Vice President, Natural Resource Development (Houston, TX)

FLSA Status: Exempt; Earliest Start Date: Immediately; Hours per Week: 40; Hiring Department: University Lands; Application Materials: resume required; final candidates submit professional references, college degree information, and employment history via an online third‑party vendor.

About Us

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, four health institutions, and The University of Texas System Administration. The institutions of the UT System employ more than 160,000 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 thirteen 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.

Purpose of Position

The Vice President – Natural Resources Development (NRD) reports to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and is a key member of the University Lands leadership team, directly overseeing Geology and Engineering functions. This role leads the daily management and strategic direction of technical teams responsible for evaluating and developing oil and gas resources and reserves, setting priorities, guiding field development, overseeing contractor work, supporting external relationships, and contributing to goal setting, budgeting, talent development, and execution aligned with organizational strategy.

Essential Functions

• Leadership and Direction: Accountable for the planning, direction, and coordination of engineering, geology, and business analytics activities that directly influence over $1B–$2B in University Lands revenue. Establish short- and long-term strategies with significant, measurable impact on business results and provide strategic leadership across the Natural Resources Development function.
• Stakeholder and Relationship Management: Build and manage relationships across all University Lands departments to enhance efficiency and value creation, serve as the primary relationship manager for operator subsurface and asset development teams, and, with the COO, implement strategies that build lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with academic and state institutions.
• Technical Leadership and Advisory Support: Provide expertise and advice to staff on all NRD matters, work cooperatively with other departments to allocate NRD resources and time as needed, and lead the team in acquiring, interpreting, and prioritizing high-value production, completions, log, and other operator data.
• Reservoir Characterization and Development