Commodities Contracts Advisor

Richard James Recruitment Specialists Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Richard James Recruitment Specialists Ltd is seeking a Contracts Advisor to coordinate and maintain trading agreements for UK crude, refined products and renewables. You will support the Contracts Management Group and interface with Legal, Treasury, Insurance, Finance, Marine and Tax teams, ensuring robust contractual governance.

The role involves negotiating with third parties, managing contract status, and contributing to audits and process improvements.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years in contracts review, drafting and negotiation.
• Experience in commercial commodities, with complex contracts.
• Proven negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Plan and evaluate activities for management and administration of UK master contracts.
• Clarify contract rights and obligations to maximise income and minimise costs.
• Coordinate with legal and internal teams on contract status and terms.
• Conduct negotiations with third parties.
• Oversee contract management operations aligned with business goals.
• Promote best-practice processes and report KPIs.
• Participate in internal and external assurance audits.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Organisational skills

Risk analysis

Commercial acumen

Data-driven decisions

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Our client is a leading Energy Trading company who trade crude oil and refined products in the UK and Europe as well as a range of paper derivative products such as swaps, futures and options.

As the Contracts Advisor you will co-ordinate and maintain the trading agreements which support the buying and selling of physical crude & products as well as renewables commodities. The team provides a trading support function and requires efficient and accurate administrative support and the ability to undertake regular ad hoc project tasks on behalf of the Contracts team.

The Contracts Management Group provides key support to Trading and Operations plus interaction with other functions such as Legal, Treasury, Insurance, Finance, Marine, and Tax departments for contractual concurrence. The team also coordinates external Counterparty negotiations.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To accomplish team objectives by planning and evaluating activities for the management and administration of UK Marketing Retail, Supply and Wholesale master contracts
• Facilitate clear and concise communication of the rights, obligations and liabilities contained within UK Marketing contracts to the business to ensure that income is maximised, costs are minimised and potential issues are proactively managed
• Closely liaise with legal and other internal groups regarding contract status, co-ordinating the acceptance of contract terms to create a robust legal framework
• Conduct contract negotiations with third parties
• Oversee and/or provide input for effective contract management operations in alignment with the business goals
• Promote the development of best practice processes in line with company goals and reporting requirements, including KPIs
• Participate in the periodic internal and external assurance audit

CANDIDATE PROFILE:

• Minimum 3-5 years experience with responsability of contracts review, drafting and negotiation.
• Hold the legal right to live and work in the UK on a permanent basis without restrictions, or meet the relevant criteria for employer sponsorship
• Previous experience preferred or relevant training experience, including demonstrating the ability to achieve quantifiable results in contract negotiations, administration, and management
• Proven experience in a commercial commodity environment, working with complex contractual, financial, and legal constructs
• Demonstrated negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

CANDIDATE PROFILE:

• Highly organised and ability to prioritise workload to deliver against tight deadlines
• Notable relationship building capability, with strong interpersonal and networking skills
• Sound understanding of risk analysis/management
• Evident business acumen with an ability to analyse complex data and documentation with accuracy
• Robust skills in Microsoft office software, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint