Category Manager, Raw Materials — Polymer Additives

LyondellBasell; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

LyondellBasell is seeking a Raw Materials Category Manager–Polymer Additives to develop sourcing strategies for additives and catalysts essential to LYB’s operations. This role collaborates with functions across the enterprise to secure reliable supply, competitive economics, and regulatory compliance.

The manager will lead negotiations, monitor market trends, and implement risk-management plans while driving value creation and sustainability initiatives within a global procurement framework.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required (or recognized equivalent). Major in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Supply Chain preferred.
• 6+ years of related experience required with a degree (10 years in lieu of a degree).
• 5+ years of chemical or related industry experience and knowledge related to purchasing and materials management, including contract negotiations, is preferred.
• Advanced skill level with SAP and MS Excel required.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes category strategies for assigned polymer additives and catalysts, including supplier segmentation, regional sourcing approach, contract strategy, risk profile, and value roadmap.
• Builds a deep understanding of assigned materials, including how they are used in LYB products and processes, key performance requirements, quality sensitivities, and supplier qualification constraints.
• Maintains close alignment with cross‑functional teams to ensure sourcing decisions support plant reliability, customer commitments, and business priorities.
• Leads supplier negotiations for technically specified raw materials, including pricing mechanisms, index or formula-based structures, long‑term agreements, allocation protection, quality requirements, logistics considerations, payment terms, and commercial risk provisions.
• Monitors market fundamentals for additives and catalysts, including feedstock exposure, supplier capacity, production outages, regional supply‑demand balances, regulatory developments, tariff or trade impacts, and emerging supply constraints.
• Develops and maintains supply risk assessments for assigned categories, including sole‑source exposure, constrained supplier markets, country‑of‑origin risks, financial health, logistics vulnerabilities, and business continuity plans.
• Manages supplier performance through KPIs, business reviews, issue resolution, corrective actions, continuous improvement plans, and escalation when supplier performance creates operational or commercial risk.

Skills

Stakeholder collaboration

Technical skills

Strategic influence

Decision support

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering/Supply Chain

Tools

SAP

MS Excel

Job description

LyondellBasell is seeking a Raw Materials Category Manager–Polymer Additives to develop sourcing strategies for additives and catalysts essential to LYB’s operations. This role collaborates with functions across the enterprise to secure reliable supply, competitive economics, and regulatory compliance.

The manager will lead negotiations, monitor market trends, and implement risk-management plans while driving value creation and sustainability initiatives within a global procurement framework.