Trading Operator

Job Purpose :

Support the end-to-end execution of the company's physical oil product trades and the voyages that serve them. The Trading Operator works under the direction of the Operations Manager to execute the logistics of a deal, follow vessels and cargoes from nomination through to discharge, ensure that every transaction and movement is captured accurately and on time in the relevant systems, maintain complete operational records supporting invoicing, claims and compliance, and keep Trading, Shipping, Finance and Risk supplied with accurate, current operational information.

Key Responsibilities

A. Trade Execution & Cargo Movements

• Execute the optimised operational plan for assigned cargoes and work closely with logistics (marine and land), tank terminals and manufacturing sites to understand and resolve any deviations from plan.
• Issue and follow up nominations, laycan confirmations, berth and terminal bookings, and loading/discharge instructions in line with contract terms; escalate any conflict with the contract to the Operations Manager.
• Appoint and instruct surveyors and inspectors; follow sampling, gauging and testing through to receipt of results and circulate outcomes promptly.
• Understand and execute blends as per trade requirements; understand key commercial quality parameters, trade recaps and contracts, import-export documentation, Letter of Credit formats and procedures, quantity optimisation and the commercial impact of quality/ quantity variation.
• Develop scenarios to assess the feasibility and economic outcome of various supply options to mitigate supply disruptions and financial impact.
• Carry out month-end stock and inventory reconciliations across terminals, vessels and in-transit positions; investigate variances and clear them with the terminal, counterparty or Finance.

B. Shipping & Voyage Operations

• Track vessel positions, ETAs and live operational situations daily for assigned voyages; congestion, weather and berthing issues to the Operations Manager and the Trader promptly.
• Monitor voyage performance on assigned vessels: off-hire, laytime status, demurrage accrual and bunker variance; maintain the voyage tracker so the position is visible at all times.
• Manage bunker requirements and fixing for Time Charter ships, and support bunker procurement coordination with Freight Traders, tracking cost, timing and delivery status.
• Work closely with surveyors, tank terminals, vessel masters, port agents and other third party operational stakeholders to optimise operations through quality and quantity management.
• Participate in the morning operational stand-up, presenting the status of assigned cargoes and voyages.

C. Documentation, Trade Finance & Invoicing Support

• Check and circulate the commercial document set — B/L, certificates of quality/ quantity/ origin, insurance and customs documents
• Liaise with the Finance team to ensure correct invoicing, that secondary costs are captured and accrued, and that payment documents are all in order and available.
• Assist with freight and third-party invoice checks — freight, storage, throughput, surveying, agency, port charges — flagging discrepancies or recovery gaps to the Operations Manager.

D. Systems, Data & Reporting

• Maintain organised and complete operational records and deal files to support invoicing, claims, audit and compliance review.
• Develop scheduler programs and trackers to help manage movements, and analyse transactions to improve visibility of the book.
• Analyse performance data (inventory levels, customer lifting, quality and quantity) and CTRM System, and drive corrective actions and purchase/ sales decisions.
• Prepare draft operational reports for the Operations Manager: trade summaries, KPI tracking and variance notes.

F. Risk, Compliance & Stakeholder Coordination

• Liaise with the Trading team to highlight any potential operational risks, potential supply/ delivery scenarios so that pricing and exposure are effectively managed by the team.
• Confirm final B/L dates and pricing quantities and notify Risk immediately of any change that alters the pricing basis.
• Close communication with suppliers and receivers; managing relationships and ensuring accurate/ sufficient information is shared.
• Provide operational cover for colleagues' cargoes and voyages during absence, and be available outside office hours for time-critical operational matters.

G. Development & Ad Hoc

• Help identify recurring operational issues or inefficiencies and suggest improvements; support process improvement initiatives led by the Operations Manager.
• Build working knowledge across both trading operations and shipping operations, with the objective of taking independent ownership of cargoes and voyages.
• Manage ad-hoc projects as requested by the Line Manager.

Qualifications & Background

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Maritime Operations, Supply Chain, Logistics, Shipping or Business (required).

Experience

• 2-4 years' experience in trading operations, shipping operations
• Exposure to month-end stock inventory reconciliations.
• Exposure to oil products, cargo movements and vessel operations in a trading or shipping environment.

Skills & Knowledge

• Working knowledge of voyage and time charter party terms, Incoterms, and the basics of laytime, demurrage and freight claims.
• Strong Excel and data handling skills; exposure to a CTRM/ETRM system,
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail; able to manage multiple cargoes and voyages at once.
• Clear written and verbal communication in English, including with counterparties, agents and senior management.
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt to a fast-changing operational environment.

Behaviours

• Engage and respect diverse contributions of team, partners, or networks.
• Anticipates future situations and plans ahead to meet them.
• Creative and innovative perspectives on situations and challenges.
• Takes ownership of assigned cargoes and voyages, escalates early and with a recommendation.

Working Conditions

• Standard office hours with occasional availability outside hours; the role operates within a 24/7 trading and shipping environment.