IT Director (LNG/Energy)

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; regular travel to the US is required

Company

A privately held energy company headquartered in Abu Dhabi developing a large-scale LNG export terminal in Alaska and its associated marine, pipeline, and administrative infrastructure.

What you will do

• Define and own the IT strategy, architecture, roadmap, budget, and investment planning.
• Build the corporate IT environment from scratch across identity, cloud, collaboration, document management, endpoints, networking, and telephony.
• Select and implement ERP, finance, HR, procurement, document control, and project-controls systems.
• Establish cybersecurity governance, threat monitoring, incident response, disaster recovery, and IT controls for critical energy infrastructure.
• Set up connectivity, site networks, field devices, and support operations for remote construction activity in Alaska.
• Build and lead the IT team while managing MSPs, integrators, software vendors, and major service contracts.

Requirements

• 12+ years of IT experience, including at least 5 years in a Head of IT or IT Director role reporting to executives.
• Experience establishing IT functions from the ground up, including greenfield builds, new entities, or major carve-outs.
• Background in oil and gas, LNG, power, or heavy industrial capital projects.
• Strong hands-on experience with Azure and/or AWS, Microsoft 365, identity management, enterprise networking, and end-to-end ERP implementation.
• Experience owning cybersecurity in critical-infrastructure or OT-adjacent environments; knowledge of NIST CSF, ISO 27001, OT/ICS security, and the IT–OT boundary.
• English fluency is essential; the role requires being based in Abu Dhabi, regular travel to the US, and unrestricted worldwide travel.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting a project through development, construction, and operations.
• Exposure to US jurisdictions and multiple time zones.
• Degree in computer science, information systems, or engineering.
• CISSP, CISM, TOGAF, or cloud architect certification.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to establish the IT function for a new energy project from a near-blank base.
• Responsibility spans the Abu Dhabi corporate office and the US project organisation.
• Work includes supporting operations in a low-infrastructure, extreme-climate construction environment in Alaska.
• Scope includes compliance with UAE and US data protection and data residency obligations.