Head of Middle Office – Contracts & Trade Execution

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Head of Middle Office to lead the end‑to‑end control and execution of physical agricultural commodity transactions. The role acts as the primary operational partner to the Trading teams, ensuring trades are accurately documented, shipped, settled and closed.

Key responsibilities

• Own the post‑trade lifecycle from confirmation through contract issuance, execution, settlement and closure.
• Ensure contracts reflect agreed commercial terms, including price, quantity, specifications, delivery and payment conditions.
• Maintain consistency between trade confirmations, contracts and internal systems.
• Oversee contract amendments, extensions and ensure proper approvals.
• Monitor open contracts, shipment obligations and key execution milestones, identifying and mitigating risks.
• Supervise international commodity shipments, coordinating with traders, suppliers, logistics, trade finance, banks and external service providers.
• Establish controls for shipment schedules, vessel nominations, cargo movements, documentation deadlines and payment status.
• Review trade documents (Bills of Lading, invoices, certificates) and payment terms (Letters of Credit) for contractual alignment.
• Guide teams in resolving documentation discrepancies, shipment delays, shortages, and quality/quantity differences.

Required profile

• Senior‑level professional with strong Middle Office experience in commodity trading.
• Commercial awareness and ability to work closely with Trading, Logistics, Finance, Trade Finance and legal teams.
• Proactive risk identification and resolution skills.
• Hands‑on leadership style with ability to supervise multiple functional teams.

Required skills