Senior Cost Recovery Advisor

Since its creation in 2014, Harbour has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most geographically diverse independent oil and gas companies.  Today, Harbour is producing between 475,000 and 485,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day with significant production in Norway, the UK, Germany, Argentina and North Africa. Harbour benefits from competitive operating costs and resilient margins, and a broad set of growth options including near-infrastructure opportunities in Norway, unconventional scalable opportunities in Argentina and conventional offshore projects in Mexico and Indonesia. With low GHG emissions intensity and a leading CO2 storage position in Europe, Harbour remains committed to producing oil and gas safely and responsibly to help meet the world’s energy needs. Harbour is headquartered in London with approximately 5,000 staff and contractors across its operations and offices. 

Ours is an inclusive workplace where individuals can bring their whole selves to their job and feel recognised for the value they add. We are committed to creating a genuinely inclusive and supportive working environment to ensure everyone has a positive experience at work.

At Harbour Energy, we aim to recruit, retain and promote our people based on their unique skills, regardless of race, gender or background. We need excellent people to help shape and develop the future of our company. Could this be you?

If so, we want to hear from you.

Purpose of Role:    

•    The Cost Recovery & Regulatory Reporting Lead is responsible for managing and coordinating all cost recovery, regulatory reporting, and financial compliance activities associated with Mexico upstream oil & gas Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and License Contracts. 
•    The role ensures the accurate, timely, and compliant submission of cost recovery reports and supporting documentation to Mexican authorities, including SENER, CNH, SAT, and other regulatory entities, while safeguarding recoverable value and minimizing financial, contractual, and reputational risk to the company and its partners. 
•    This position plays a key role in supporting operated assets and joint venture governance by ensuring that all expenditures, allocations, procurement activities, and supporting documentation comply with contractual provisions, internal controls, accounting standards, and Mexican regulatory requirements. 

•    The role requires strong coordination across Finance, Supply Chain, Drilling & Operations, Legal, Treasury, Tax, and external stakeholders, including partners, auditors, and government authorities. The position is expected to proactively improve processes, reporting quality, systems utilization, and regulatory readiness in a complex and highly regulated operating environment.

Critical Responsibilities: 

•    Ensuring that all activities are carried out in a safe manner complying with all regulatory requirements, legislation and Harbour Energy HSES Procedures

Ethics and Compliance Responsibilities:    

•    Ensure that all activities and behaviours are carried out in accordance with Harbour Energy’s Ethics and Compliance Policies and Procedures, and to complete any compulsory compliance training as required

Areas of Accountability, Responsibility and Competence:    

•    Accuracy and completeness of all cost recovery and regulatory submissions. 
•    Timely submission of reports to SENER, CNH, and other authorities. 
•    Protection and maximization of recoverable costs under PSCs and License Contracts. 
•    Maintenance of strong internal controls and audit readiness. 
•    Reduction of compliance risk, financial exposure, and reporting deficiencies. 
•    Quality and integrity of supporting documentation and financial data.

Cost Recovery & Regulatory Compliance 
•    Lead the preparation, review, validation, and submission of monthly, quarterly, and annual cost recovery reports in accordance with: 
•    Mexico Hydrocarbons Law 
•    Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) 
•    License Contracts 
•    CNH and SENER regulations
•    Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs) 
•    Applicable fiscal and procurement requirements 
•    Ensure expenditures submitted for recovery are fully compliant, adequately supported, and properly classified as recoverable or non recoverable under contract provisions. 
•    Review invoices, procurement documentation, contracts, purchase orders, payment evidence, and accounting support prior to regulatory submission. 
•    Validate that all expenditures recorded in SIPAC and related systems reconcile to accounting records, ERP systems, bank payments, and approved project budgets. 
•    Ensure compliance with CFDI requirements, Mexican tax regulations, local content obligations, procurement rules, and contract annexes. 
•    Monitor evolving regulatory requirements and proactively assess impacts to reporting processes and compliance obligations. 
•    Coordinate responses to regulatory information requests, observations, audits, and inspections from authorities and partners.

