Oil & Gas Startup (1-50 employees)

Field Operations Manager at Startup

Leads end-to-end field operations in oil & gas blocks: production, safety, teams, and operator relations. High autonomy and accountability.

In early O&G, geological risk and required capital define everything

Operational safety is non-negotiable from day one

Relationships with regulators and communities are critical to move forward

Generic profile SMB (51-200 employees) Enterprise (201-1000 employees) Global (1001+ employees)

Ideal OCEAN+ Profile

Ideal range

Openness

68 86

At startups (1-50 employees), strategic vision to optimize block operations, incorporate best practices, and adapt the operating model as the business changes

Conscientiousness

70 85

At startups (1-50 employees), operational discipline to ensure production targets, HSE standards, and operator reporting are met with quality and consistency

Extraversion

75 90

At startups (1-50 employees), visible leadership with field teams, effective communication with the operator, contractors, and authorities, institutional representation of the project

Agreeableness

59 75

At startups (1-50 employees), managing a complex ecosystem of relationships: operator, unions, contractors, communities, and regulatory authorities

Emotional Stability

87 100

At startups (1-50 employees), handling operational crises, HSE incidents, operator pressure, and field conflicts with calm, authority, and decisiveness under pressure

Structure & Rhythm

75 88

At startups (1-50 employees), the Field Operations Manager runs 24/7 operations in remote blocks with FIFO shifts, production protocols, and reporting to the operator on defined cadences; procedural consistency in the field is what sustains the operating license

Strengths and Red Flags

Strengths

Leadership of end-to-end operations with accountability for production, HSE, costs, and people
Managing the relationship with the main operator and institutional stakeholders in the field
Agile evaluation of upstream opportunities with limited capital and high risk
Innovation in exploration and production processes using emerging technology

Red Flags

Production focus that sacrifices HSE under operator pressure
Inability to build long-term relationships with the operator due to a confrontational style
Underestimates the regulatory complexity of exploration and production
Takes excessive operational risks under pressure for fast results

Interview Questions

Describe how you activated the response process for a severe production drop or serious HSE incident. What protocols did you follow, what reports did you generate, and how did you maintain operational control?

Evaluates: Emotional Stability and Structure & Rhythm

How do you manage the reporting and governance process with the main operator? What reporting cadence, KPIs, and escalation processes do you implement to maintain operational transparency?

Evaluates: Structure & Rhythm and Agreeableness

How did you assess geological risk with limited capital?

Evaluates: Openness and decision-making ability under extreme uncertainty

How did you manage operational safety with a minimal team and budget?

Evaluates: Conscientiousness and commitment to safety without resources