Lead of IT Center of Excellence

Job Posting Date: 22 Feb 2026

Work Location: Doha, QA

Company: QatarEnergy LNG

Company

This position is with QatarEnergy LNG, one of the world’s leading liquefied natural gas producers, headquartered in Doha, Qatar. The organization operates in a highly complex, asset-intensive, and technology-driven environment where robust IT governance and structured project management are essential to operational excellence and long-term strategic growth.

Role Overview

The Lead of IT Center of Excellence (PMO) is a senior leadership role responsible for governing, coordinating, and optimizing the IT project portfolio across the organization. The position ensures that project risks are properly identified, assessed, and managed while maintaining realistic project plans and delivering accurate communication to stakeholders.

This role serves as the central authority for IT demand management, business case evaluation, investment approvals, and project governance. The PMO Lead ensures that all IT initiatives align with corporate strategy, comply with internal procedures, and deliver measurable business value.

The position requires deep expertise in IT program management within large-scale organizations, particularly in the oil and gas industry, where operational complexity, regulatory requirements, and integration between IT and operational technology (OT) systems are critical success factors.

Job Purpose

The core purpose of this role is to establish and maintain a structured and mature IT Project Management Office capable of:

• Managing risks across the IT project portfolio

• Ensuring realistic planning and execution of IT projects

• Coordinating business case preparation and investment approval

• Applying appropriate project management methodologies and tools

• Conducting quality reviews and compliance verification

• Monitoring benefits realization after project implementation

The role ensures that IT investments generate measurable value and support business objectives in a highly regulated and technically demanding industry.

Job Context and Major Challenges

The Lead of IT Center of Excellence operates within a complex organizational environment characterized by several major challenges:

Growing Operational Complexity

The organization manages an expanding portfolio of IT initiatives supporting upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. Increasing project volume and operational interdependencies create complexity in planning, prioritization, and resource allocation.

Lengthy Approval Processes

The IT demand lifecycle includes preparation of IT requests, feasibility studies, Demand Assessment Board approvals, business case development, and formal investment authorization. Ensuring efficiency without compromising governance standards is a critical challenge.

Multiple Concurrent Projects

The role requires oversight of numerous simultaneous projects at various stages of execution. Managing interdependencies, risk exposure, and competing resource demands is essential to maintaining portfolio health.

PMO Process Maturity

Enhancing the maturity of the IT PMO processes is a continuous priority. The role must implement structured frameworks, standardize methodologies, and promote a culture of compliance and continuous improvement.

Key Job Accountabilities – I

IT Demand Management and Governance

• Coordinate analysis, prioritization, and approval of IT demands as the Single Point of Contact.

• Ensure complete documentation of IT demand submissions.

• Facilitate feasibility studies and structured business case preparation.

• Review cost-benefit analyses and return on investment calculations.

• Coordinate formal investment approvals.

This accountability ensures that IT investments are strategically aligned and financially justified before execution.

Portfolio and Program Management

• Prepare and manage portfolio and program management plans.

• Provide a cross-program perspective to identify dependencies and integration points.

• Ensure consistency in project execution methodologies across the organization.

• Oversee projects from initial demand approval through final close-out.

The PMO Lead ensures that interrelated projects operate cohesively within the broader IT strategy.

PMO Strategy and Framework Development

• Develop and maintain PMO strategies aligned with corporate standards.

• Establish processes, procedures, tools, and governance frameworks.

• Verify compliance with project lifecycle standards, including business case quality.

• Support and guide project and program managers on adherence to governance standards.

• Promote continuous improvement initiatives within the PMO function.

This responsibility strengthens organizational project governance and risk management practices.

Project Management Tools and Techniques

• Ensure effective utilization of project management software and monitoring tools.

• Standardize planning, estimating, documentation, tracking, and risk analysis processes.

• Introduce specialist monitoring techniques where appropriate.

