Director of Commercial Surface, Land (Midland, TX)

Immediately

Salary commensurate with experience

40 hours weekly

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.

For more than 140 years, The University of Texas System has improved the lives of Texans - and people all over the world - through education, health care, and research. The System consists of nine academic institutions, five health institutions, and The University of Texas System Administration. The institutions of the UT System employ more than 116,000 faculty, health care professionals, researchers, support staff, and student workers.

The UT System Administration is primarily based in Austin, Texas. It supports the missions of the System's fourteen institutions by providing financial, legal, planning, purchasing, government relations, communications, development, and other central services. Serving a growing state, the UT System Administration strives to provide a welcoming, supportive work environment that embraces different perspectives - not only because it enables the organization to be stronger, creative, and thoughtful, but because it is the right thing to do. To that end, UT System Administration embraces state laws on military and former foster children employment preferences.

The Director of Commercial Surface Land team is a key member of the University Lands (UL) management team. The Director works with the SVP Land, VP Land, mineral land team, surface operations team, legal team, and other UL teams, as needed. The Director has direct oversight of the Commercial Surface Land Team to develop and continually assess the strategic direction required to maximize revenue generated off the surface of the Permanent University Fund (PUF) Lands. The Director is responsible for contributing to and reinforcing a strong UL culture and achieving business objectives to position University Lands as the leading land management organization in the country.

• Directly responsible for leading the Commercial Surface Land team and business objectives including: contract negotiations and contract administration: invoicing surface fees, editing or changing to UL's Rate and Damage Schedule, and managing site inspections to identify and implement best practices to execute the strategy of responsibly stewarding and maximizing the value of the PUF lands.
• Directly responsible for managing and expanding water revenue for the AUF. This includes maximizing revenue from both fresh and produced water through negotiations, establishing policies and procedures that increase water infrastructure on UL, including: pipelines, saltwater disposal, recycling, fresh and produced water frac ponds, as well as pursuing new technology that can be located on the PUF Lands to aid operators' capabilities to manage water.
• Directly responsible for identifying new commercial surface opportunities that benefit and increase revenue for PUF Lands. Accountable for developing and implementing policies and procedures that will capture the new opportunities.
• Negotiates and drafts complex agreements using past and present experience to solve complex land issues and create value through the contracts.
• Leads the Commercial Surface Land team by aligning team goals with UL strategic objectives. Identify and track key metrics to measure progress and ensure performance meets or exceeds desired organizational outcomes.
• Direct authority from the SVP of Land to prioritize business needs, delegate work, and create accountability across the Commercial Surface Land, Mineral Land, Legal, and Surface Operations at University Lands.
• Responsible for the administration of a wide range of complex land matters and agreements. Monitors compliance with laws, working with all teams across UL to recognize matters of risk and seeking the legal advice and counsel of the CLO, SVP of Land, and legal and teams.
• Ensures compliance with laws; identifies and manages business processes and risks. Sets, reviews and approves internal policies, procedures, and controls for the UL Commercial Surface Land team, including responsibility for updates and changes to the UL Rate and Damage Schedule.
• Leads with a demonstrated ability to work well across the table with oil and gas operators to resolve contractual issues or disputes.
• External representative and relationship manager for University Lands with industry, professional organizations, state agencies, trade associations, and vendors.
• Develops best practices for internal client management and communication of UL Commercial Surface agreements.
• Contributes to and reinforces the vision and strategy for innovation and culture improvements at UL. Serves as a key member of the Land Team to communicate the value and long-term benefits of contract negotiations, innovation, and management to support the desired strategies and outcomes necessary to maximize value for the AUF.

• Advanced knowledge of contract negotiations and management best practices and related software experience for the lifecycle of contact management.
• Must possess excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to create policies and procedures related to the functions of the commercial surface team and effectively communicate complex business requirements and interconnected business processes.
• This role requires a mix of land management, foundational legal understanding, and project management experience, plus strong personnel management expertise and leadership skills, as well as proficiency with the practices, policies, and procedures of the oil and gas and minerals management business.
• Independent thinker, driven self-starter, proven problem-solving skills, strong speaking and written skills with all types of audiences, excellent professional judgment, strong ability to work with and significantly add value as a team member, be willing to help others find opportunities to succeed and give/share credit to others, make efforts to provide creative solutions.
• Effective organization, process management and facilitation and documentation skills. Strong personnel coaching, management, delegation, and communication skills. Ability to motivate, lead, and learn (or the propensity to learn such skills), plus a desire for personal and professional growth and the desire to help lead others to progress and grow is required.
• Possesses extensive industry network and knowledge of essential interdisciplinary teams including business analysts, contract negotiations, contract administration, GIS, IT, Legal, Records Management, with demonstrated excellence in recruiting, professional development, performance management, and retention.

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in an Energy-related field.
• Minimum of 15-years overall oil and gas experience including both 8+ years of management experience in oil and gas, land contract negotiations and management and 3+ years managing commercial surface teams.

• Degree in Energy Management or related field
• Permian Basin experience in oil and gas related operations management, including surface operations

• May work around standard office conditions.
• 25% Travel

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.

The University of Texas System Administration is a federal contractor committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all qualified applicants and employees in all terms and conditions of employment. U. T. System will provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state laws.

For information on accommodations for individuals with disabilities, please contact the Office of Talent and Innovation at oti@utsystem.edu.