Role Overview
We have a newly created unique opportunity for an experienced Commercial Manager (Senior Trader) to join our trading team, to work in a truly global environment to lead the Colombian coffee trading strategy reporting to the General Manager for Colombia.
Business Overview
Volcafe Ltd is one of the world’s leading international green coffee trading companies, operating in over 20 countries globally. Our expertise spans green coffee procurement and preparation, sustainability, blending, quality control, risk management and export as well as importing and distribution. We supply the world’s major coffee roasters and retail distributors with their green coffee requirements, with significant strategic growth ambitions for the future. We are part of ED&F Man Commodities, a world leading trader of agricultural products including coffee, sugar, molasses and animal feed.
Volcafe works across the whole green coffee supply chain to make coffee business better, together with our partners and employees. We have built and operate sustainable coffee supply chains across all our origins, addressing key economic, social and environmental issues in coffee farming communities. Our Volcafe Way farmer support programme engages with thousands of coffee farmers and provides a holistic response to the challenges they face.
This role will be working for Carcafe, Volcafe’s company in Colombia.
APPLICATIONS ARE REQUIRED IN WRITTEN ENGLISH PLEASE.
Key Accountabilities
- Lead the Colombian coffee trading strategy through the implementation and control of buying, selling and market risk management.
- Analyse and review the global coffee and specialty coffee, supply and demand balance sheet developments to develop a robust logistics, buying and selling strategy.
- Effectively control and supervise the trading desk and provide buying guidelines and direct the buying team.
- Establish the commercial conditions, purchase prices and sales negotiations.
- Preparation of budgets and projections for the purchase and sale of coffee.
- Input into the systems required for the control of the management of trading transactions.
- Coordinate currency position management, implementing market risk hedging strategies.
- Identify new business and investment opportunities, as well as associated risk.
- According to the manuals and procedures of the business, following up all purchases with due diligence.
- Ensure sustainable supply chains to meet customer requirements.
- Develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to collaboratively design and execute groupwide strategies that contribute to the overall group return.
- Contract negotiations with both suppliers and customers; agreeing quality, volumes, delivery terms, prices and other specification and ensuring adequate execution of the overall cash cycle.
- Competently manage any challenges or issues within the supply, working proactively with partners to identify and execute the best solutions.
- Proactively manage any quality issues through close working relationships with suppliers and customers.
- Travel to roaster clients and suppliers when and if required and handle customers’ visits at origin.
- Develop good external networks, to ensure the team is aware of industry developments and news as well as participation in key industry events.
- Manage and report counterparty risk associated with contracts including in-depth understanding of suppliers and customer market risk.
- Work closely with quality to ensure the R&D of new products and blends for both internal and export market.
Skills and Experience
- Substantial professional experience in commodity trading and risk management
- Coffee industry experience (from a roaster or trading house) preferred; however we would also consider other agricultural soft commodity trading experience.
- Demonstrable experience leading commodity trading teams and processes.
- Experience of trading financial derivatives.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with strong business acumen.
- Good relationship builder with both customers as well as suppliers.
- A good track record in managing interactions well with a team.
- Must have the ability to adapt to the dynamic trading environment and take a proactive approach to managing tasks and completing priorities.
- Committed team player who is willing to be flexible and assist with a whole range of tasks to support colleagues and the delivery of a common strategic goal.
- Bachelor’s studies in Industrial Engineering, Economics, Business Administration or professionals with post-graduate studies in Business Administration, Economics or Industrial Engineering.
- Professional level business English (C1-C2 level)
We recognise that talent comes in many forms, and we value potential just as much as experience. If this role excites you but you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.
Our Offer
We provide a fast-paced, stimulating and truly global environment, which will stretch your abilities and channel your talents. We also offer competitive salary and benefits combined with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the global leaders in soft commodity trading.
Our Values
Respect, Integrity, Meritocracy, Client Focus, Entrepreneurship
Our values define who we are. They are the fundamental beliefs that determine our actions and guide our behaviour. They influence the way we communicate and collaborate, and define the way we engage with our clients, partners, and communities. Our values are underpinned by a set of essential behaviours, which form part of our performance management approach. Delivering on our objectives is very much about ‘what’ we do, but these essential behaviours also provide a guide and measure for ‘how’ we do things. Our performance essentials are Take Initiative, Self‐Management, Deliver Results and Collaboration.
Our Commitment
We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and are focussed on actively building and developing diverse teams. All qualified applicants will receive equal treatment without regard to race, colour, sex, gender, age, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, marital or civil partner status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment (identity, gender expression), genetic information or any characteristic protected by local law.
We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process.
To apply you must have the right to work for the provided location.