Additional Questions Flashcards
What is your career goal?
To solve large scale business problems through the use of technology, and work with a strong team to build really useful tools that simplify daily life. The type of tools that once everyone starts using, they can’t imagine not having them.
What do you hope to take away from your experience with BP?
I aspire to not only contribute my expertise but also to learn from others, building a culture of mutual growth. I’m also looking to gain more knowledge in the upcoming renewable hydrogen project. I’m a big fan of innovation and believe that project will bring a ton of positives to BP and the Cherry Point team.
What do you think about this position, and explain what previous experiences made you want to pursue this path?
I’m genuinely excited about the prospects this position offers. It’s a chance for me to delve deeper into the intricate world of cost control and project management, refining my abilities to craft tailored solutions for the challenges these domains present. My journey into the Turnarounds sector of the Oil & Gas industry began right after college. As a contractor on the North Slope of Alaska, I took on project controls and administrative responsibilities working as a contractor to BP. Despite the steep learning curve, I found myself drawn to the problem-solving aspect of the role. The satisfaction of overcoming challenges ignited my passion for this path. This position resonates with me not only because it’s a continuation of my journey but also due to the prospect of working within a closely-knit team, collectively tackling the complexities inherent in Turnaround work. I’m confident that this role will provide yet another platform for growth and learning.
What sets you apart from other applicants?
What truly distinguishes me from other applicants is my extensive track record in Turnaround operations. Over the past 12 years, I’ve actively participated in more than 30 Turnarounds across various refineries. This hands-on experience has enabled me to navigate diverse roles, ranging from administrative tasks to project controls, cost controls, and now business management. My involvement has spanned across crucial departments like safety, planning, estimating, and project management, specifically focusing on scaffold, insulation, and coatings. Moreover, I’ve been a driving force in integrating technology within Turnaround processes. I’ve led the development of mobile data collection apps, innovative estimation tools, and an array of dashboards and automations that address the challenges my team encountered. This robust blend of Turnaround expertise and my prowess in leveraging technology uniquely position me for success in this role, bringing a pragmatic and tech-savvy perspective to the table.
How do you exemplify our values?
BP’s values are Courage, One-Team, Respect, Excellence, and Safety. These values resonate deeply with me and are seamlessly integrated into my approach to both work and life.
Courage: I’ve consistently stepped up to take on challenging projects, unafraid to tackle complex problems head-on. This mindset has allowed me to drive innovation and bring about positive change. I’m also not afraid to voice my opinion if I disagree, but also listen to others and understand their point of view.
One-Team: I thrive in team environments and believe in the strength that comes from diverse minds working together to reach a common goal or solve problems.
Respect: I treat every individual with the respect they deserve, valuing their perspectives and contributions. I believe in giving praise and complementing people for their efforts they put into their work.
Excellence: Striving for excellence is a non-negotiable for me. I hold myself to high standards in every task I undertake, consistently seeking opportunities for improvement and growth.
Safety: Safety is paramount in any industry, particularly in the oil and gas sector. I prioritize safety in all my actions and decisions, ensuring that both myself and those around me are protected. I speak up if I see something unsafe and communicate it right away.
Describe what one core value means to you.
Respect, to me, is all about acknowledging and valuing the diverse perspectives and experiences of others. It’s not just about agreeing, but truly listening and empathizing with different viewpoints. This involves taking the time to understand the ‘why’ behind someone’s choices and decisions. In a team setting, it means pooling our collective strengths to find the optimal solutions to the challenges we face. Respect is the foundation that fosters collaboration, making sure every voice is heard and contributing to our shared success. Respect also means respecting those around us and the environment we live in and the world we operate
Describe what Safety means to you.
Safety is a core value that I take seriously, both at work and in life. It’s not just a policy; it’s a mindset that drives my actions. I recognize the importance of personal safety and extending that concern to those around me. In my experience, safety isn’t a checklist item – it’s about being vigilant and proactive. When I’m on-site, I don’t hesitate to speak up if I spot something potentially unsafe. The same goes for my daily routine – if I need help, I ask for it without hesitation. Ultimately, safety isn’t just a rulebook; it’s woven into the fabric of my decisions. It’s a commitment to being accountable and fostering a culture where we all watch out for one another. This approach, I believe, aligns well with not only Safety, but the core values of courage and respect that BP upholds.
Describe a time when you felt the most energized as an employee.
