Principal Strategist - Marketing & Sales

Motiva Enterprises LLC • Houston, TX

8d

About The Position

At Motiva, our employees’ energy, passion, and dedication to excellence are what make us who we are and what allows us to generate energy that makes a house a home, gets us from point A to point B, and enables our health and wellbeing. We invest in every aspect of our employees’ lives because, at Motiva, our people matter. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Motiva refines, distributes and markets petroleum products throughout the Americas. The company’s Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex in Port Arthur, TX, is comprised of North America’s largest refinery with a total throughput of 720,000 barrels per day, the largest base oil plant in the western hemisphere, and an integrated chemical plant. Under exclusive long-term brand licenses with Shell and Phillips 66 (for the 76® brand), Motiva’s commercial operations supply more than 12 billion gallons of fuel to customers annually. Motiva is wholly owned by Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies. Position Overview: The Principal Strategist – Marketing & Sales leads corporate development and strategic initiatives in Fuels Retail and Base Oils Marketing. This role identifies, shapes, and advances high-impact commercial and portfolio opportunities in alignment with enterprise strategy, capital allocation, and governance requirements. Responsibilities include portfolio shaping, opportunity evaluation, transaction advisory, and strategic guidance, with a focus on analytical rigor, strategic clarity, and disciplined decision-making.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 10+ years in corporate development, commercial strategy, investment analysis, or complex deal environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading initiatives from concept through execution and executive decision.
• Strong analytical, financial, and valuation skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate complex topics clearly.

Nice To Haves

• Experience combining corporate development and commercial strategy (consulting, investment banking, private equity, or commercial roles with transaction exposure).
• Familiarity with fuels retail, base oils marketing, or downstream commercial businesses.
• Experience with structured capital allocation, investment committees, and Board processes.
• Knowledge of joint ventures, partnerships, or affiliate operating models.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a small team.

Responsibilities

• Corporate Development Leadership – Fuels & Base Oils Marketing Serve as the primary Corporate Development lead supporting activities in Motiva’s Fuels and Base Oils Marketing spaces. Originate, evaluate, and advance opportunities that create commercial and shareholder value, ensuring alignment with enterprise strategy and governance requirements.
• Portfolio Shaping & Opportunity Development Identify, screen, and mature opportunities, including M&A, partnerships, joint ventures, and commercial optimization initiatives. Co-develop long-term Marketing & Sales strategies, investment theses, and value creation narratives, balancing near-term commercial objectives with longer-term value creation.
• Deal Development & Execution Manage opportunity framing, valuation, diligence, transaction structuring, and governance approvals. Coordinate cross-functional teams (Commercial, Finance, Strategy, Legal, Tax, Risk) to ensure disciplined evaluation and well‑governed execution. Prepare executive-level materials for senior leadership, investment committees, and the Board of Directors.
• Strategic Partnership with Marketing & Sales Partner closely with Fuels Retail and Base Oils Marketing leadership to provide analytical rigor, independent perspective, and constructive challenge. Support the evaluation of commercial strategies, market entry and exit decisions, and third‑party engagement strategies. Translate commercial objectives into investment‑ready opportunities consistent with Motiva’s governance frameworks.
• Team Leadership & Capability Building Lead and develop a small corporate development team, providing direction on projects and ensuring quality outcomes. Establish processes, analytical standards, and ways of working aligned with the Corporate Development & CoE charter.
• Stakeholder & Affiliate Engagement Support engagement with Aramco and affiliate stakeholders to align on strategic intent, transaction parameters, and approval pathways. Ensure transparent communication and effective stakeholder management throughout opportunity development and execution.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees