HEAD OF GRAINS DESK – WHEAT, MAIZE/CORN AND RICE

Role Purpose

The Head of Grains Desk will establish, manage and profitably grow Robust International’s physical trading business in wheat, maize/corn and rice.

Successful candidate must be a hands-on physical commodity trader with a proven profitable track record, established customer and supplier relationships and the ability to generate executable business within a reasonable period after joining.

Candidate will be expected to bring an established and genuinely portable commercial franchise—not merely general market knowledge—and independently originate, structure, execute and manage trades from inception through final collection.

P&L Ownership

The Grains Desk will operate as an independent profit centre with dedicated cost-centre coding and a standalone P&L.

The Head of Grains Desk will be accountable for:

• The consolidated profitability of the overall grains business;
• Separate product-level performance for wheat, maize/corn and rice;
• Realised trading margins;
• Financing and working-capital costs;
• Freight, logistics, insurance and hedging costs;
• Claims, defaults, quality losses and credit losses;
• Direct and allocated operating costs; and
• Overall risk-adjusted net contribution to the Group.

Profitability must be measurable at both the consolidated desk level and the individual commodity level.

Key Responsibilities Business Origination and Development

• Establish and grow Robust’s physical trading business in wheat, maize/corn and rice.
• Use established and portable customer and supplier relationships to generate near-term business.
• Independently originate both purchase and sales opportunities.
• Develop sustainable trading flows across approved origin and destination markets.
• Maintain a credible transaction pipeline, including expected volumes, margins, counterparties, working-capital requirements and execution timelines.
• Develop repeat business with financially sound and commercially reputable counterparties.
• Identify new markets and trading routes that are consistent with Robust’s risk appetite and overall strategy.

Trading and Execution

• Personally negotiate and conclude purchase and sales contracts.
• Manage the complete commercial lifecycle of each transaction, including pricing, contracting, financing, shipment, documentation, collection and claims resolution.
• Coordinate closely with Robust’s treasury, trade finance, logistics, legal, insurance, quality, accounts and risk-management functions.
• Ensure that commodity specifications, shipment terms, payment terms and contractual protections are properly aligned.
• Monitor the performance of suppliers, customers, service providers and other counterparties.
• Maintain timely and accurate position, exposure, pipeline and profitability reporting.

Risk and Working-Capital Management

• Prioritise back-to-back, pre-sold or otherwise appropriately risk-controlled transactions.
• Operate strictly within approved commodity, country, counterparty, credit, tenor, inventory and open-position limits.
• Obtain necessary approvals before assuming any material price, inventory, foreign-exchange or counterparty exposure.
• Ensure that no unauthorised speculative positions are taken.
• Manage working capital efficiently and maintain clear visibility over the complete cash-conversion cycle.
• Actively manage receivables, collections, inventory exposure, contractual claims and potential losses.
• Ensure full compliance with Robust’s KYC, sanctions, credit, legal and risk-management requirements.

Desk Development

• Initially operate as a hands-on producer and profit owner, using Robust’s existing central support functions.
• Recommend additional trading or execution resources only where justified by established business volumes and profitability.
• Recruit or expand the team only after receiving management approval.
• Remain personally responsible for originating and managing business even after the desk expands.

Strict Trading-Only Mandate

• Establish or develop factories or processing facilities;
• Propose or lead value-addition or manufacturing projects;
• Initiate milling, storage or other infrastructure investments;
• Develop CAPEX-led business plans; or
• Treat potential capital projects as a substitute for generating profitable trading business.

Any future capital investment proposal would be subject to a completely separate evaluation and approval process and will not form part of the role’s initial mandate or performance assessment.

Candidate Profile

• Preferably at least 10 years of relevant physical agricultural commodity trading experience.
• Substantial direct experience in wheat, maize/corn and/or rice.
• A demonstrable profitable trading book covering at least two of the three designated commodities.
• Credible market relationships and a clear route-to-market for the remaining commodity.
• Proven responsibility for an independently managed trading book, desk or business line.
• Established and genuinely portable relationships with reputable suppliers and customers.
• Proven ability to originate both sides of a transaction.
• Demonstrable experience generating realised margins and net contribution—not merely sales volume.
• Strong understanding of physical commodity specifications, Incoterms, freight, logistics, trade finance, documentation, insurance, hedging and claims.
• Strong knowledge of commodity price, counterparty, credit, foreign-exchange, inventory and execution risks.
• Ability to operate entrepreneurially while complying with formal credit, risk and governance controls.
• Strong commercial reputation and satisfactory market references.
• No contractual restrictions that would materially prevent the candidate from performing the role.

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