Last month, one of our big customers in Alaska was in a slight panic. They were a few days from shutting down for their upcoming execution phase of a Turnaround. One of their largest contractors did not have an effective means of displaying their estimated vs actual cost, headcounts, progress and percentage complete by WBS; and other metrics needed to gauge progress throughout their upcoming execution phase. In the beginning of this Turnaround I had shared a dashboard of these metrics that accurately represented the data they wanted to see on their projects. They really valued the transparency we provided and asked if we’d be willing to help another contractor to get them up to speed and setup the same dashboard we had for them. Within 24 hours I was on a plane and flew up to the North Slope of Alaska. I spent 5 days up north working long hours to get the other contractor up to speed by syncing their data sources with the dashboard service. By day 4 I had them fully linked and up and running on the project. The customer could now see the same KPI’s for our company as they could for the other contractor. And considering the other contractor’s scope of work was 4x our scope, they were very grateful. This process made me feel incredibly energized. Not only did I have the opportunity to go into a situation lacking quite a bit of knowledge about the other contractors’ systems and scope, but I was able to convert their estimating template into a useable data source to display their KPI’s and give the customer transparency into the costs that contractor was incurring against their planned values. Working alongside their cost controller and superintendents when I had questions helped me be successful in this. By the end of my time there I had a far better understanding of the other contractor’s scope of work and made sure they had my information should any questions arise. After I arrived back, I also followed up every few days to make sure that everything was going as planned. That Turnaround is still in progress but scheduled to finish up over the coming weeks.
What would your strengths and weaknesses be in this role?
While I bring strengths like problem-solving, effective communication, and a solid background in turnaround experience, I’m also mindful of areas where I can enhance my effectiveness. One area I’m actively working on is delegating tasks more efficiently. As someone who’s hands-on and detail oriented, I sometimes find it challenging to delegate tasks and let go of control. I recognize that in a collaborative environment, effective delegation is crucial to maximize team efficiency and growth. Additionally, while I have a strong technical grasp, I acknowledge that staying updated with the ever-evolving landscape of technology is an ongoing process. I’m committed to continuous learning to ensure I remain at the forefront of technological advancements and their applications in our industry. Ultimately, I believe that acknowledging and addressing weaknesses is an essential part of personal and professional growth, and I’m dedicated to turning these areas into opportunities for improvement.
Describe an accomplishment you’re proud of and not proud of?
One accomplishment I’m proud of is creating our entire KPIs platform for the northwest region that represent hundreds of metrics. This achievement has significantly improved jobsite transparency and empowered various team members to make informed decisions from Safety to Project Management. However, I understand that even in successful projects there’s always room for improvement. One instance that comes to mind is an mobile time entry app that I built, and in hindsight I could have allocated more time to user training. While the app achieved its technical objectives, some team members faced challenges initially due to a learning curve with the new system. This experience taught me the importance of not just delivering a solution but ensuring that all stakeholders are well-equipped to make the most of it from the get-go. While I wouldn’t say I’m not proud of this accomplishment, it serves as a valuable lesson in considering the entire user journey to maximize the impact of any technological innovation.
Explain the methodology/technical details of a project you worked on?
Over the last few years I’ve worked with our Project Manager and Estimators on quite a few projects. Each time we go out to bid a turnaround or a new job, the process is fairly similar. The main difference is the estimating template we use. Normally, we have to modify to fit the new schedule and different date ranges for phases, multi-disciplinary craft, and adjusted OT/DT rules based on which Unions we work with and the schedule for those projects. This process of consistently revising the estimating template we have in Microsoft Excel takes several hours and can be error-prone due to the customization that MS Excel has and the advanced formulas we use in trying to estimate cost. I believed there was a better way that we could estimate our scaffold labor cost, and so I sat down with our Project Manager and Estimator to draft up a plan to build an App that would give us the flexibility we had in excel for customizing the estimating app, but also be rigid enough that it would remove the ability to make mistakes with formulas and other job costs that are variable. After about 1 week I had a beta version of the app, it worked on both mobile phone’s, tablets, and in browsers. I got feedback from our PM and Estimator on its functionality and then took their feedback and applied it to the application so that it provided a bit more information. Now, this application is used to help understand what our costs will be on small jobs and jobs that are over $1M+. It takes about 10 minutes to put together an estimate in the app that used to take hours. And the results of the estimate have reduced the error rates we had in previous versions when using excel. Our PM’s and Estimators really like it because they cause it from their phone or on a table in the field, and it’s helped ensure that they’re using the most accurate rates and that the calculations take into account all the different OT/DT rules with each union. As a result, we have estimates that are more accurate, can be done from a mobile devices, and take far less time than the previous estimates. Plus, we can still export the data to excel if we need to.
