Okay, I've searched for Production Director roles in California within the Oil & Gas industry, full-time positions, requiring 20+ years of experience and significant leadership in managing multidisciplinary teams. I have found 27 positions for you.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

This Production Director role is fundamentally about owning and driving the subsurface aspects of heavy oil exploration, appraisal, and development in Madagascar, demanding both strategic vision and meticulous operational control. The candidate is expected to spearhead technical planning—crafting reservoir models, designing work programs, and forecasting capital costs—all while managing multidisciplinary teams that include geoscientists, reservoir engineers, and well engineers. The extensive experience requirement (20 years) and specialty in heavy oil underscore the complexity and scale of operations they will oversee, likely involving significant technical and logistical challenges unique to the Madagascar environment. Success hinges not only on technical expertise but also on leadership strength, the ability to integrate cross-functional information, mitigate subsurface risks proactively, and deliver clear, strategic communication to senior management and partners. Autonomy will be considerable, with a strong expectation that this leader will make critical decisions, balance conflicting priorities under uncertainty, and align production initiatives to corporate goals. In the first year, measurable success might be reflected in improved reservoir understanding, optimized field performance, on-budget delivery of projects, and a motivated, cohesive subsurface team driving operational efficiency in a remote setting.

Company Analysis:

AFRICAWORK positions itself as a pan-African HR and engineering solutions provider facilitating access to specialized talent across the continent’s complex and diverse markets. While the company itself operates as a service intermediary with a broad footprint in Africa, the Production Director role supports a client in the Oil & Gas sector—signaling a client-centered, project-driven culture rooted in delivering specialized expertise under potentially challenging regional contexts. The company’s expansive network and market knowledge likely create an environment valuing adaptability, cross-cultural communication, and highly skilled technical leadership, all critical for expatriates managing major projects abroad. Given AFRICAWORK’s emphasis on sourcing top-tier professionals and providing tailored HR services, the successful candidate will benefit from robust logistical and recruitment support, though must also thrive in a high-responsibility role requiring strong independent judgment and cross-functional coordination. This indirect relationship with the client operator means the Production Director must navigate both AFRICAWORK’s service-oriented framework and the client’s operational priorities carefully, balancing long-term strategic goals with immediate production performance demands. Given AFRICAWORK’s pan-African scope and local presence, the candidate should be culturally sensitive, resilient, and proficient in communication within dynamic, multi-stakeholder contexts.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you led a multidisciplinary subsurface team through a complex production challenge. How did you ensure effective collaboration and alignment?
• Behavioral: Describe an occasion where you had to make a critical decision with incomplete reservoir data. What approach did you take to mitigate the risks involved?
• Behavioral: Can you share an experience managing expatriation or remote operations teams? What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?
• Behavioral: How have you motivated and developed technical staff in a high-pressure environment with tight project timelines?
• Technical: How would you develop and validate a dynamic reservoir simulation model for a heavy oil field under development?
• Technical: Walk me through your process for preparing a reservoir development plan, including capital cost forecasting, in a heavy oil context.
• Technical: What methods do you use to ensure the accuracy and quality of subsurface data acquisition and processing?
• Technical: How do you approach balancing reserve evaluations with operational constraints and project risk management?
• Situational: Imagine a scenario where your reservoir simulation model forecasts production below target, but field operations insist current plans are optimal. How do you handle this conflict?
• Situational: If you identified a significant subsurface risk mid-project that could cause delays and cost overruns, what immediate steps would you take to address it?
• Situational: You receive conflicting technical recommendations from geoscientists and reservoir engineers on development strategy. How do you reconcile these views?
• Company Fit: Why are you interested in working with AFRICAWORK and operating in Madagascar’s oil and gas sector specifically?
• Company Fit: AFRICAWORK values both technical excellence and cross-cultural adaptability. How do your experiences prepare you to thrive in this environment?
• Company Fit: How do you align your leadership style with the responsibilities of managing an expatriate subsurface team in a remote location?
• Questions for Interviewer: Can you describe the main challenges the client currently faces in their Madagascar heavy oil operations and how this role is expected to address them?
• Questions for Interviewer: What support systems, including AFRICAWORK’s local presence and resources, will be available to the Production Director onsite?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does AFRICAWORK measure success for this position in the first 6–12 months, both in terms of technical milestones and team leadership?