Global Category Specialist Chemicals

Roquette•Midland, TX

4d•$110,000 - $166,000•Onsite

About The Position

Roquette is seeking a Global Category Specialist Chemicals to join its Direct Materials Procurement team. The role combines operational management of purchasing activities and supplier performance with the development and implementation of procurement strategies supporting business growth, cost savings, risk mitigation, working-capital improvement, new-product development and plant operating efficiency. The position is based in Midland, Michigan; Wilmington, Delaware; or Geneva, Illinois, with other locations potentially considered in consultation with Human Resources. The specialist will develop, communicate and execute procurement strategies for a global chemicals portfolio that includes petrochemicals, commodity chemicals—including chlor-alkali derivatives—and tail-spend raw materials. The role owns the portfolio’s category strategies, strategic objectives and supplier-base optimization, while managing key supplier relationships and addressing supply concerns. It requires a proactive, analytical approach to challenging existing practices, finding new value levers and strengthening category competitiveness through rigorous sourcing decisions, supplier relationship management, performance tracking and market-risk assessment. The role works closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Legal, Finance, R&D and Manufacturing Technology, and coordinates with Procurement colleagues in other regions to align global, regional and local needs. It is an individual-contributor position that requires effective leadership of multifunctional teams in a matrix organization. The position is primarily office-based, full-time and requires travel, primarily within North America, with occasional international travel. The estimated salary range is $110,000–$166,000. The position may also be eligible for performance-based incentive compensation. Compensation offered will depend on factors including skills, qualifications, experience and location.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree; Business, Engineering, Economics or Supply Chain preferred.
At least five years of procurement experience in chemicals or related categories.
At least five years of negotiation experience.
Strong understanding of sourcing, contract management and total-cost-of-ownership approaches.
Experience in the pharmaceutical or chemical industry, including understanding of relevant regulations.
Strong analytical skills and ability to make sound decisions in a fast-moving environment.
Experience with ERP systems such as SAP or Oracle.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365, procurement tools and sourcing platforms.
Fluency in written and spoken English.
Ability to lead multifunctional teams effectively in a matrix organization.

Nice To Haves

A chemical background.
CPSM/ISM certification or an equivalent procurement qualification.

Responsibilities

Lead the sourcing strategy for the assigned chemicals portfolio with ownership and autonomy.
Develop and implement global and regional category strategies that achieve strategic objectives at the lowest total life-cycle cost, coordinating with other regions.
Use strategic sourcing methods, including spend analysis, market intelligence and assessment, supplier benchmarking and portfolio optimization.
Identify, assess and qualify suppliers to diversify the supplier base, mitigate risk and support security of supply.
Build supplier partnerships and apply Supplier Relationship Management principles to support growth, innovation, technology access and continuous improvement.
Manage supplier performance, resolve performance issues and negotiate claims when necessary.
Lead negotiations and contracting activities for the portfolio in alignment with Roquette objectives and stakeholder requirements.
Communicate with internal stakeholders to align priorities and anticipate changes in business and operational needs.
Reduce working capital through supplier collaboration, payment-term negotiations and other appropriate measures.
Analyze category performance and define KPIs for spend, supplier base, contractual coverage, savings, risk and supplier performance.
Monitor market trends, regulatory developments and supply risks to support decisions and anticipate change.
Ensure compliance with applicable Quality and Safety regulations, Roquette standards and customer requirements.
Contribute to cross-functional and international projects, aligning project needs with category strategies.
Travel to develop and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, primarily within North America and occasionally internationally.