contract.
• Apply all Project Services techniques as appropriate in accordance with the approved Project Services Execution Plan.
• Monitor and Control the Level IV EPC Schedule
• Ensure that, always, the Project Task Force is fully aware of; The Project target, The current status, Exceptions to plan, Required remedial action, Forecasts for recovery to the plan
• Ensure that the Project Manager and Construction Manager are aware of any potential major problems, and to propose remedial action, i.e. to initiate an “Early Warning System.”
• Liaise with the projects Functional Managers on any problems, suggestions, staffing matters, etc., to support a consistent approach across the company.
• Take part in any corporate matters required by the Regional Project Controls Manager, with a view to disseminating experience and positive enhancements to the service throughout the company.
• Ensure that, in all Project Control disciplines, staff are identified, recruited, trained and assigned who are competent, experienced and cost effective.
• Appraise performance of subordinates and identify / implement training and development needs.
• Recommend and implement organizational changes necessary to achieve optimum efficiency.
• Establish and promote good working relations with his team, the project staff and the client.

Responsibilities

• Manage Project Cost and Schedule throughout the project life cycle.
• Fully understand the scope of the project, contractual requirements, identify the major milestones and set clear priorities for the project team.
• Lead the cost and schedule estimates for various Gate reviews and participate in the preparation of Gate packages.
• Mentor junior project controls engineers and ensure the technical quality and timeliness of work.
• Serve as a link to the Project Services Common Skill Center organization; gain alignment for support and approval of key deliverables (i.e. Estimates Development Plans, Estimates, etc.)·Develop and maintain the Project Controls related plans and procedures.
• Ensure implementation of the stewardship process identify and champion process improvements.
• Participate in kick-offs and ongoing meetings with the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor(s) to ensure common understanding of project controls requirements.
• Participate in gathering and recording lessons learned for the project.
• Serve as the budget custodian, lead financial close-out of the project and participate in other project close-out activities.