In this high-impact position, you will direct the corporate energy procurement strategy and spearhead decarbonization initiatives across international manufacturing facilities. Your core responsibilities involve negotiating large-scale energy supply agreements, especially for technical gases, while evaluating forward-looking transition pathways such as hydrogen, sector coupling, and green heat.
Decarbonizing heavy industrial metallurgy is among the most vital challenges of the global net-zero transition. At Aurubis, where secondary metal refining underpins renewable technologies, this role actively bridges commercial energy procurement and climate action, ensuring industrial production lowers its emissions intensity without compromising commercial viability.
This suits someone who pairs strong commercial acumen in energy and commodity markets with an engineering-informed perspective on industrial energy transformation.
Job FAQs
What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?
The Senior Manager Energy & Climate Affairs takes on a key role steering the corporate energy procurement and climate transition framework for an energy-intensive industrial leader. Day-to-day responsibilities center around managing group-wide energy sourcing, focusing significantly on technical gases and power supply agreements. This includes evaluating commodity price risks, designing hedging instruments, and executing high-volume commercial contracts.
On a strategic horizon, you are tasked with aligning procurement directly with decarbonization mandates. You will conduct economic feasibility analyses, evaluate make-or-buy options for sustainable energy infrastructure, and initiate capital projects in areas like green heat, hydrogen integration, and sector coupling. Furthermore, you will monitor energy market regulations and advocate for the company's competitive and environmental positions across political bodies and industry associations.
Key learning opportunities for this job
Operating at the nexus of the energy transition and primary metallurgy presents exceptional opportunities to master the complexities of heavy industry decarbonization. You will gain deep technical and commercial insights into emerging vectors such as industrial electrification, industrial-scale hydrogen deployment, and waste-heat recovery networks.
In addition, the role provides advanced exposure to sophisticated energy contracting models, corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and financial risk hedging. Navigating the evolving EU regulatory environment, including emissions trading and cross-border adjustments, will sharpen your public affairs acumen and elevate your profile as an industrial energy transformation strategist.
How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?
The ideal professional brings a solid educational foundation in energy engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related discipline, ideally supplemented by business credentials such as an MBA. Several years of hands-on experience in European energy markets and commodity procurement are essential, with particular value placed on expertise in technical gases.
Beyond technical and analytical rigor, this position demands a negotiator with demonstrated capability in managing multi-million-euro supply contracts and complex contract risk structures. Excellent stakeholder management skills, combined with bilingual fluency in German and English, are necessary to navigate corporate leadership, operations teams, and external regulatory bodies seamlessly.
Advice to stand out and make a successful application
Ensure your application strongly shows the intersection between commercial procurement metrics and climate impact. Avoid generic project management summaries; instead, emphasize tangible achievements in negotiating energy supply contracts, structuring risk hedges, or executing industrial energy efficiency projects.
Highlight your practical familiarity with European energy policy, grid mechanics, and alternative energy carriers like hydrogen or renewable fuels. In interviews, be prepared to discuss how a primary metal producer can balance cost efficiency and margin protection while aggressively driving towards net-zero manufacturing targets.
What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?
This role directly drives Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas abatement across Aurubis's metallurgical production facilities. Because copper refining and recycling are inherently energy-intensive, sourcing low-carbon electricity, green gases, and fossil-free thermal energy is the primary lever to reduce the corporate carbon footprint.
Additionally, you will support circularity and industrial symbiosis initiatives by evaluating sector coupling and waste-heat utilization opportunities. The position directly connects corporate sustainability targets with capital expenditure decisions, making it central to the group's long-term environmental roadmap.
What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?
A primary challenge will be navigating intense energy price volatility and geopolitical instability in European commodity markets while securing long-term supplies under competitive terms. Balancing economic sustainability with aggressive carbon abatement requirements requires ongoing trade-offs.
Another obstacle lies in technological and infrastructure readiness. Transitioning heavy smelters and recycling units to zero-carbon energy often hinges on emerging technologies, ambiguous regulatory frameworks, and nascent supply chains for green hydrogen or regional infrastructure that may not yet be mature.
How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?
A typical day might start at the Hamburg headquarters analyzing spot and forward energy markets to refine hedging positions and update risk reports. Mid-morning could involve negotiating contractual terms for high-volume technical gas supply alongside legal, procurement, and commercial teams.
In the afternoon, you might lead a project review with plant managers and process engineers to evaluate the business case for a plant-level decarbonization pilot. The day could conclude with an industry association briefing regarding impending energy market directives or an internal strategy session on corporate climate governance.
What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?
Given the strategic importance of energy costs and carbon compliance to the business model, this role offers high internal visibility up to the Executive Board. Successful leadership in these areas can pave the way toward senior director or executive leadership in global procurement, regulatory affairs, or sustainability.
Furthermore, guiding a major multinational through landmark industrial decarbonization projects builds an invaluable career track record, establishing you as a rare domain expert capable of steering global manufacturing operations through structural energy transformations.
The main stakeholders you might be interacting with
Internally, you will collaborate closely with executive leadership, site operations managers, legal counsel, risk management, and the group sustainability unit to align commercial decisions with operational realities and ESG targets.
Externally, you will engage with energy suppliers, grid operators, commodity brokers, and infrastructure providers. You will also represent Aurubis in discussions with governmental authorities, regulatory agencies, and industrial trade associations, influencing policy frameworks that govern industrial energy transformation.
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