Senior Business Development Analyst

Title: Senior Business Development Analyst

Location: Houston, TX

Position Summary: PCIA is seeking a Senior Business Development Analyst to support Business Development and Trading activities across the Americas through high-quality market analysis, macroeconomic research, and scenario modeling. Candidates who bring prior trading desk experience — as a desk analyst, trading assistant, or trader — or who have directly executed long-term energy investments from vetting through to operations, and can apply that commercial insight to strategic and longer-term analytical work, are strongly preferred. This is an analytical role focused on understanding market fundamentals, macroeconomic conditions, and policy-driven risks that affect energy and commodity markets. The role helps PCIA make better-informed commercial decisions in an increasingly complex external environment shaped by regulatory, geopolitical, and compliance considerations. It provides analytical insights and risk-aware perspectives to support decision-making by BD, Trading, and senior management.

Key Responsibilities:

Market & Economic Analysis

• Analyze energy and commodity market fundamentals across the Americas, including supply, demand, trade flows, and cost structures.

• Develop and maintain medium- and long-term market outlooks using macroeconomic indicators such as GDP growth, population trends, and industrial activity.

• Monitor key macroeconomic variables (growth, inflation, FX, fiscal policy) and assess implications for markets and commercial performance.

Policy, Regulatory & Risk Awareness

• Track policy and regulatory developments in the U.S. and Latin America that may affect energy markets, trade, or logistics.

• Incorporate geopolitical and compliance-related considerations, including NSS/NDS driven constraints, into market assessments and scenario analysis.

• Support internal teams by highlighting potential risks, uncertainties, and constraints relevant to commercial activities.

Scenario Analysis & Event Response

• Conduct scenario analysis to assess the impact of major economic, policy, or geopolitical developments on markets and trading conditions.

• Prepare event-driven analysis and briefing notes following significant market or policy changes.

• Support internal discussions with clear, structured assessments of upside, downside, and risk scenarios.

Support to Business Development & Trading

• Apply a commercially grounded perspective — informed by prior trading desk or long-term investment experience — to medium- and long-term market outlooks, ensuring analytical work reflects how markets actually behave and how commercial opportunities are evaluated in practice.

• Draw on first-hand experience — whether from a trading desk or an investment execution role — to rigorously challenge the commercial assumptions underpinning strategic plans, investment theses, and deal evaluations.

• Translate macroeconomic and market signals into medium- to long-term outlooks that support strategic investment decisions, commercial positioning, and portfolio management.

• Bridge the gap between fundamental research and commercial execution by bringing a practitioner’s perspective — drawn from trading desk or investment experience — to strategic planning, scenario development, and BD origination work.

Reporting & Communication

• Prepare regular market reports, outlook updates, and presentation materials.

• Communicate complex analysis clearly to non-technical audiences, including BD, Trading, and management teams.

• Support coordination with global analysis teams to ensure consistency of views.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in energy market analysis or related fields.

• Strong understanding of energy or commodity markets in the Americas.

• Track record of producing medium- to long-term market outlooks, investment scenario analysis, or strategic assessments for commercial, trading, or senior management audiences.

• Solid grounding in macroeconomic concepts and policy analysis.

• Familiarity with freight and logistics in commodity trade is a plus.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, Python, SQL, or similar).

• Degree in Economics, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred.

• Spanish or Portuguese is a plus.

Preferred Backgrounds

• Prior trading desk experience — as a desk analyst, trading assistant, or trader — providing a practitioner’s understanding of how markets trade and how commercial decisions are made in real time.

• Alternatively, prior experience executing long-term investments in energy or commodity markets — spanning opportunity screening, due diligence, commercial structuring, and operational oversight — is equally valued.

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills

• Ability to work with uncertainty and incomplete information

• Clear communicator of complex ideas

• Collaborative and supportive of cross-functional teams

• High attention to detail and analytical rigor

• Commercial judgment — ability to evaluate markets and opportunities through a practitioner’s lens, considering risk, return, and execution realities, not just analytical models

• Ability to bridge analysis and decision-making — translating research and market insight into recommendations that are commercially actionable for trading, investment, and BD teams

The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify this job description and any of the responsibilities included herein at any time, for any reason, with or without advance notice.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or in the future.