Coffee Trader

Role purpose

The Coffee Trader will develop and manage profitable physical green coffee business, with a particular focus on origination from Ethiopia. The role owns the trading cycle from origin development, market analysis and customer development through pricing, hedging, contract execution, logistics coordination, collection and final P&L. The successful candidate will combine a strong Ethiopian sourcing network with commercial initiative, disciplined risk management and close cross-functional execution.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute the green coffee trading strategy for assigned origins, products and customer markets.
• Lead Ethiopia origination by developing reliable supply channels with exporters, cooperatives, washing stations, producers and other approved origin partners.
• Maintain current knowledge of Ethiopian crop cycles, producing regions, grades, quality differentials, availability, local market dynamics and export requirements.
• Build and maintain relationships with producers, exporters, merchants, roasters and other commercial counterparties.
• Originate physical coffee and negotiate purchase and sales contracts, including price, quality, delivery, payment and Incoterms.
• Maintain the position book, forward book and daily P&L, ensuring accurate mark-to-market valuations and timely reporting.
• Monitor coffee futures, differentials, foreign exchange, freight, crop developments, weather, supply-demand fundamentals and regional market conditions.
• Hedge price exposure using appropriate futures and other approved instruments, operating within authorised trading and risk limits.
• Manage inventory, open positions and contractual exposures to protect margins and minimise basis, price, counterparty and execution risk.
• Coordinate closely with operations, logistics, quality, finance, trade finance and legal teams to ensure accurate and timely contract execution.
• Follow shipments, documents, claims, receivables and collections through to completion, escalating issues promptly.
• Identify new routes, origins, customers and product opportunities that can deliver sustainable volume and gross margin.
• Prepare forecasts, budgets, market reports and commercial recommendations for senior management.
• Comply with internal policies, counterparty limits, sanctions requirements, anti-bribery controls and applicable trading regulations.

Candidate profile

• At least five years of relevant experience in physical green coffee trading, origination or a closely related soft-commodity trading role.
• Proven hands-on green coffee origination experience in Ethiopia is essential, supported by an active network of credible exporters, cooperatives, washing stations or producers.
• Strong knowledge of Ethiopian coffee regions, crop calendars, grades, quality profiles, differentials, local purchasing practices and export logistics.
• Demonstrated ownership of physical positions, trading P&L, forward books and mark-to-market reporting.
• Practical experience using coffee futures to hedge physical exposure and protect trading margins.
• Strong understanding of physical commodity contracts, logistics, quality specifications, Incoterms, trade finance and counterparty risk.
• Established commercial relationships in Ethiopia and the wider East African coffee market.
• Strong numerical, analytical and Excel skills, with the ability to turn market information into clear trading decisions.
• Commercially confident, disciplined and able to work independently while collaborating effectively with operational teams.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to negotiate across cultures and markets.
• Bachelor's degree in business, economics, finance, supply chain or another relevant discipline. A postgraduate qualification is advantageous.
• Willingness to travel internationally to origins, suppliers, customers and industry events.

Success measures

• Profitable trading performance against agreed volume and gross-margin objectives.
• Accurate daily position, P&L and mark-to-market reporting.
• Compliance with approved risk, credit and counterparty limits.
• Timely contract execution, shipment performance and collection of receivables.
• Growth of sustainable supplier and customer relationships and development of viable new trading routes.

Personal attributes

Commercially driven and entrepreneurial, with sound judgement, integrity and a disciplined approach to risk. Comfortable taking ownership, working at pace and remaining close to the operational detail required to turn a trade into realised cash and margin.

• Competitive salary with performance-based bonus.
• Opportunity to work in a global commodity environment.
• Exposure to international markets and leading industry players.
• Career development in a fast-growing trading team.

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