Global Energy & Catalyst Manager

OXEA Corporation is a world leader in Oxo chemicals, producing over 70 oxo intermediates and derivatives for diverse industries. Our chemicals are essential ingredients in everyday products used globally, with operations in Germany, the USA, and China.

About the role

The Global Energy & Catalyst Manager is responsible for developing and executing global procurement and risk management strategies for Natural Gas, Electricity, Industrial Gases, Catalysts, and Strategic Metals across manufacturing operations in the United States and Germany. This role serves as the global category leader for critical manufacturing inputs and utilities, ensuring competitive cost structures, security of supply, supplier performance, and effective risk mitigation. The position collaborates closely with Operations, Manufacturing, Treasury, Finance, Technical Services, Engineering, and Executive Leadership to maximize value creation and support long-term growth objectives.

Responsibilities

• Global Category Leadership
  • Develop and implement global sourcing strategies for Natural Gas, Electricity, Industrial Gases, Catalysts, and Precious Metals.
  • Establish category strategies supporting business growth, manufacturing competitiveness, supply chain resilience, and sustainability objectives.
  • Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier selection processes, and commercial negotiations globally.
  • Deliver annual savings, value creation, and risk management targets.
• Energy Procurement & Market Intelligence
  • Lead procurement of natural gas and electricity across North American and European manufacturing sites.
  • Monitor energy market fundamentals, regulatory developments, carbon markets, and geopolitical trends affecting energy costs and supply.
  • Develop and execute sourcing strategies using fixed-price, indexed, structured, and hybrid purchasing approaches.
  • Build market intelligence and forecasting models to support budgeting and long-term planning.
  • Provide regular market updates and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Commodity Risk Management & Hedging
  • Partner with Treasury and Finance to establish and execute commodity risk management programs.
  • Develop hedging strategies for Natural Gas, Electricity, Precious Metals, and Strategic Metals.
  • Evaluate and recommend financial and physical hedging instruments to mitigate commodity price volatility.
  • Monitor market exposures and develop mitigation plans to protect business profitability.
  • Support annual budgeting and forecasting through market analysis and risk assessments.
• Industrial Gases Management
  • Develop sourcing strategies and negotiate agreements for Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Steam, and other industrial gases.
  • Manage strategic relationships with industrial gas suppliers, including pipeline, onsite generation, and merchant supply agreements.
  • Support plant expansions and commercial negotiations related to utility and industrial gas infrastructure.
  • Ensure reliability, cost competitiveness, and long-term supply security.
• Catalyst & Metals Management
  • Lead global sourcing and supplier management for catalyst systems across manufacturing operations.
  • Manage commercial strategies for catalyst acquisition, regeneration, recovery, leasing, and disposal.
  • Develop sourcing and inventory strategies for precious and strategic metals used in catalyst manufacturing and regeneration.
  • Collaborate with Operations and Technical Services to optimize catalyst supplier performance and value creation.
  • Drive innovation and continuous improvement through strategic supplier partnerships.
• Supplier Relationship Management
  • Establish executive-level relationships with critical global suppliers.
  • Conduct supplier business reviews and performance evaluations.
  • Drive supplier accountability in cost competitiveness, service levels, innovation, sustainability, and supply reliability.
  • Develop contingency plans and supplier risk mitigation strategies.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies and contractual obligations.
• Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, Technical Services, Engineering, Finance, Sustainability, and Executive Leadership.
  • Serve as the company’s subject matter expert on energy markets, industrial gases, catalysts, and metals.
  • Support capital projects, capacity expansions, and strategic business initiatives.
  • Contribute to M&A due diligence and integration activities related to energy and catalyst supply agreements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business, Economics, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Chemistry, or related discipline. MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, commodity management, or category leadership.
• Significant experience managing one or more of the following spend categories: Natural Gas, Electricity, Industrial Gases, Catalysts, Precious Metals, or Strategic Metals.

Skills

• Technical Competencies
  • Deep understanding of energy markets and procurement models, natural gas and electricity purchasing structures, and industrial gas supply agreements.
  • Expertise in catalyst technologies and supply chains, precious and strategic metals markets, and commodity hedging and risk management.
  • Strong analytical and financial modeling capabilities.
  • Contract negotiation and supplier management expertise.
  • Knowledge of European and North American energy markets and regulations.
• Leadership Competencies
  • Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen.
  • Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills.
  • Excellent communication and presentation abilities.
  • Results-oriented with a bias for action.
  • Strong project management and execution capabilities.
  • High degree of integrity, accountability, and ownership.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Annual savings and value creation delivery.
• Energy procurement performance versus market benchmarks.
• Hedging effectiveness and commodity risk mitigation.
• Industrial gas cost competitiveness and supply reliability.
• Catalyst and metals cost optimization.
• Supplier performance and strategic relationship development.
• Contract compliance and coverage.
• Supply continuity and risk management.
• Sustainability and ESG objectives.
• Stakeholder satisfaction.

Benefits

• Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plans.
• Health Equity Health Fund for health and dependent care.
• Disability Benefits.
• Basic Group Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D).
• Tuition Reimbursement.
• Paid Time Off for work/life balance.
• Competitive salary, bonus, 401(k) plan with match, and profit-sharing match.