Director of Emerging Technologies & Innovation

Job Summary Murphy is committed to providing energy that empowers people and positively impacts lives. To further this commitment, we are seeking an experienced Director of Emerging Technology to build, lead, and scale our innovation program, shaping how new ideas translate into real business impact. The Director of Emerging Technology will be responsible for driving strategic evaluation, adoption, and integration of transformative technologies to unlock competitive advantage and sustainable innovation. This senior leadership role bridges technical expertise with business value creation, ensuring the organization stays ahead of technological shifts while managing risk and driving measurable outcomes. Driving innovation and growth by identifying new opportunities, fostering a culture of innovation, and implementing new ways of working, processes and technologies that enhance capital efficiency, safety, and sustainability across our operations. The Director of Emerging Technology is responsible for continuously scanning the technology horizon, identifying high‑impact opportunities, and orchestrating cross‑functional initiatives that translate emerging technologies into business value. This role leads proof‑of‑concept efforts, builds stakeholder alignment, and ensures that innovative investments deliver ROI while adhering to governance and risk standards. The director operates at the intersection of strategy, execution, and enablement—championing technologies that redefine operations, products, and business models. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader who can leverage emerging technologies, partnerships and industry trends to maintain our competitive edge in the fast‑paced, evolving environment. Responsibilities Technology Strategy and Vision Define and maintain a rolling multi‑year emerging technology roadmap aligned with business objectives Continuously scan industry trends, competitive movements, and technological breakthroughs to connect trends to business opportunities and competitive positioning to inform strategic priorities Strategic thinker with comfort navigating ambiguity with the ability to translate vision of complex technologies into compelling narratives for executive, technical and operational stakeholders with actionable plans and measurable results. Evaluation and Prioritization Lead research and assessment of emerging technologies using structured frameworks Conduct risk‑benefit analyses that balance innovation potential against technical, organizational, and business risks Prioritize opportunities based on maturity, ROI timeline, and strategic fit – honoring failing fast and distinguishing hype from genuine business impact, Proof of Concept and Pilot Management Expertise in agile methodologies, design and execute POCs and pilot projects that validate technical feasibility and business value Set clear success criteria, time limits, and handover processes to ensure scalable implementation Partner with business sponsors to assess readiness for production deployment and secure executive commitment Cross‑Functional Leadership Break down silos by coordinating multidisciplinary teams—combining technical experts with domain specialists Proven ability to influence without authority and build coalitions across IT/OT, security, infrastructure, technical and business leaders to embed emerging tech into enterprise architecture Experience managing multidisciplinary relationships and driving cultural change towards innovation and continuous improvement Communication and Change Management Build an adoption program with focus on measuring, learning, adopting then educate stakeholders across the organization on technology potential, risks, and use cases through demos, presentations, and immersive experiences Act as an evangelist for technology‑driven innovation, building trust and momentum for adoption while addressing overenthusiastic expectations and resistance by grounding conversations in realistic scenarios and business outcomes Implement and adhere to a change management methodology. Talent Development and Ecosystem Building Develop and manage strategic partnerships with government, universities and research labs Represent Murphy in industry consortia and multi‑party collaborations (e.g., standards bodies, pre‑competitive research groups, shared testbeds) (example Darcy Partners) Build an external innovation network across: Startups, incubators/accelerators, venture capital partners to bring back innovative solutions in house (ex - Surfactant Pilot) Engage Government agencies, national labs, and other grant programs for funding sourcing for strategic operational initiatives. Empower individuals to be creative and innovative by providing an environment to test ideas and quickly apply learnings, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, fast learning cycles, experimentation, and technical literacy across the organization to drive long term invocation Value Realization and Performance Measurement Define KPIs and success metrics for emerging technology initiatives—tracking ROI, efficiency gains, and strategic impact Document lessons learned and transition successful pilots into production teams with clear ownership and integration plans Demonstrate business value through quantified outcomes to justify ongoing investment and scale initiatives Intellectual Property (IP), Legal & Governance Collaborate with Legal/IP teams to structure agreements covering: Establish governance for external collaborations: Contract templates, review gates, compliance requirements, and reporting Qualifications / Requirements Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Geosciences or related technical field (required) Advanced degree, preferred (PhD or MBA) Minimum 15 years’ experience in Operations, Engineering, Technology or relevant field with responsibilities focused on innovation management, emerging ops tech research, digital transformation, or organization transformation at scale within the oil and gas sector Proven track record of successfully evaluating, piloting, and scaling emerging technologies in a diverse enterprise environment Experienced business acumen, creative problem‑solving, and stakeholder influence Background in influencing strategic planning, operational technology, or digital transformation at scale Desired/Preferred Qualifications Strong understanding of subsurface and exploration, drilling and completions, or upstream production operations is preferred. Proven innovator, driving adoption of new technologies to deliver business value The individual is required to follow all applicable safety precautions. Work is performed almost entirely in a controlled (i.e., inside) environment and does not typically subject the incumbent to any hazardous/extreme elements; some positions may require regularly moving or transferring items weighing up to 25 lbs. around the office for various needs. The successful candidate must be able to complete all essential physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. The Director of Innovation will report to the CTO in our Houston Corporate office and may work two days a week remotely. Murphy Oil Corporation participates in the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' E‑Verify program. Please read the E‑Verify Notice-English / E‑Verify Notice-Spanish and Right to Work Notice before proceeding with your job application. For additional information, you may also visit the USCIS website. Murphy Oil Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, and status as a protected veteran, or any other category protected by federal, state or local laws. EEO is the Law Poster EEO is the Law Supplement #J-18808-Ljbffr Murphy Oil Corporation