The adoption of modern project management systems enhances transparency, control, and reporting accuracy.

Key Job Accountabilities – II

Performance Evaluation and Reporting

• Monitor IT project performance against defined targets.

• Provide timely and structured reports to senior management.

• Identify underperforming projects and recommend corrective measures.

• Document compliance and non-compliance with established standards.

This ensures accountability and proactive issue resolution across the IT portfolio.

Financial Oversight and Budget Control

• Review project economics, including cost structures and resource allocation.

• Track expenditure against approved budgets.

• Investigate deviations exceeding agreed tolerance levels.

• Assess financial risks impacting project viability.

Strong financial oversight ensures optimal use of capital and protects organizational resources.

Standards and Regulatory Compliance

• Interpret relevant national and international IT standards.

• Identify areas of non-compliance.

• Formulate and implement appropriate control mechanisms.

Given the critical nature of IT systems in oil and gas operations, regulatory adherence is non-negotiable.

Benefits Realization and Post-Implementation Review

• Coordinate with business owners after project implementation.

• Define measurable benefit indicators aligned with business case projections.

• Activate benefit monitoring mechanisms at appropriate intervals.

• Evaluate actual outcomes against predicted benefits.

• Report findings to key stakeholders.

Benefits realization management ensures that IT investments deliver tangible operational and financial improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, or

• Bachelor’s degree in a Business discipline.

Advanced project management certifications would be advantageous in supporting this leadership role.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of experience managing complex IT programs and projects in large organizations.

• Proven experience in evaluating IT requirements and establishing enterprise systems and applications.

• Industry-specific experience within the oil and gas sector is essential.

• Extensive understanding of commercial constraints and business drivers.

Experience in capital-intensive and operationally critical environments strengthens suitability for this position.

Technical and Business Skills

Oil and Gas Industry Awareness

The candidate must demonstrate strong awareness of oil and gas supply chain operations, including exploration, production, processing, and distribution activities. Understanding the integration between IT and Operational Technology systems is critical.

Business and Stakeholder Management

• Expertise in managing diverse business and IT stakeholders.

• Ability to align technical solutions with operational objectives.

• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.

The role requires balancing technical feasibility with commercial and operational considerations.

Project Management Expertise

• In-depth knowledge of project management methodologies and frameworks.

• Expertise in risk management, cost control, scheduling, and resource management.

• Experience with enterprise project management tools.

The PMO Lead must ensure structured, repeatable, and scalable project delivery practices.

Analytical and Communication Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.

• Excellent written and spoken English.

• Ability to present complex information to executive leadership clearly and concisely.

Communication plays a central role in managing stakeholders and reporting performance metrics.

Strategic Importance of the Role

In an energy organization where operations rely heavily on advanced digital systems, cybersecurity frameworks, data analytics platforms, and integrated enterprise solutions, IT governance becomes a strategic enabler of business continuity and competitive advantage.

The Lead of IT Center of Excellence ensures:

• Strategic alignment between IT investments and business objectives

• Controlled execution of high-value IT initiatives

• Reduced risk exposure across the IT portfolio

• Optimized resource utilization

• Measurable return on IT investment

By strengthening PMO maturity, the role enhances operational resilience and supports long-term digital transformation goals.

Leadership Expectations

This role demands both technical depth and executive leadership capability. The successful candidate must:

• Inspire a culture of governance and accountability

• Drive continuous improvement across project management processes

• Encourage cross-functional collaboration

• Promote data-driven decision-making

• Maintain high ethical and professional standards

The position bridges strategic planning and operational execution, ensuring that technology initiatives translate into measurable business performance improvements.

Career Progression Opportunities

The Lead of IT Center of Excellence role offers strong progression potential into senior executive positions such as:

• Head of IT Governance

• Director of Digital Transformation

• Chief Information Officer

• Vice President of IT Strategy

Exposure to enterprise-wide transformation initiatives enhances both technical and strategic leadership credentials.