Junior Trader

CPH Chemicals B.V.; Amstelveen; Hybrid; EUR 40,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus tied to results

Structured development and courses

Employer-funded pension

8% holiday allowance

Travel allowance

Hybrid working: one remote day per wk

Office with fruit, snacks, deck andBBQ

Job summary

CPH Chemicals is seeking a Junior Trader to learn the global chemical trade, working with customers worldwide, turning market movements into offers, and handling deals from negotiation to delivery. You’ll train fully in pricing, Incoterms, shipping dangerous goods, and international trade rules as you grow your track record.

We’re a close-knit, entrepreneurial team in Amstelveen, offering a clear path to responsibility, strong mentorship, and travel opportunities after onboarding.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in commercial, business, or technical/chemical field.
• 0–3 years' work experience; training provided.
• Strong English communication; Dutch is a plus.
• Interest in international markets and travel.
• Willingness to travel 20–30% after training.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage relationships with international customers.
• Turn product cost, freight and duties into competitive offers within our margin guidelines.
• Negotiate and close deals, then follow through with logistics, compliance and finance until delivery.
• Work alongside our senior traders on sourcing to understand both sides of every deal.
• Keep a close eye on the market: feedstock prices, freight rates, tariffs and competitor moves.
• Grow into your own portfolio of customers and products as you build your track record.

Skills

Fluent English

Commercial mindset

Numerical skills

Team player

Education

Bachelor's degree (commercial, business, or technical/chemical)

Job description

Junior Trader

A shipment is on the water. A tariff changes overnight. A customer needs product next week, and freight rates have just moved. Somewhere in the middle of all that, someone makes the call that turns it into a deal.

At CPH, that someone could be you.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for a Junior Trader who wants to learn how global chemical trade really works, and then do it. You’ll work with customers around the world, turning market movements, freight costs and duties into offers that win business. You’ll negotiate, close and follow your deals all the way to delivery, learning from experienced traders along the way. We’ll train you fully in the world of trade, from pricing and Incoterms to shipping dangerous goods and navigating international trade rules. No trading experience needed, just a hunger to learn and the drive to win.

We're not a corporate giant, and that's exactly the point. We're a close-knit, entrepreneurial team where everyone knows everyone, decisions are made fast, and your ideas count from the start.

What you'll do

• Develop and manage relationships with international customers
• Turn product cost, freight and duties into competitive customer offers, within our margin guidelines
• Negotiate and close deals, then follow them through with logistics, compliance and finance until the product is delivered
• Work alongside our senior traders on sourcing, so you understand both sides of every deal
• Keep a close eye on the market: feedstock prices, freight rates, tariffs and competitor moves
• Grow into your own portfolio of customers and products as you build your track record

How we train you

You don’t need to know the chemical trade yet. We’ll teach you, on real deals, from your first week:

• Learn on live deals alongside experienced traders, with a dedicated mentor to guide you
• Spend hands-on time with our logistics and compliance teams, so you know what it takes to move chemicals safely across borders
• Master the essentials of trade: pricing, negotiation, contracts and Incoterms, freight by ISO tank, drum and bulk container, and regulations such as REACH, CBAM and dangerous goods rules
• Follow relevant courses to deepen your knowledge as you grow

Once your training period is complete, expect around 20 to 30% travel, depending on your market and products: visiting customers and representing CPH at trade fairs.

Who we’re looking for

You’ve recently graduated, or you have up to three years of experience, and you want a commercial role where your results are visible. You’re quick with numbers, enjoy working with people from different cultures, and stay calm when the market moves and decisions need to be made with incomplete information. We expect:

• A completed Bachelor's degree (commercial, business, or technical/chemical background, all welcome)
• 0 to 3 years of work experience; no trading background needed, we will train you
• Strong communication skills in English; Dutch is a plus
• A commercial mindset, a feel for numbers and curiosity about international markets
• Drive, resilience and a team-first attitude
• Willingness to travel around 20 to 30% after your training period

What we offer

• Competitive salary that reflects your experience, plus a performance bonus tied to company and individual results.
• Real room to grow: structured development, relevant courses, and a direct line to senior leadership in a flat organisation.
• Fully employer-funded pension, 8% holiday allowance, and a travel allowance.
• Hybrid working: one remote day per week after onboarding.
• An informal, no-nonsense team where your input counts from week one, with a weekly sport class, social events throughout the year, and an office stocked with fresh fruit, snacks, an outdoor deck and BBQ.

About CPH Chemicals

CPH Chemicals is an international distributor of specialty chemical raw materials. For more than 35 years, we have connected producers and customers worldwide, trading products such as caprolactam, polyolefins, solvents, boron minerals, flavors and fragrances. From our headquarters in Amstelveen, supported by offices in the UK, India, Indonesia and Romania and warehouses on nearly every continent, we serve customers across Europe, the US and Asia. Behind every deal is a hands-on logistics and compliance team moving products by ISO tank, drum and bulk container around the globe. We are a flat, practical organisation with little bureaucracy, real responsibility and a clear link between your work and the results of the business.

Acquisition in respect of this vacancy is not appreciated.