Manager, Strategic Procurement, Energy

**Description**

**Being part of Air Canada is to become part of an iconic Canadian symbol, recently ranked the best Airline in North America. Let your career take flight by joining our diverse and vibrant team at the leading edge of passenger aviation.**

**Responsibilities**:
The primary responsibility of this position is the development and evolution of Air Canada's sustainable fuels strategy and airside procurement in order to achieve AC Climate Action goals.

The individual will provide leadership by collaborating across cross-functional teams and deliver high quality services with a strong focus on value and climate action. Role will require a deep understanding of renewable fuels, energy transition and climate policies.

In this role, responsibilities will include conducting supply market research, building category/project baselines, establishing sourcing strategies, seeking proposals, conducting negotiations, managing vendor relationships and performance, and contributing to the overall sustainable goals for AC.

**Key responsibilities of this management position include**:

- Drive sustainable fuel opportunities to achieve AC's decarbonization goals, including: development/opportunity identification, business case analysis, technical and environmental due diligence, and offtake/ investment agreement negotiation
- Perform technical market analysis & risk assessment of SAF purchase options & cooperation with regard to security of supply, cost, technology, raw materials, sustainability & competition
- Lead negotiations and partnering opportunities for technical and sustainability criteria of SAF purchasing with suppliers and cooperation partners with a strategic, long-term character.
- Thorough knowledge of current state of SAF: Technical (feedstock/pathways, logistics, opportunities/constraints), Commercial (current and future players, vertical value chain, competitor activities), Policy (Current and proposed legislation, LCFS, RINs, BT)
- Provide continuous technical support with regards to SAF purchasing criteria, taking into account current raw material and technology developments, international framework conditions such as incentives, environmental regulations (LCFS, ETS, CORSIA, etc.) & GHG accounting.
- Collaborate with AC's conventional fuel supply and fuel operations Teams to ensure sustainable fuel opportunities can be integrated with petroleum pipelines, storage and logistics (rail, trucks, waterborne) or create supply chains where none exist
- Advise senior leaders on rapidly evolving sustainable fuels landscape to strategically position AC
- Engage in and connect AC to the latest SAF developments and trends, including representing AC at industry events and other platforms
- Monitoring developments and strategically encourage production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) by participating in industry conferences and maintaining dialogue with potential producers. Work with Corporate Environment in developing a business case and strategy to procure SAF in order to meet the Company emission obligations and commitments. Coordinate all Fuel Quality related aspects of SAF, including blending operations and impact of non-aviation alternative fuels on the jet fuel supply chain.
- Work with Legal and Government Affairs, Environmental Programs, and others to understand regulatory developments such as low carbon fuels mandates, carbon taxes and impact to AC jet fuel pricing.
- Identify and pursue strategic partnerships to enhance scale and impact of SAF initiatives
- Knowledge of environmental life cycle assessment, including familiarity with the GREET model
- Knowledge of petroleum industry; specifically jet fuel and/or refined products and logistics
- Build and maintain relationships with relevant airlines, associations, and government stakeholders to influence the development of aligned local, regional, and national policies consistent with AC's strategy
- Serve as a company champion of sustainable aviation fuel's contribution to AC's broader environmental sustainability strategy
- Support AC internal climate action group in the procurement of sustainable ground support fleet or any other airside assets. Investigate and action opportunities to transition airside fleet form gasoline ad diesel power to sustainable fuel/zero emission transportation technologies.
- Conduct periodic supplier reviews and ensure delivery of sustainable fuels within the agreed timeframes

**Qualifications**
- University degree in the relevant field of study (Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Material Science) or professional experience to support the responsibilities of this role
- A minimum of 7 years of professional experience de-icing operations and/or de-icing industry, with at least 3 years leading cross-department project teams across multiple disciplinary functions
- Expert level experience, expansive and far reaching knowledge in renewable fuels/energy transition and/or experience in aviation fuels supply chain (r