Principal Economist - North America Gas LNG Portfolio
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Posted 5 days ago
About the role
Job Description
Position Title: Principal Economist – North America Gas & LNG Portfolio
Reports to: SVP, Non-Operated Assets
Department: Non-Operated Assets
Function: Asset Management
Prepared on: 27 July 2026
Role Purpose
To lead the economic, financial modelling, valuation, and commercial analysis agenda for the North America Gas & LNG portfolio, ensuring that operational, commercial, fiscal, financing, and market assumptions are translated into robust decision-quality insights for senior management, committees, and shareholders.
The role supports Non-operated asset value creation through investment evaluation, business planning, portfolio optimization, capital allocation, financing / capital markets analysis, and JV budget / plan challenge.
Role Dimensions
Dimensions / Portfolio Coverage: North America natural gas, upstream / unconventional developments, LNG export projects, midstream and integrated gas value chain opportunities.
Commercial and Financial Scope: Detailed economic modelling, portfolio valuation, financing structures, capital allocation, investment approvals, WP&B / Business Plan support, M&A / divestment / monetization analysis, and capital markets readiness.
Stakeholder Environment: Works across technical, finance, commercial, legal, governance, tax, external advisers, JV partners, lenders, reserve auditors, and senior management.
Governance Context: Operates within Mubadala Energy governance processes, Non-Operated Asset management frameworks, JV / JOC / JOA requirements, internal approval processes, and applicable legal / regulatory obligation
Key Accountabilities
Economic Modelling and Financial Analysis
Lead the development, maintenance, and enhancement of complex integrated economic and financial models for North America natural gas and LNG projects.
Perform detailed economic evaluations for asset performance, capital allocation scenarios, investment opportunities, portfolio optimization, funding strategies, cash flows, debt capacity, and returns.
Lead economic assessments for financing, recapitalization, monetization and capital markets transactions, including equity sell-downs, farm-outs, acquisitions, divestments, refinancing and other value crystallization events.
Develop and evaluate ownership, funding and capital structure alternatives to optimize shareholder value, financing flexibility and investment returns.
Assess the economic impact of reserve-based lending, project finance, corporate debt, preferred equity, convertible instruments and hybrid financing arrangements.
Integrate operational, financial, commercial, market and tax assumptions into valuation models that remain consistent with actual asset performance and strategic planning assumptions.
Apply valuation methodologies including DCF, NAV, comparable company analysis, precedent transactions and market-based valuation techniques.
Prepare investment papers, executive analyses and presentations that translate complex modelling outputs into clear, actionable insights.
Business Planning and Budgeting
Support economic and commercial evaluations for the annual Work Programme & Budget and multi-year Business Plan for assigned non-operated assets.
Provide commercial and economic challenge to long-term asset development plans to improve portfolio value, project economics and capital allocation.
Develop and maintain asset planning documentation, economic assumptions and support analyses aligned with the NOA management framework and governance processes.
Monitor commercial and financial performance against approved plans, highlighting variances, emerging risks and opportunities to improve returns.
Review and influence JV business plans, annual budgets and investment proposals through technical committees, operating committees and partner engagement.
Check that JV plans, budgets and proposals are aligned with JOAs, governance requirements and internal approvals.
Governance, Policies and Business Processes
Contribute to the continuous improvement of policies, standards, governance frameworks and business processes for effective non-operated asset management.
Support asset-specific controls that strengthen commercial governance, decision quality and risk management.
Monitor compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, contractual and governance requirements.
HSSE
Demonstrate strong commitment to Health, Safety, Security and Environmental principles, ensuring compliance with corporate policies and best industry practice.
Framework, Boundaries & Decision-Making Authority
Scope:
Provides economic, valuation, commercial and financial modelling support for North America Gas & LNG assets and related strategic opportunities.
Supports business planning, annual budgets, financing analysis, investment approvals, shareholder decision-making and JV governance processes.
Interfaces with internal functions and external advisers to maintain integrated assumptions and decision-ready analysis.
Decision Making:
Recommends economic assumptions, valuation cases, sensitivities and commercial interpretations for management review.
Provides challenge and assurance on JV plans, budgets, economics and investment proposals before internal decision forums.
Escalates material variances, risks, commercial issues and governance concerns for management attention.
Communications & Working Relationship
Internal:
All members of the M.E. team including CEO, COO, CFO, SVP-HR, SVP- SEA, SVP – Technical, Country managers and all direct reports.
External:
Peers in the Oil and Gas companies; National Oil Companies; International Oil companies, host government officials; JOC's. non-operated JV's, Energy Ministry(s); and key Service Companies.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Qualification and Education
Education:
Bachelor's degree in finance / economics or a related field, with substantial experience in the oil and gas industry. A master's degree or CFA certification is preferred.
Experience:
At least 10 - 15 years of relevant experience globally in the Oil & Gas Sector across a breadth of the development and production value chain. Strong experience in JV and JOC management in a variety of business settings
Skills:
Expert-level financial modelling capabilities, building integrated, commercial, financing, tax, and valuation models capable of supporting executive decision-making, investment approvals, financing transactions, and capital markets processes.
Evaluation of U.S. unconventional oil & gas developments, LNG export projects, midstream infrastructure, and integrated gas value chains, including exposure to liquefaction economics, transportation, marketing, and international LNG commercialization.
Relevant Work Experience
At least 10 - 15 years of relevant experience globally in the Oil & Gas Sector across a breadth of the development and production value chain. Strong experience in JV and JOC management in a variety of business settings.
Skills and Knowledge
Expert-level financial modelling capabilities, with extensive experience building integrated operational, commercial, financing, tax, and valuation models capable of supporting executive decision-making, investment approvals, financing transactions, and capital markets processes.
Strong hands-on experience in upstream oil & gas industry economics is required. This includes a solid understanding of upstream petroleum economics, project evaluation, reserve calculations, and familiarity with key industry metrics and cash flow analysis for exploration and production (E&P) projects.
Demonstrated experience supporting the evaluation of U.S. unconventional oil & gas developments, LNG export projects, midstream infrastructure, and integrated gas value chains, including exposure to liquefaction economics, transportation, marketing, and international LNG commercialization.
Demonstrated experience supporting mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financing transactions, IPOs, strategic monetization processes, asset divestments, or other complex corporate finance initiatives within the energy sector.
Experience working with investment banks, lenders, reserve engineers, technical consultants, external auditors, and legal advisers during financing, valuation, or transaction processes.
Training and Certification
As above
Note:
The Key accountabilities and responsibilities described in this job description are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time and / or the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business requirements.