Role Overview
We are offering an exceptional opportunity for a Senior Coffee Trader to enhance our company’s footprint in the Middle East. This strategic position involves building and maintaining a robust customer base, managing supply chain execution, and driving sales performance in collaboration with our global teams.
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.
Key Accountabilities
In this role, you will be instrumental in expanding our customer base in the Middle East. This role requires maintaining robust relationships across the industry to drive strong sales performance and effective supply chain execution. You will collaborate closely with the central team to align regional strategies with our overall business objectives.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive go-to-market strategy to expand our presence and foster lasting relationships with customers in the Middle East.
- Implement a physical coffee merchanting strategy, in alignment with global supply and demand, while working closely with the Head of Trade to manage sales and business development initiatives.
- Establish and maintain close connections with key roasters and potential customers, ensuring strong relationships through high-quality engagement and regular visits.
- Expand direct sales outlets throughout the region and develop a competitive sourcing strategy in cooperation with our Swiss trading team.
- Handle contract negotiations, defining product quality, volumes, delivery terms, prices, and other critical specifications.
- Proactively address supply chain challenges and quality issues, collaborating with partners to devise and implement effective solutions.
- Cultivate robust external networks to keep the team informed of industry developments and trends.
- Actively participate in key industry events to enhance our visibility and engagement within the market.
- Monitor and manage counterparty risks associated with contracts, including a comprehensive understanding of customer and market risks.
- Prepare detailed monthly performance reports for the region.
Skills and Experience
- Deep understanding of Middle Eastern markets and cultural nuances.
- Exceptional sales capabilities with a proven track record in customer acquisition and deal closure.
- Preferably, bachelor’s degree in international trade, economics, or a related field, with at least 5 years of experience in the commodity industry.
- Demonstrated success in managing profitable merchanting books.
- Entrepreneurial spirit with a keen focus on market development and the ability to operate independently.
- Excellent relationship-building skills with a proactive approach to customer engagement.
- High adaptability to dynamic trading environments with a strong emphasis on task management and priority completion.
- Meticulous attention to detail with excellent numerical and communication skills.
- Desire to forge strong professional relationships.
- Proficiency in English is essential; Arabic proficiency is desirable.
- Strong exposure to risk management and the ability to identify potential risks.
As an ever-friendly reminder: Researchers have found that men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Women and other underrepresented groups tend to apply only when they check every box. If you are interested, but don’t feel like you meet every single point on the job description, please still 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.
