Crude & Shipping Operator

Richard James Recruitment Specialists Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

London-based opportunity with an established oil trading company. The operator will manage crude operations from trade recap to delivery, coordinating with traders, scheduling, and production planning to ensure timely and cost-effective feedstock delivery.

Requirements include 8+ years in similar roles, strong knowledge of incoterms, GT&Cs, and shipping, plus ability to liaise with risk, credit, and finance. SAP/Aspect familiarity is preferred.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in crude trading/ops roles.
• Knowledge of incoterms, charter parties and GT&Cs.
• Strong shipping, legal, inspection knowledge.
• Proven ability to liaise with traders, chartering, risk, and finance.
• Organised, under pressure, multi-priority work style.
• Excellent communication and networking skills.
• Familiarity with Aspect trading system and SAP (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Coordinate operations from trade recap to completion with traders, refinery scheduling, and production planning.
• Issue voyage orders and monitor ships, flag slippage or speed-ups.
• Select independent cargo inspectors and vessel's agents.
• Maintain cargo records and file promptly.
• Update trading system accurately.
• Check calculations: freight, demurrage, product, inspectors, gains/losses, insurance.
• Mitigate demurrage exposure.
• Verify quality and quantity of crude; manage variations.
• Review purchase contracts and negotiate terms.
• Mitigate risk and legal implications of applicable law and GT&Cs.
• Maintain document management of contracts and correspondence.

Skills

8+ years experience

Incoterms and GT&Cs

Shipping knowledge

Communication & networking

Pressure handling & prioritisation

Independent problem solving

Aspect trading system familiarity

Tools

Aspect trading system

SAP

Job description

Our client is an established Oil trading company, with physical assets across Europe. They actively source, refine, market and trade Crude Oil and Oil products, chemicals, and associated financial derivatives.

Due to continued growth, we are looking to introduce an additional Operator to the Operations team in London.

We are seeking a candidate with a proven track record of delivery as a Crude and shipping operator, with experience in Crude, ideally with refinery experience, to join a small team responsible for trading the production from EU based assets.

The successful candidate will ensure that all operations are safely, timely, efficiently and cost effectively managed to guarantee the prompt and cost-effective delivery of feedstocks into the assets and delivery of products to counterparties. As well as close liaison with traders and chartering, this role will require strong contact in other areas of the company (including risk, credit, and finance).

RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Co-ordinating operations from trade recap to completion of trade operations and working closely with traders, refinery scheduling, and production planning teams
• Issuing voyage orders and monitoring progress of ships, informing trading of any slippage or required speed-ups in a timely manner
• Selecting and appointing approved independent cargo inspection companies to ensure quality and quantity control; selecting and appointing vessel’s agents where possible
• Maintaining accurate records of each cargo including prompt and accurate filing
• Accurately updating trading system.
• Checking all calculations relating to the trade (freight, demurrage, product, inspectors, cargo superintendents, gains/losses and insurance)
• Exploring options to mitigate demurrage exposure
• Verifying quality and quantity of crude delivered by suppliers; controlling variations within acceptable limits
• Adhering to company policies and procedures, and ensuring compliance with all operational processes
• Reviewing purchase contracts and negotiation of contract terms with suppliers
• Anticipating potential problems; mitigating against risk and legal ramifications of applicable law (and how it relates to various GT&Cs).
• Maintaining strong document management practice in the logging of contracts and all related documents and correspondence.

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:

• Minimum 8 years’ experience gained in similar roles
• Knowledge of incoterms, charter parties and GT&Cs
• Sound working knowledge of shipping, legal, inspection, to enable appreciation and interaction with these areas.
• A strong track record of establishing and maintaining good and professional working relationships with internal and external counterparties.
• Flexible, reliable and conscientious, able to work under pressure and stress, well organised and able to balance multiple priorities while working to tight deadlines.
• Able to work independently in handling varied and complex operational issues
• Has commercial awareness/instincts to ensure best economic results of operational alternatives
• Open and trustworthy with strong communication and networking ability.
• Knowledge of Aspect trading system and SAP preferable