Lead Strategist – Fuels & Integrated Manufacturing presso Motiva

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:

Motiva is seeking a high-impact Lead Strategist – Fuels & Integrated Manufacturing & CoE. This hybrid role serves as both a strategic advisor and internal consultant, operating across Motiva, Aramco, and Aramco affiliates, to drive enterprise strategy, operational optimization, and value-creation initiatives.  The role will lead strategic efforts in fuels and integrated manufacturing while also supporting Aramco on specialty projects through the Center of Excellence (CoE) – advancing innovation, integration, and alignment across the broader enterprise portfolio.  The Lead Strategist will oversee business case development, economic evaluation, and project management through established governance processes, ensuring projects are framed, matured, and executed with discipline and transparency consistent with Aramco and Motiva requirements. 

The ideal candidate will bring deep downstream manufacturing expertise, strong financial modeling capabilities, and a proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects in a global environment. In addition to leading Motiva’s strategic efforts in fuels and integrated manufacturing, this individual will play a key role in supporting Aramco specialty initiatives including technology integration, operational benchmarking, portfolio optimization and third-party projects, leveraging CoE expertise to deliver actionable insights, best practices, and tangible value.

Exposure to Refining, Chemicals, Base Oils, New Energies and Retail is expected, along with substantial travel and stakeholder engagement across the Aramco network.  The role is ideal for a strategic thinker who thrives at the intersection of business, operations, and transformation, capable of multiple stakeholder environments while maintaining a unified enterprise perspective. 

Responsibilities

• Shape and communicate Motiva’s strategic objectives for integrated manufacturing and fuels value chains.    
• Support development of and identify enhancements to strategy for fuels, chemicals, decarbonization and third-party projects. 
• Align business unit strategies with enterprise goals and shareholder priorities
• Identify need for and collaborate with S&MA to execute market outlook assessments, competitive benchmarking, and industry intelligence to inform strategic direction. 

• Identify and evaluate commercial opportunities across refining, logistics, petrochemicals, and new energy sectors. 
• Conduct early screening, framing, and maturation of strategic initiatives
• Lead development of business cases for new projects and investments, integrating technical, operational, financial, and strategic perspectives. 
• Lead and/or partner on project management through the full governance process, ensuring initiatives progress through appropriate stage gates with strong financial rigor, risk management, and stakeholder alignment. 

• Initiate and drive collaborative effort with Motiva S&MA to execute scenario modeling, sensitivity analysis, and economic feasibility assessments.
• Serve as a project manager and strategic advisor for value-creation initiatives across Motiva, Aramco, and Aramco affiliates
• Support Aramco specialty projects through the Center of Excellence (CoE), including operational benchmarking, portfolio optimization, and innovation deployment. 
• Interface with Global stakeholders to share best practices and resolve operational or structural challenges. 
• Conduct industry research and represent Motiva at conferences and strategic forums
• Leverage Motiva’s talent and CoE resources to enhance profitability and operational effectiveness across the Aramco network

• Develop commercial frameworks and conduct due diligence for strategic opportunities
• Assess and manage commercial risks, upside potential, and value propositions
• Interpret and negotiate contracts and agreements with appropriate risk mitigation. Collaborate with key stakeholders in development of, or modification to, key contracts under consideration
• Support private equity-style modeling and complex partnering strategies

• Build and maintain strong relationships across Motiva, Aramco, and external partners
• Develop influencing strategies and manage stakeholder alignment across functions
• Deliver compelling presentations and strategic recommendations to executive leadership and Aramco stakeholders. 

Experience and Qualifications:

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering (Chemical or Mechanical preferred), Economics, or Finance
• 10+ years of experience in the downstream oil & gas sector, including refining, petrochemicals, or fuels; manufacturing, strategy, or Optimization
• Proven track record in manufacturing understanding, strategic planning, project management, and commercial structuring
• Strong financial modeling understanding, including DCF, IRR, and scenario analysis
• Experience developing creative technical and commercial solutions to complex problems
• Effective stakeholder management and negotiation skills
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities across all organizational levels
• Ability to work independently, make informed decisions quickly, and manage multiple priorities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant business tools

Preferred Education and Experience

• Minimum 5+ years of career in manufacturing leadership roles
• MBA or advanced degree in Strategy, Finance, or Engineering
• Experience in New Energies & Carbon, Base Oils, Retail, or supply chain optimization
• Familiarity with LP modeling and supply scheduling
• Experience with joint ventures, private equity structures, and global partnerships
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical skills and ability to distill complex challenges into actionable strategies
• Results-driven with a fit-for-purpose approach to business processes

We reserve the right to amend or withdraw Motiva jobs at any time, including prior to the closing date. Depending on qualifications, the successful candidate may be offered a position at a more appropriate level and/or grade.

Applicants for regular U.S. positions must be authorized to work in the United States for Motiva Enterprises LLC without the need for sponsorship of an immigration authorization or visa (for example, TN, H-1B, or other employment-based immigration authorization or visa).

Motiva participates in E-Verify.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information, or other protected status under federal, state, or local laws.