Commercial Manager, GCPL

Location

Air Liquide Large Industries provides our customers with industrial gas and energy solutions that are vital to their own industrial production. We own and operate over 2,000 miles of industrial gas pipelines in the U.S. supplying mainly oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and syngas in large quantities from multiple production sources to major customers in the chemicals, petrochemicals, refining and steel industries. Our pipeline operations and industrial gas production facilities are closely monitored 24/7 within our leading-edge operations control center located in Houston, Texas. Our operations control group monitors over 89,000 data points and assists with product supply and coordination. We are constantly optimizing our supply network to provide high reliability and energy efficiencies allowing Air Liquide to adjust supply needs more quickly and effectively enabling growth to our customers.

The Commercial Manager for the Gulf Coast Pipeline will manage business opportunities and customer relationships for industrial gases, utilities and services for assigned pipeline/on-site accounts.

Job Responsibilities:

• Identify and/or generate business opportunities

• Prepare/analyze preliminary project economic feasibility studies, utilizing existing employee resources

• Present proposed projects to senior management for approval; lead project team for accepted projects

• Prepare/present proposals that meet customer expectations and business objectives

• Write contracts/lead negotiations with customers through to closing; where appropriate, lead negotiations for key raw materials, e.g., crude hydrogen

• Contribute to the strategic plan for the GCPL

• Manage assigned customer accounts; administer contracts; manage billing, optimize/report regularly on sales/profitability

• Monitor/minimize accounts receivable

• Ensure customer database/files are maintained

• Renegotiate/extend pipeline sales agreements

• Participate in or lead sales teams to grow Industrial Customer business (gaseous, liquid, cylinder, etc) within assigned accounts

• Liaison for all customer communications; develop personal relationships with key customer contacts

• Share knowledge and experiences with peer group

• Maintain and update all appropriate information in competitive databases 

• Facilitate involvement with Trade Associations where applicable

• Facilitate involvement of World Market Groups with assigned accounts

• Participate in Chemical, Metals and Refining Market Group project teams

• Support strategic account managers

• Develop working relationships with the following in order to maximize opportunities: customers, market groups, operations, engineering, industrial customer region sales, management

• Inform senior management of technical, operations and financial trends of chemical, metals, refining industries and/or specific accounts that may affect our business

• Proactively work with customers, operations, and management to maximize profitability of company assets 

• Observe all safety rules and environmental regulations at company/customer locations

• Proactively identify/report unsafe conditions at company

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering (chemical or mechanical) or business related degree required

• Master of Business Administration preferred

• Candidates must have valid employment authorization in the U.S. and must not require visa sponsorship now or in the future. This position is not open for non-immigrant visa sponsorship.

• 5+ years industrial gas business experience required

• 5+ years of commercial experience required

• Candidates must have valid employment authorization in the U.S. and must not require visa sponsorship now or in the future. This position is not open for non-immigrant visa sponsorship.

• Knowledge of customer processes, application of products and services to these processes; air separation technologies, cost advantages/disadvantages of these technologies; pipeline system dynamics, operations, restrictions and cost factors; pipeline/meter design construction/maintenance; chemical characteristics of oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, syngas, carbon monoxide, steam and ozone

• Excellent management, negotiation skills; ability to interface in a diplomatic manner with a broad range of people

• Recognize, develop product/service opportunities

• Free-thinking, innovative, adaptable attitude toward customer solutions

• Function in a highly decentralized team environment with minimal internal structure, extensive flexibility; train, mentor, encourage other sales personnel; perform complex project economics

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Formalize business relationships and projects through written contracts

• Excellent interpersonal, business, analytical skills

• Light lifting

• Travel as needed

At Air Liquide, we are committed to build a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, community stakeholders and cultures across the world.

We welcome and consider applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their background. We strongly believe a diverse organization opens up opportunities for people to express their talent, both individually and collectively and it helps foster our ability to innovate by living our fundamentals, acting for our success and creating an engaging environment in a changing world.