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.