Exempt

Earliest Start Date

Immediately

Salary

Salary commensurate with experience

Hours per Week

40 hours weekly

Hiring Department

University Lands

Required Application Materials

A resume is required to apply. Candidates under final consideration will also be required to submit professional references, college degree information, and employment history to an online third-party vendor.

Purpose of Position

The Vice President - Natural Resources Development (NRD) reports to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and is a key member of the University Lands leadership team, directly overseeing Geology and Engineering functions. This role leads the daily management and strategic direction of technical teams responsible for evaluating and developing oil and gas resources and reserves, setting priorities, guiding field development, overseeing contractor work, supporting external relationships, and contributing to goal setting, budgeting, talent development, and execution aligned with organizational strategy.

Essential Functions

• Leadership and Direction: Accountable for the planning, direction, and coordination of engineering, geology, and business analytics activities that directly influence over $1B-$2B in University Lands revenue. Establish short- and long-term strategies with significant, measurable impact on business results and provide strategic leadership across the Natural Resources Development function.
• Stakeholder and Relationship Management: Build and manage relationships across all University Lands departments to enhance efficiency and value creation, serve as the primary relationship manager for operator subsurface and asset development teams, and, with the COO, implement strategies that build lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with academic and state institutions.
• Technical Leadership and Advisory Support: Provide expertise and advice to staff on all NRD matters, work cooperatively with other departments to allocate NRD resources and time as needed, and lead the team in acquiring, interpreting, and prioritizing high-value production, completions, log, and other operator data.
• Reservoir Characterization and Development Planning: Lead the creation and implementation of full-field oil and gas development strategies with operators, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and objectives; partner with Land to increase value generated on PUF lands through deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars in present value; and lead the reserves process and assessment resources used for the University of Texas System balance sheet, improving accuracy, efficiency, and evergreen maintenance of the process.
• Geoscientific Studies and Interpretations: Ensure high-quality geological and geophysical analysis that informs field development. Set subsurface priorities and provide geoscience expertise.
• Business Planning and Market Analysis: Develop business plans, forecasts, and long-term models. Assess market, operator, and financial trends to support planning and development. Report on industry trends, competitive landscape, and strategic advantages to cultivate business development opportunities aligned with NRD goals and evaluate company performance metrics using internal and public data.
• Budgeting: Develop and manage budgets, including expenses and headcount, in line with strategic priorities.
• Performance Management: Manage team performance, set expectations, and use metrics to drive improvement.
• Organizational Capability Building: Identify capability needs and strengthen team effectiveness through hiring, coaching, and collaboration. Develop plans to optimize the organization, team functions, and talent needed to execute strategy. Lead team goal setting and ensure alignment within the NRD team and across University Lands.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Required Competencies:

• Strategic Mindset: Sees future possibilities & translates them into effective strategies. Provides a clear vision & develops long-term plans aligned w/ market trends/organizational strengths.
• Plans/Aligns: Plans/prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned w/ departmental goals. Builds alignment across teams, adapts effectively to risk, change, & competing demands.
• Business Insight: Applies knowledge of UT System & external environment to advance departmental goals. Connects team efforts to broader business/industry priorities.
• Communicates Effectively: Communicates clearly for different audiences, listens actively, & seeks deeper understanding of others' perspectives.
• Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates/balances the needs of multiple stakeholders while upholding ethical standards.

Other Competencies:

• Optimizes Work Processes: Uses efficient processes/promotes continuous improvement to achieve high-quality results.
• Manages Complexity: Interprets complex/conflicting information & uses multiple inputs to solve problems effectively.
• Decision Quality: Makes sound, timely decisions that comply with policies to move the department forward.
• Financial Acumen: Interprets key financial indicators; applies them to balanced business decisions/forecasts.
• Drives Vision and Purpose: Communicates a compelling vision that motivates others & connects their work to long-term goals.
• Builds Effective Teams: Builds strong teams w/ the right mix of skills leveraging individual strengths to achieve shared goals

Skills:

• Negotiation: Builds consensus across parties w/ differing interests to achieve organizational goals.
• Planning/Organizing: Prioritizes, manages complex work, including long-range planning, forecasting, & business unit planning.
• Cost/Budgeting: Knowledge of expenses, economics, budgeting, forecasting, & financial modeling to support decisions.
• Review/Reporting: Analyzes information/prepares clear reports/executive-level materials.
• Action Planning: Translates requirements & recommendations into practical plans/priorities.
• Technical Development: Broad oil & gas direction, aligns technical, operational, & financial priorities.
• Presentation Skills: Communicates complex technical/business information clearly to varied audiences.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Engineering from an accredited university
• Minimum of 12 years of industry experience at an oil & gas operator in engineering roles of increasing responsibility over time including a minimum of 5 years leading multi-disciplinary teams and minimum of 5 years of data analytics and performance analysis experience business planning, including strategic/business unit level planning experience for senior leadership or any combination thereof.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of industry experience in multiple disciplines, including different types of engineering and planning roles.
• 7+ years of leading multi-disciplinary teams.
• 5+ years of experience in conventional and unconventional Permian, and at least 2 years in other basins.
• Data analytics experience in multiple tools, across varied business units, basins, and disciplines.

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions
• Uses standard office equipment
• Requires occasional evening or weekend hours

Additional Information

The standard retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. However, the incumbent of this position may elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. Participation in either TRS or ORP is mandatory.

A background check will be conducted on applicants under final consideration. The background check may include any or all of the following: criminal history check, prior employment verification, education verification, professional references check, and motor vehicle records check. Background checks are conducted by third-party vendors. Upon request from the third-party vendor, candidates under final consideration must provide the required information for the background checks to be completed.