Senior Leadership & Technical Opportunities

Cabo Norte welcomes experienced leaders and senior technical professionals for future opportunities across Belgium, the Netherlands, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

We work with contractors, engineering businesses, infrastructure organisations and industrial companies across:

Engineering and technical services
Construction and infrastructure
Energy
Water and wastewater
Marine, ports and offshore
Industrial projects and operations
Digital engineering and technical transformation

We connect organisations with professionals who can take personal responsibility for teams, technical functions, complex projects, operational environments or business-critical activities.

This is a spontaneous application for potential future opportunities. It is not a confirmed vacancy with a specific employer.

Who we are looking for

We are interested in experienced professionals who have demonstrated responsibility beyond individual technical contribution.

This may include:

Established business, regional or functional leaders
Engineering and technical managers
Project and programme leaders
Construction and site managers
Operations and asset-management leaders
Commercial and contracts professionals
Procurement and supply-chain leaders
HSE, quality and QHSE leaders
Digital engineering and transformation professionals
Senior technical experts who are ready to take broader responsibility

Candidates will typically have at least eight years of relevant professional experience. However, years of experience and job title are not the only measures we consider.

We focus on:

The responsibility you have personally held
The complexity of the environments you have managed
The decisions you have made
The people, functions or projects you have led
The technical, operational or commercial problems you have solved
The outcomes you have delivered

Capability areas

Depending on the assignment, relevant experience may include one or more of the following areas.

Executive and business leadership

Business-unit or regional leadership
Functional and operational management
Organisational growth and transformation
Strategic planning and execution
Business performance and accountability
Leadership of complex technical or industrial organisations

Engineering and technical leadership

Engineering management
Multidisciplinary technical leadership
Design and technical governance
Technical assurance
Engineering standards and systems
Development of technical teams and capability

Project and programme leadership

Major project delivery
Programme management
Project governance and controls
Client, contractor and consultant coordination
Risk, schedule and resource management
Delivery of technically complex or high-value projects

Construction and site leadership

Construction management
Site operations
Commissioning and handover
Contractor and subcontractor coordination
Site productivity and delivery control
Safety, quality and operational accountability

Operations and asset management

Operational performance
Maintenance and reliability
Asset management
Technical services
Continuous improvement
Operational risk and performance optimisation

Commercial, contracts, procurement and supply chain

Commercial management
Contract administration
Claims and change management
Procurement leadership
Supplier and subcontractor management
Supply-chain performance and risk

HSE, quality and QHSE

Health, safety and environmental leadership
Quality management
QHSE systems
Compliance and assurance
Incident prevention and investigation
Development of safety and quality culture

Digital engineering and transformation

Digital delivery
Engineering information systems
BIM and digital construction
Data-driven operations
Process automation
Technical transformation and change adoption

What successful candidates are able to do

Depending on the opportunity, successful candidates may be expected to:

Translate business or technical requirements into practical decisions.
Lead and develop technical, engineering, construction or operational teams.

Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, contractors, clients and other stakeholders.
Manage complex projects, operational priorities and delivery constraints.
Identify technical, commercial, operational and organisational risks.
Balance safety, quality, cost, schedule and performance.
Improve processes, resource utilisation or delivery reliability.
Establish clear accountability and decision-making.
Develop team capability and succession strength.
Resolve difficult problems in changing or uncertain environments.
Contribute to safer, more efficient and more sustainable delivery.
Take responsibility for outcomes appropriate to the level of the appointment.

What we look for

Relevant candidates typically demonstrate:

Personal responsibility for people, projects, functions, assets or significant technical activities.
Practical judgement in complex environments.
The ability to make decisions with incomplete or changing information.
Clear communication with technical, operational, commercial and executive stakeholders.
The ability to challenge assumptions and explain trade-offs.
Constructive collaboration across disciplines and organisations.
A systematic approach to technical and operational problems.
Understanding of safety, quality, commercial performance and delivery.
The ability to develop people rather than relying solely on personal expertise.
Accountability for decisions, commitments and outcomes.
Professional English communication skills.

Experience in one or more of our target markets is advantageous. For some assignments, strong sector expertise and transferable international experience may be equally relevant.

Additional languages, professional qualifications, certifications and technical specialisations may be relevant depending on the opportunity.

Evidence we assess

Cabo Norte does not assess seniority through job title or years of experience alone.

During an initial discussion and, where relevant, a later assessment, we may explore:

The largest or most complex responsibility you have held.
The size and nature of the teams you have led.
A difficult technical, operational or commercial problem you personally solved.
A decision you made under significant time, cost or stakeholder pressure.
An improvement you introduced and the outcome it produced.
A situation in which you had to challenge a client, manager or stakeholder.
An example of developing a person, team or capability.
A project, operation or function that did not go as planned and what you did next.
The environments, countries, contractors or organisations with which you have worked.

We are interested in your personal contribution, not only in the achievements of the organisation or project around you.

Market and practical context

Target markets: Belgium, the Netherlands, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Sector scope: Engineering, construction, infrastructure, energy, water, marine and related industrial sectors.
Employer environment: Contractors, engineering businesses, infrastructure organisations and industrial companies.

Language: Professional English is generally required. Additional language requirements depend on the assignment.
Travel and relocation: Requirements vary. Please indicate your willingness to travel or relocate.
Employment terms: Salary, contract type, benefits, work authorisation and other conditions are confirmed for each specific opportunity.

How to express your interest

Please submit your CV together with a short overview of:

Your current location.
Your current or expected availability.
Your preferred markets and locations.
Your preferred leadership or technical area.
The teams, functions, projects or assets you have managed.
The sectors and countries in which you have worked.
Your willingness to travel or relocate.
Any relevant language capabilities, qualifications or certifications.

Please also include two short examples from your career.

For each example, describe:

The situation or challenge.
Your personal responsibility.
The decision or action you took.
The result or improvement achieved.
What you learned from the experience.

You may use digital tools, including AI, to prepare your application. The selection process focuses on your own judgement, experience, reasoning and ability to apply your capabilities to unfamiliar situations.

What happens next

Cabo Norte receives relevant expressions of interest throughout the year.

When your background appears relevant to a specific assignment, we will discuss the opportunity, employer, responsibilities, location and employment terms with you before proceeding.

Your profile will only be presented to an employer with your agreement.

Submitting an expression of interest does not guarantee contact or placement. It allows Cabo Norte to consider your profile for suitable future opportunities across our international markets.

About Cabo Norte

Cabo Norte is an executive search business focused on leadership and senior appointments across energy, water, marine, port, digital and industrial infrastructure.

Our work spans the infrastructure lifecycle, including strategy, engineering, project delivery, operations and asset optimisation.

We look beyond titles and surface-level CV claims. We assess the responsibility candidates have held, the complexity they have managed, the decisions they have made and the outcomes they have delivered.