Strategic Raw Materials Manager - Polymer Additives

LyondellBasell Industries; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

LyondellBasell Industries in Houston, TX seeks a Raw Materials Category Manager to develop and execute sourcing strategies for polymer additives and catalysts, aligning with manufacturing and supply chain goals.

You will collaborate with multiple functions to ensure reliable supply, competitive economics, and regulatory compliance, while leading supplier negotiations and market analysis for value creation.

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 the Polymers Business, Manufacturing, Technology, Product Stewardship, Supply Chain, Planning, Finance, Legal, and regional Procurement 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.
• Uses spend, forecast, inventory, demand, and market data to develop category insights, support negotiation strategy, communicate risk, and identify value opportunities beyond traditional cost savings.
• 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.
• Partners with technical and manufacturing stakeholders to identify, qualify, and commercialize alternate suppliers or alternate materials where needed to improve flexibility, reduce risk, or support cost and sustainability objectives.
• Coordinates supplier change management for raw materials, ensuring potential changes in formulation, manufacturing location, specifications, regulatory status, or quality performance are reviewed with the appropriate technical and business stakeholders before implementation.
• Manages supplier performance through KPIs, business reviews, issue resolution, corrective actions, continuous improvement plans, and escalation when supplier performance creates operational or commercial risk.
• Supports Advancing Supplier Potential (ASP) initiatives by identifying suppliers that can contribute to innovation, reliability, sustainability, risk reduction, working capital improvement, or differentiated value for LYB.
• Ensures contracts, sourcing decisions, supplier communications, and commercial actions meet LYB ethical, compliance, financial control, product stewardship, and sustainability expectations.

Skills

Category management

Stakeholder management

Education

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

Tools

SAP

MS Excel

Job description

LyondellBasell Industries in Houston, TX seeks a Raw Materials Category Manager to develop and execute sourcing strategies for polymer additives and catalysts, aligning with manufacturing and supply chain goals.

You will collaborate with multiple functions to ensure reliable supply, competitive economics, and regulatory compliance, while leading supplier negotiations and market analysis for value creation.