Crude Operator (North Sea)

Richard James Recruitment Specialists Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Richard James Recruitment Specialists Ltd is seeking a Crude Operations Specialist to join our client’s London-based operations team. You will work on a dedicated crude trading desk, coordinating with traders, analysts and operations peers to ensure efficient execution of physical crude transactions.

You will collaborate with Trading, Shipping Operations, Scheduling, Credit and Legal teams, providing coverage when needed and sharing knowledge across the function.

Qualifications

• Strong academic credentials within a numeracy-oriented discipline.
• Understanding of the oil trading lifecycle and crude/oil products.
• Experience in trading and shipping operations activities.
• Knowledge of cargo documentation, B/I, inspections, L/C and voyages.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day trading operations activities for crude and related commodities to ensure operational performance and efficiency.
• Oversee voyage orders, pro-forma invoices, documentary instructions, vessel nominations and related paperwork.
• Support demurrage and cost management with resolution of ancillary costs.
• Optimize physical operations of the North Sea trading portfolio and cargos.
• Oversee operational aspects of paper/chain activities and nominations with terminals.
• Act as focal point for communications with terminals and internal departments.
• Build and maintain relationships with terminals, inspection companies and counterparties.
• Identify root causes of operational problems and coordinate resolutions to mitigate costs.

Skills

Numeracy

Oil trading lifecycle

Trading operations

Cargo documentation

L/C knowledge

Attention to detail

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

24/7 responsiveness

Teamwork

Proactive

Education

Numeracy oriented degree

Job description

We are working with a leading international energy trading organisation to recruit a Crude Operations Specialist to join its London-based operations team.

Working within a dedicated crude trading desk, you will collaborate closely with traders, analysts and fellow operations professionals to ensure the efficient execution of physical crude oil transactions.

A degree of flexibility is expected within the role to share knowledge across the wider operations team and provide operational cover where required. You will work closely with several internal functions including Trading, Shipping Operations, Scheduling, Credit, Middle Office, Back Office, Insurance, Legal, Finance and Contracts.

This role offers excellent exposure to the full commodity trading lifecycle through close collaboration with multiple business functions. Some out-of-hours work may be required to support business needs.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly respected global trading organisation that offers a dynamic environment, ongoing professional development and genuine long-term career progression.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage the day-to-day trading operations activities for the pertaining commodities aiming at assuring the operational performance efficiency.
• Manage voyage orders, pro-forma invoices, documentary instructions, vessel nominations, Letters of Credit, Provisional and Final cargo insurance, Narrowing/Nomination of dates/quantities, Vessel clearance, etc.
• Support our demurrage and costs management team for ancillary costs such as demurrage, freight differentials; deviation costs; dead-freight and assist with their resolutions.
• Manage and optimise the physical operations of the North Sea trading portfolio, including equity, third party and traded cargoes.
• Manage and optimise the operational and contractual aspects of the BFOETM paper/chain activities.
• Be the focal point for all communication with terminals regarding nominations of loading programs etc.
• Manage relationships and communication with terminals and company departments to ensure efficiency of operations activities.
• Building and maintaining good working relationships with internal company stakeholders to ensure the efficiency of operational activities, as well as with external stakeholders such as terminals, inspection companies, and other counterparties.
• Identify the cause of any encountered operational problems and ensure resolution through coordination with all affected stakeholders, mitigating costs and consequences for the Group.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Strong academic credentials within a numeracy-oriented discipline.
• An understanding of the oil trading lifecycle, in particular crude and oil products.
• An understanding of trading and shipping operations activities (e.g. cargo, time charters, voyage charters, ships, quality and quantity controls).
• Knowledge of cargo documentation, B/I, inspections, L/C, voyage orders and customs would be beneficial.
• Strong motivation, dedication and results-oriented approach to work.
• High attention to detail, organised, structured and logical.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships both internally and externally.
• Able to work at fast-pace in a dynamic trading environment with time-sensitive, business critical activities requiring 24/7 responsiveness.
• Strong teamwork skills; experience working in an international organisation would be advantageous.
• A positive attitude and a proactive, results oriented approach, with strong organisational skills.