This position operates under the strategic directions of the Global Head (GH) and plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing RtM's global iron ore business strategy. The role leverages market insights, origination capabilities, and commercial expertise to drive growth and value creation.
The individual will lead market-facing business development activities, including supplier and customer origination, relationship management, and commercial negotiations. Close collaboration with Mitsubishi Corporation Tokyo (MC Tokyo), is essential to ensure alignment with broader corporate strategy.
Key responsibilities include identifying, structuring, negotiating, and executing physical trading opportunities that expand, and monetize commercial flows. The role translates approved portfolio strategies and trading frameworks into executable transactions that balance risk and return, while ensuring they are in line with the firm's strategic priorities and necessary mitigation of risks to enhance competitiveness and long-term value creation.
Acting as a central coordination point between global and internal stakeholders, the individual will work closely with the Book Manager, Front Office, Middle Office, Back Office and corporate functions (Legal, Compliance, Risk, Operations), as well as MC Tokyo. This ensures alignment on transaction structures, risk allocation, contractual terms and execution requirements, enabling seamless cross-regional and cross-functional delivery.
Through proactive market engagement, deep market intelligence, disciplined governance and stakeholder coordination, the position supports the GH in advancing RtM's growth strategy, strengthening strategic market presence, building commercial partnerships and positioning the organization as a leading player in the global iron ore market.
Responsibilities
1. Physical trading and Commercial Execution
- Partner with the Global Head and Book Manager to design and implement the global iron ore business strategy, driving execution through active market engagement and commercially-focused initiatives.
- Drive revenue growth and sustainable profitability across market cycles, maintaining disciplined risk-return outcomes under varying market conditions.
- Originate new supply opportunities and commercial flows aligned with divisional and company strategy, while expanding existing markets, customers, and trading channels.
- Develop and broaden sales channels to enhance market access, liquidity, and optionality.
- Lead and oversee commercial negotiations with producers, traders, buyers, and other counterparties, ensuring outcomes are commercially competitive and executable.
2. Business Development & Strategic initiatives
- Identify, structure, and execute business development initiatives that deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns and strengthen RtM's competitive positioning.
- Lead strategic projects, including structured transactions and trade finance solutions, to enhance commercial flexibility, capital efficiency, and value creation.
- Continuously enhance the global business platform by identifying opportunities to strengthen commercial structures, capabilities, and resource deployment to support sustainable growth.
3. External Relationship and market intelligence
- Maintain active and regular engagement with suppliers, customers, and key market participants to identify market needs and build a robust origination and sales pipeline.
- Build long-term, trust-based relationships to strengthen RtM's global iron ore platform for sustainable growth.
- Develop and maintain deep market insight into supply-demand dynamics, pricing structures, counterparty behaviour, and competitive positioning to inform trading and business development decisions.
4. Contract Execution & Transaction Management
- Own end-to-end execution of physical iron ore transactions, from deal confirmation through contractual finalisation and execution readiness.
- Ensure close coordination with Middle Office, Back Office, Operations, and other relevant corporate functions to enable timely, accurate, and seamless trade execution.
- Liaise with Legal and Compliance to ensure contractual documentation accurately reflects commercial intent and complies with internal policies and regulatory requirements.
- Ensure proper contract record-keeping, documentation completeness, and approval tracking in accordance with internal governance standards.
5. Governance & Compliance
- Ensure that all required internal governance, risk, and compliance processes are fully completed and approved prior to trade execution, and that all transactions are executed strictly within approved trading authorities, portfolio strategy, and risk limits as defined by the Global Head (GH) and Book Manager.
- Proactively identify, assess, and manage transaction-specific risks-including counterparty, operational, contractual, and execution risks, ensuring that appropriate risk mitigation measures, internal clearances, and approvals are obtained before any commercial commitment is made.
- Oversee and coordinate, in close collaboration with relevant internal functions, the timely completion of all prerequisite processes, including:
- Counterparty onboarding and registration (AML, STC, and KYC)
- Preparation, submission, and approval of credit applications, including counterparty and warehouse credit facilities
- Ensure full adherence to internal policies, compliance standards, and audit requirements across all commercial and trading activities, with a strong focus on execution discipline and governance integrity.
6. Internal Stakeholder Alignment & Group Coordination
- Work closely with the Mineral Resources Group, Investment Division, and Trading Division in Tokyo to ensure strong alignment between RtM's iron ore trading activities and broader group-level strategy.
- Proactively engage and influence stakeholders in Tokyo to support strategic initiatives, market opportunities, and the growth of RtM's iron ore business.
- Reflect group-level priorities and perspectives in day-to-day execution, adjusting commercial approaches as necessary to maintain strategic coherence and alignment.
7. Deal Structuring and Approval Management
- Engage proactively with the Trading Division and relevant functional teams in Tokyo for transactions exceeding RtMI's delegated authorities, ensuring efficient and timely approval processes.
- Where required, refine and restructure deal terms, risk profiles, or commercial structures through negotiation with suppliers and customers to meet internal expectations and approval requirements, while preserving the transaction's core commercial intent.
8. Team management
- Set KPIs and goals for subordinates in alignment with portfolio priorities GH's expectations.
- Oversee subordinates and consult with the GH on personnel-related matters.
- Oversee team performance, capability building (across trading, risk management, internal governance, etc), and succession planning, ensuring a disciplined and accountable culture.
- Support the GH in building a focus team with strong discipline and accountable culture.
- Coordinate global resources across procurement, sales, marketing, and research to ensure effective execution.
- Foster a high-performing, motivated, and collaborative team culture, aligned with portfolio and corporate objectives.
Required Knowledge and Experience
- Degree in trade, management, international business or related field. Postgraduate qualifications can be considered but are not mandatory.
- Knowledge of trading policies and international trading practices.
- At least 10 years of front-office experience in physical metals/ mineral commodities trading, preferably iron ore.
- At least 3-5 years of track record managing a team with sales and marketing scope in commodities trading.
- Experience in major producers or commodity trading MNCs is preferred.
- Diverse experience of multiple trading flows.
- Strong portfolio of producers and client relationships good industry reputation.
- Knowledge of derivatives and international mineral resource trading operations.
- Proven experience working of collaborating with global, cross-functional teams, including stakeholders across regions, time zones, and cultural backgrounds.
- Proven ability to navigate and resolve internal governance and approval processes, including situations where policies, rules, or approval frameworks are not clearly defined.
- Familiarity with trading platforms, ERP systems and data analytics tool.
- Strong understanding of risk mitigation, compliance frameworks and internal governance processes for international trade.
Required Skills and Competencies
- Business proficiency in both English and Japanese (written and spoken) will be mandatory as the individual will be required to communicate with Mineral Resources Group, Investment Division and Trading Division in Tokyo frequently and facilitate collaboration between the two regions.
- Strong analytical skills and problem-solving skills for commercial decision-making purposes.
- Excellent interpersonal communication and negotiation skills.
- Effective presentation skills, both verbal and written.
- Ability to build rapport and develop long-term relationships externally and internally.
- Strong organization and time management skills.
- Strong knowledge of the product, industry and competitors.
- Good understanding and anticipation of economic, cultural and political circumstances that may impact the commodity's supply and demand.
- Resilient, able to perform under pressure and prioritize workload effectively.
- High attention of attention to details and accuracy.
- Role requires frequent travel and ability to work across time zones.