Describe a time when you struggled with a project.
During a turnaround project, a significant challenge emerged when the refinery introduced a new change order requirement. This mandated that every headcount deviation necessitated a separate change order, each needing approval on a per Purchase Order basis. Given my role in cost management and access to planned vs. actual data, I collaborated closely with our Project Manager to tackle this task.
While addressing this new requirement, my workload increased significantly. I took on the responsibility of managing approximately 30 change orders daily, leading to a seven-day work schedule and up to 13-hour workdays. This was alongside my existing responsibilities. My dedication to balancing these requirements meant working closely with the Project Manager and obtaining all the necessary details to draft and submit change orders promptly.
I also coordinated with our superintendents and general foremen to ensure timely sign-offs, a crucial step before submitting the change orders to the turnaround coordinators for approval. Although this period was challenging, I committed to ensuring that this new process was managed effectively, aligned with our project goals, and did not impede the overall turnaround schedule.
In the end, this experience taught me resilience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate complex requirements while maintaining open lines of communication. It was an opportunity for growth that reinforced my commitment to ensuring the successful execution of projects, even in the face of unexpected challenges.
Describe a situation in which you made a mistake.
During a company restructure, we took on the responsibility of a refinery that our branch hadn’t previously worked with. Our branch had acquired this site due to a restructuring of jobsites within our company. As part of this transition, I was tasked with setting up reporting templates and capturing actual costs. However, an oversight occurred that had consequences later.
As the turnaround progressed, we noticed budget overages against the planned values we had established. It turned out that the initial estimate submitted before our involvement had a critical formula error. The error was in the calculation of labor costs, as it did not account for schedule changes that occurred during the execution phase.
Upon investigating, we found that the estimate was based on a straight time composite rate and didn’t consider rate changes when the schedule was extended. This change in schedule complexity led to discrepancies in tracking against planned values and budget overruns.
This oversight was on my part as I hadn’t been made aware of the existence of this document during the job setup process. This experience highlighted the importance of thorough communication and diligence when working on unfamiliar projects. It taught me the value of asking more questions, requesting all pertinent documents used in estimating, and cross-validating the data to ensure alignment with our internal calculations.
Ultimately, this experience reinforced the significance of continuous learning and careful evaluation, especially when navigating new territories within our industry.
Describe a time when you handled a difficult task with a difficult team member.
During a turnaround project at a Refinery, I encountered a situation involving one of our admin team members and a TRACK admin from the refinery. There was a disagreement over the submission of daily time entries and the associated exception notes in the TRACK time entry system. The tensions escalated through emails, and it was affecting customer relationships.
Recognizing the urgency, I intervened to address the issue. I collaborated with our admin team member to gather all the documentation and steps they followed for submitting exceptions and backup documentation. I also reached out to the TRACK admin, who was working for our customer, to understand the preferred process for approvals.
Taking a step back allowed our admin time to cool off, and it enabled me to fully comprehend the situation. It turned out that the root cause was a discrepancy in the formatting of our backup documentation. After revising our format to align with the preferred format, the issues were resolved.
I emphasized to our admin that understanding the other party’s perspective is crucial, even when we believe we’re in the right. This incident taught us the importance of clear communication and flexibility in working with various processes.
To ensure ongoing success, I worked closely with our admin to consistently maintain the correct format for submissions. I also kept a proactive approach by including myself in relevant email chains, enabling me to swiftly address any potential conflicts and ensure smooth communication between both parties.
This experience highlighted the significance of collaboration, patience, and effective communication, especially in high-pressure situations like turnarounds.
How well do you work on your own, and in groups.
I’m inherently self-motivated, which translates to strong independent work capabilities. I’m proactive about seeking out tasks during downtime and consistently focus on refining processes for greater efficiency and time savings. Much of my current role involves independent work, such as developing internal and customer metrics, driving process improvements, and creating KPIs.
Independence is essential for tasks like metric development and internal changes, where I rely on my self-motivation to navigate and execute effectively. However, collaboration is equally integral to the success of my work. For instance, when it’s time to deploy these metrics or seek feedback on internal changes, I value the input and insights of my team.
During Turnarounds, teamwork becomes particularly crucial. While I generate metrics and KPIs to monitor budget, scope, and schedule adherence, I count on my team to provide valuable feedback. Their expertise helps validate my findings, especially when any discrepancies or concerns arise regarding project expenditures or productivity rates.
In essence, I work well independently, leveraging my self-motivation, but I also appreciate the synergy of teamwork for validation, insights, and collective problem-solving.
