Head of Middle Office: AI-Driven Trade Analytics

LyondellBasell Industries; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

LyondellBasell in Houston seeks a Head of Middle Office to lead daily close, exposure, risk, P&L, and inventory reporting for asset-backed trading. Focus includes CTRM implementation and moving the team to reliable daily reporting in a spreadsheet-heavy environment.

The role requires hands-on CTRM experience, staff leadership, and a drive toward AI-enabled analytics to improve controls and efficiency. Hybrid work not specified; relocation not indicated.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business; advanced degree or professional certification is preferred.
• Significant experience in a commodity trading middle office, risk control, product control, commercial operations, supply chain finance, trading operations, or related control function within an asset-backed trading or industrial manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of physical commodity trade lifecycle processes, commodity market data, valuation principles, P&L attribution, exposure reporting, inventory accounting, standard cost inventory valuation, logistics economics, and risk metrics.
• Hands-on CTRM implementation experience, including requirements definition, process design, testing, data migration support, reporting outputs, controls, user adoption, and post-go-live stabilization.
• Demonstrated ability to reconcile trading performance, daily P&L, inventory movements, and asset economics to existing management information where standard-cost inventory valuation can obscure commercial margin, timing differences, and market-driven performance.
• Experience supporting chemicals, petrochemicals, refined products, NGLs, natural gas, crude oil, feedstocks, intermediates, polymers, or related asset-backed commodity markets.
• Practical understanding of manufacturing economics, plant constraints, production planning, storage, transportation, contract optionality, and asset optimization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage priorities, influence commercial and functional stakeholders, and operate effectively under tight daily reporting deadlines.
• Proficiency with reporting, data analysis, spreadsheet modeling, and process automation tools; Power BI, SQL, Python, or AI-enabled analytics capability is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of internal controls, segregation of duties, audit expectations, hedge governance, inventory controls, operational risk management, independent challenge, and clear escalation standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Middle Office function responsible for trade capture validation, daily exposure, risk, performance, and working capital reporting, inventory controls, risk analytics, and exception management across asset-backed physical and financial commodity trading activity.
• Own valuation governance, including deal-entry standards in CTRM and independent curve validation to ensure valuation is fair, consistent, and controlled.
• Partner with Commercial Trading, Scheduling, and Transaction Services teams to evaluate transaction implications and support asset-network optimization through transparent reporting on flows, balances, logistics, constraints, and margin drivers.
• Maintain and enhance control frameworks across the trade lifecycle, including inventory, valuation, hedge, limit, reconciliation, and escalation controls.
• Drive the short-term CTRM implementation agenda, including finalization of requirements, process design, and user testing.
• Lead the transition from weekly to disciplined daily reporting, strengthening spreadsheet controls, ownership, reconciliations, and exception management until scalable system capabilities are delivered.
• Define and execute a longer-term roadmap for AI-enabled analytics and automation that reduce manual effort and improve insight, controls, and efficiency.
• Lead investigations and analytical bridges that reconcile P&L variances, inventory movements, standard-cost valuation, accounting results, and existing management information, ensuring root causes are addressed and stakeholders understand key timing, valuation, and cost-allocation impacts.
• Develop, mentor, and manage a high-performing Middle Office team as a hands-on player/coach, establishing clear priorities, accountability, training, and practical problem-solving routines.

Skills

CTRM implementation

P&L reporting

Asset-backed trading

Team leadership

AI analytics

SQL

Python

Risk management

Inventory controls

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics

Tools

CTRM systems

SAP

Job description

LyondellBasell in Houston seeks a Head of Middle Office to lead daily close, exposure, risk, P&L, and inventory reporting for asset-backed trading. Focus includes CTRM implementation and moving the team to reliable daily reporting in a spreadsheet-heavy environment.

The role requires hands-on CTRM experience, staff leadership, and a drive toward AI-enabled analytics to improve controls and efficiency. Hybrid work not specified; relocation not indicated.