Manager, Business Finance

LyondellBasell North America•Houston, TX

About The Position

This position serves as the focal point for periodic profit/cash flow budgeting, forecasting and business performance analysis and reporting activities for the Polyethylene business within the Olefins and Polyolefins NA segment. The incumbent will be considered a financial planning expert with a span of knowledge extending across the segment’s product lines, facilities, and key business drivers. This position is responsible for coordinating, consolidating and analyzing significant portions of the annual sales, production, and variable and fixed cost budgets, and is a critical liaison on all budget-related issues. The incumbent will serve as a strategic finance business partner to business leadership by translating financial results, market drivers, operational performance, and forward-looking scenarios into actionable insights that influence decision-making, improve profitability, and support business objectives. This role helps business leadership anticipate financial outcomes, evaluate trade-offs and make informed decisions in a dynamic petrochemical market environment. The incumbent will be considered an expert in the use and operation of the company’s financial systems and acts as a focal point for General Ledger/SAP accounting issues as they relate to properly assigning costs and revenues to cost centers and profit centers. This role provides guidance to members of the Finance department, often through the process of coordinating a joint work product, and must build credibility across senior business management, operations staff groups and the CFO organization.

Requirements

Ability to work independently and within a team to solve problems, drive continuous process improvements and exhibit strong analytical, evaluation and problem solving skills.
Demonstrated leadership ability with proficiency in mentoring, team development and project planning.
Demonstrated ability to lead by influencing across functions, building credibility with senior stakeholders, constructively challenging assumptions and driving results through collaboration rather than direct authority.
Ability to assert innovation and creativity to improve business and functional processes and reporting whilst adhering to a strong control environment.
Demonstrated interest in leveraging automation, analytics, AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies to improve forecasting, reporting, process efficiency, business insights and decision support, while maintaining appropriate controls and data integrity.
Strong financial modeling capability, including the ability to build, maintain and interpret forecast, margin, scenario, sensitivity, working capital and cash flow models to support business planning, performance management and decision-making.
Attention to detail to ensure accounting and financial information is timely, accurate and complete.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to manage conflicting priorities (multiple tasks) and support business unit management with sound business and financial counsel while constantly challenging to drive the team to optimize results and add value.
Exhibits a strong sense of urgency and accountability
Brings a positive, solutions-oriented mindset with strong ownership, resilience and the ability to be a constructive influence on the broader team.
BA in a financial/business field or relevant experience with ten or more years of financial or business analysis experience preferred, although high potential individuals may be considered with less relevant experience
A minimum of 8+ years of experience in a multi-entity, complex global environment.
Experience in petrochemical or related industries is a plus
Experience using ERP and Financial Planning systems (SAP, Oracle, BPC, OneStream)
Good understanding of accounting principles and financial performance indicators (e.g. margin, ROCE)
Strong problem solving skills. Analytical skills with a strong desire to research and understand underlying business drivers
Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills consistent with a client group including Senior Managers and Executives. Ability to drive and influence change in a functionally driven, diverse, multi-cultural environment.
Exceptional service orientation
Strong problem solving skills and solid business acumen.
Advanced PC skills, including spreadsheets, database, graphics, statistical forecasting, and modeling.
Working knowledge of digital, automation and AI-enabled tools to improve financial analysis, reporting efficiency and insight generation.
Expertise in SAP and OneStream strongly preferred
Strong analytical, organizational, prioritization, and time management skills
English required

Nice To Haves

MBA, CPA, CFA or equivalent experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Analysis and insight essential in developing the business unit’s overall strategy and evaluating a diverse range of opportunities
Serve as a trusted finance business partner to Business Directors and Segment leadership by providing sound financial counsel, constructively challenging assumptions and translating financial insights into business actions
Monthly financial analysis and ad hoc special business performance analysis
Influence business decisions related to profitability, margin performance, cost management, working capital, and performance improvement through fact-based analysis and forward-looking recommendations
Annual budget and LRP preparation
Monthly forecasting and planning of income statement, balance sheet and cash flows
Ensure accounting of business results are compliant to LYB accounting policies
Work with the business to identify and measure KPI’s
Business unit working capital management, reporting, forecasting and analysis