Head of Fertilizer Desk

Career-Zoom-Pte.-Ltd.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Career Zoom is seeking a Head of Fertilizer Desk to establish and profitably grow its international physical fertilizer trading business from Singapore. The role is hands-on, requiring direct origination and execution of trades rather than purely managing a team.

The successful candidate will originate both purchase and sales opportunities, manage pricing and documentation, and own the desk's standalone P&L with strong emphasis on margins, working capital and risk controls across multiple

Qualifications

• Approximately 10+ years of physical fertilizer trading/merchandising experience.
• A demonstrably profitable book across at least two fertilizer categories.
• Established supplier, producer, importer, distributor and/or end-buyer relationships.
• Proven independent trading-book/P&L ownership.
• Ability to originate both sides of physical transactions.
• Demonstrated realised margins and net contribution.
• Strong understanding of working capital, credit and counterparty risk.
• Experience with bulk/bagged cargo, freight, ports, documentation and claims.
• An entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to building business.
• Exposure to Africa and/or other import-dependent emerging markets would be particularly valuable.

Responsibilities

• Originate both purchase and sales opportunities and develop international trading flows.
• Personally negotiate and execute transactions and manage the full commercial lifecycle.
• Own pricing, contracting, trade finance, shipment, documentation, delivery, collections and claims.
• Carry responsibility for the desk's standalone P&L and monitor risk and performance.

Skills

Physical fertilizer trading

Trading book/P&L ownership

Relationship development

Margins and net contribution

Working capital management

Freight and logistics

Entrepreneurial mindset

Emerging markets exposure

Origination experience

Two-category trading

Job description

Head of Fertilizer Desk – Physical Commodity Trading

Location: Singapore

Career Zoom has been retained by an international trading organisation to appoint a Head of Fertilizer Desk to establish and profitably grow its international physical fertilizer trading business.

This is a working Desk Head position requiring direct business origination and trading. The successful candidate must be capable of developing executable business using established supplier and customer relationships rather than simply managing a team.

Product Scope

Relevant products include:

Urea and nitrogen fertilizers | DAP/MAP and phosphates | MOP/SOP and potash | NPK | other bulk fertilizer products

Candidates are not expected to cover every category but should have a demonstrable trading track record across at least two core fertilizer categories.

Key Responsibilities

The Head of Fertilizer Desk will originate both purchase and sales opportunities, develop international trading flows and personally negotiate and execute transactions.

You will manage the entire commercial lifecycle — including pricing, contracting, trade finance, shipment, documentation, delivery, collections and claims — and carry responsibility for the desk's standalone P&L.

The role requires strong understanding of fertilizer specifications, freight, bulk/bagged cargoes, port handling, storage, quality issues, trade finance, seasonality, tenders and regulatory requirements.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for:

• Approximately 10+ years of physical fertilizer trading/merchandising experience
• A demonstrably profitable book across at least two fertilizer categories
• Established supplier, producer, importer, distributor and/or end-buyer relationships
• Proven independent trading-book/P&L ownership
• Ability to originate both sides of physical transactions
• Demonstrated realised margins and net contribution
• Strong understanding of working capital, credit and counterparty risk
• Experience with bulk/bagged cargo, freight, ports, documentation and claims
• An entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to building business
• Exposure to Africa and/or other import-dependent emerging markets would be particularly valuable.

This is strictly a physical trading mandate. Manufacturing, plant operations, agronomy, technical sales or fertilizer procurement experience without direct ownership of a profitable physical trading book will not be sufficient.