Financial Control & Reporting 
•    Perform detailed analytical reviews of project expenditures, accruals, allocations, and clearing activities to ensure accuracy and compliance. 
•    Validate that expenditures are allocated to the appropriate asset, project phase, AFE, cost center, and budget category. 
•    Ensure financial data integrity between SAP/ERP systems, project controls systems, and regulatory reporting platforms. 
•    Support quarterly and annual financial reporting processes related to cost recovery, JV reporting, and operated asset reporting. 
•    Assist in the preparation of management reports, audit schedules, reconciliations, and compliance summaries for senior leadership. 
•    Identify and escalate potential non-compliance issues, unrecoverable costs, control weaknesses, or financial exposure risks.

Stakeholder & Regulatory Management 
•    Build and maintain effective working relationships with: 
•    Regulatory authorities 
•    Joint venture partners 
•    Internal audit 
•    External auditors 
•    Supply chain teams 
•    Operations and project teams 
•    Corporate finance and reporting teams 
•    Support partner cost recovery discussions, audit reviews, and governance meetings. 
•    Coordinate cross-functional inputs required for regulatory submissions and compliance reviews. 
•    Provide guidance to internal stakeholders on cost recovery requirements, supporting documentation standards, and regulatory expectations.

Process Improvement & Systems 
•    Drive continuous improvement initiatives across cost recovery reporting, controls, and regulatory processes. 
•    Support the implementation and optimization of reporting systems, data analytics tools, and automation initiatives. 
•    Improve reporting efficiency, document retention practices, audit readiness, and quality assurance controls. 
•    Develop and maintain reporting procedures, process maps, compliance trackers, and internal control documentation. 
•    Promote high standards of governance, transparency, and accountability across all reporting activities.

Ethics, Compliance & HSES Responsibilities 
•    Act in full alignment with company Ethics & Compliance policies, procedures, and corporate values. 
•    Ensure all activities comply with applicable laws, PSC/Licensing obligations, anti-bribery regulations, and internal governance frameworks. 
•    Maintain strict confidentiality of commercial, regulatory, financial, and partner information. 
•    Support a strong culture of compliance, integrity, and accountability across all interactions and reporting activities. 
•    Ensure adherence to all applicable Health, Safety, Environment & Security (HSES) expectations and reporting obligations.

Critical Skills, Qualifications, Experience, etc.:

Technical Skills: 
•    Strong knowledge of Mexico upstream oil & gas fiscal and regulatory frameworks. 
•    Deep understanding of: 
•    Cost Recovery mechanisms 
•    PSCs and License Contracts 
•    Recoverable vs. non-recoverable costs 
•    SIPAC reporting requirements 
•    Joint Venture accounting principles 
•    Experience preparing and coordinating submissions to SENER/CNH. 
•    Strong analytical and financial reconciliation capabilities. 
•    Advanced knowledge of: 
•    SAP, Oracle, or equivalent ERP systems 
•    Excel (advanced formulas, Power Query, pivot tables) 
•    Data analysis and reporting tools 
•    Understanding of procurement processes, invoice validation, and internal control environments. 
•    Familiarity with external and internal audit processes.

Non-Technical Skills: 
•    High attention to detail and strong problem-solving capabilities. 
•    Ability to operate effectively in a highly regulated and deadline-driven environment. 
•    Strong stakeholder management and communication skills. 
•    Ability to influence and coordinate across multidisciplinary teams. 
•    Strong organizational and prioritization skills. 
•    Proactive mindset focused on continuous improvement and compliance excellence. 
•    Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.

Professional Experience: 
•    Typically 8–12+ years of relevant experience in: 
•    Cost recovery 
•    Regulatory reporting 
•    Upstream finance 
•    Joint venture accounting 
•    Oil & gas compliance 
•    Experience within operated upstream oil & gas assets in Mexico strongly preferred. 
•    Experience supporting audits, partner reviews, and regulatory inspections.
•    Experience working with multinational operators and joint venture environments preferred.Education: 
•    Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration or related discipline. 
•    Professional certifications (CPA, CMA, MBA, or equivalent) considered an advantage

Language: 
•    Spanish – Fluent 
•    English – Advanced professional proficiency (written and spoken) 
•    Harbour Principles and Values: Strong alignment with and commitment to the core values and behaviors of Harbour Energy.

Inclusive recruitment is a vital part of our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. Whatever your background, if you feel you need an adjustment during our selection process to suit your needs, please let us know, and we will be happy to help.

For further information or support on any of these points, please reach out to us at careers@harbourenergy.com