Lead Contracts Negotiator, Natural Gas
Trafigura · Houston
You will play a pivotal role in supporting the company’s commercial activities by handling end to end NAESB Base Contracts (NG), purchase & sale agreements and other energy marketing and trading agreements.
You will be responsible for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts while proactively identifying and assessing potential risks. Acting as a key business partner, you will collaborate closely with Trading, Cargo Operations, Trade Finance, Legal, and other stakeholders to facilitate efficient, compliant, and value-driven transactions.
You will:
Draft, review, negotiate and administer commercial contracts, including NAESB Base Contracts (NG), purchase & sales agreements, transportation and storage agreements, and other energy marketing and trading agreements as needed
Coordinate the review and approval process of agreements among Legal, Credit and Front Office and their execution
Manage the entry of the same into the Contract Management system
Participate in the configuration and deployment of trade confirmation templates within our contract lifecycle management system
Support the development and implementation of Contract Admin team procedures and standards to help ensure adherence with applicable requirements and industry best practices
Strictly adhere and comply with Trafigura’s policy and codes
You will also have the opportunity to:
Remotely mentor team members providing them the guidance needed to make them develop their expertise in master agreements and risk assessment through progressive skill-building, and improve their performance in the trade confirmation issuance process
Set a clear development roadmap to transition these team members from confirmation processing to independently handling complex trade confirmations and selected master agreements
Oversee these team members' training and professional development, track and evaluate the team members’ progress on technical and legal competencies
Maintain accountability for the quality and timeliness of trade confirmations produced by these team members
Qualifications:
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Nat Gas expertise and particularly NAESB experience is mandatory along with Nat Gas Confirms
Concrete understanding of Energy Trading activities, including transportation and storage contracting
Solid understanding and working knowledge of purchase and sale agreements for natural gas (NAESB), transportation, transmission & storage contracts
Familiarity with financial derivatives/ISDAs beneficial but not required
Attributes for success
Ownership: Takes responsibility for accuracy and timely resolution of issues and deadlines
Act independently : Ability to work with limited supervision, as well as collaborate and function well in a team environment.
Leadership skills: Balances guidance and autonomy while strategically developing others through strong communication.
Attention to Detail: Demonstrates diligence and thoroughness in reviewing complex agreements
Organizational Skills: Manages multiple priorities while maintaining data integrity
Resilience: Thrives in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with competing priorities
Communication: Negotiates effectively, problem solving and make recommendations
Leadership skills
Able to balance guidance with allowing appropriate autonomy
Excellent communication skills, particularly for remote mentoring
Strategic thinking to align skill development with business objectives
Genuine interest in others' professional growth and success
Department Overview
The Contracts team is responsible for producing, reviewing and negotiating a range of contractual documentation relating to the purchase, sale and storage of a variety of asset classes including Gas and Power, Oil (and oil products), Metals. The team has global responsibility necessitating the daily interaction with numerous internal teams (such as Operations, Trading, Finance and Legal) across the business as well as external counterparties. The team is a key risk management function for the business and is providing an essential service for the organization.
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse workforce! We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or handicap, disability, or any other legally protected status.
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