Head of Fertilizer Desk

About the Company

Career Zoom has been retained by an international trading organisation to appoint a Head of Fertilizer Desk to establish and profitably grow its international physical fertilizer trading business.

About the Role

Head of Fertilizer Desk – Physical Commodity Trading Location: Singapore

This is a working Desk Head position requiring direct business origination and trading. The successful candidate must be capable of developing executable business using established supplier and customer relationships rather than simply managing a team. The Head of Fertilizer Desk will establish and profitably grow an international physical fertilizer trading business in a working Desk Head capacity, requiring direct business origination and trading, and the development of executable business using established supplier and customer relationships.

Responsibilities

• Originate both purchase and sales opportunities.
• Develop international trading flows.
• Personally negotiate and execute transactions.
• Manage the entire commercial lifecycle — including pricing, contracting, trade finance, shipment, documentation, delivery, collections and claims.
• Carry responsibility for the desk's standalone P&L.
• Apply strong understanding of fertilizer specifications, freight, bulk/bagged cargoes, port handling, storage, quality issues, trade finance, seasonality, tenders and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Approximately 10+ years of physical fertilizer trading/merchandising experience.

Required Skills

• A demonstrably profitable book across at least two fertilizer categories.
• Established supplier, producer, importer, distributor and/or end-buyer relationships.
• Proven independent trading-book/P&L ownership.
• Ability to originate both sides of physical transactions.
• Demonstrated realised margins and net contribution.
• Strong understanding of working capital, credit and counterparty risk.
• Experience with bulk/bagged cargo, freight, ports, documentation and claims.
• An entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to building business.
• Exposure to Africa and/or other import-dependent emerging markets would be particularly valuable.
• This is strictly a physical trading mandate. Manufacturing, plant operations, agronomy, technical sales or fertilizer procurement experience without direct ownership of a profitable physical trading book will not be sufficient.
• The position is based in Singapore. International candidates may be considered, with relocation/Employment Pass sponsorship possible.

Preferred Skills

• Exposure to Africa and/or other import-dependent emerging markets would be particularly valuable.
• Relevant products include:
• Urea and nitrogen fertilizers
• DAP/MAP and phosphates
• MOP/SOP and potash
• NPK
• Other bulk fertilizer products
• Candidates are not expected to cover every category but should have a demonstrable trading track record across at least two core fertilizer categories.
• We are looking for:
• Approximately 10+ years of physical fertilizer trading/merchandising experience
• A demonstrably profitable book across at least two fertilizer categories
• Established supplier, producer, importer, distributor and/or end-buyer relationships
• Proven independent trading-book/P&L ownership
• Ability to originate both sides of physical transactions
• Demonstrated realised margins and net contribution
• Strong understanding of working capital, credit and counterparty risk
• Experience with bulk/bagged cargo, freight, ports, documentation and claims
• An entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to building business
• Exposure to Africa and/or other import-dependent emerging markets would be particularly valuable.
• This is strictly a physical trading mandate. Manufacturing, plant operations, agronomy, technical sales or fertilizer procurement experience without direct ownership of a profitable physical trading book will not be sufficient.
• The position is based in Singapore. International candidates may be considered, with relocation/Employment Pass sponsorship possible.