Junior Trader

ofi North America (Olam Food Ingredients); Stamford (CT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation time from Day 1

Paid Sick Leave

Company Paid Holidays

401K Match on Day 1

Career Growth & Learning

Job summary

ofi North America (Olam Food Ingredients) is seeking a Junior Trader in Stamford, CT to develop green coffee sales and conduct market research for North America. You will build relationships with small and mid-size customers, manage contract execution, price fixation, quality control, and delivery coordination.

This role blends analytical work with teamwork, and requires excellent communication skills. Onsite five days a week; occasional travel up to 10%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required in Business, Management, Marketing or related studies.
• 3–5 years’ experience in sales or logistics required; commodities/food industry preferred.
• Strong negotiation, analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Support execution of the Coffee trading plan.
• Manage green coffee sales per customer and origin budgets.
• Focus on execution of sales of spot coffee.
• Develop new business with SMEs within the network.
• Interact with customers and respond to needs, submit offers.
• Learn green coffee quality control (grade and cup).
• Manage contract execution and weekly open-position reviews.
• Coordinate with logistics and AP for smooth contract execution.
• Lead research on green coffee imports, trends, and consumer insights.
• Elaborate weekly book value and support trading/sales teams.
• Monitor market trends and identify opportunities and risks.
• Provide regular trading performance reports and recommendations.

Skills

Negotiation

Analytical

Communication

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

We are a global leader in food & beverage ingredients. Pioneers at heart, we operate at the forefront of consumer trends to provide food & beverage manufacturers with products and ingredients that will delight their consumers. Making a positive impact on people and planet is all part of the delight. With a deep-rooted presence in the countries where our ingredients are grown, we are closer to farmers, enabling better quality, and more reliable, traceable and transparent supply. Supplying products and ingredients at scale is just the start. We add value through our unique, complementary portfolio of natural, delicious and nutritious products. With our fresh thinking, we help our customers unleash the sensory and functional attributes of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices so they can create naturally good food & beverage products that meet consumer expectations. And whoever we’re with, whatever we’re doing, we always make it real.

Position Summary

The Junior Trader is a dynamic, dual-focused role that combines green coffee sales development with strategic market research across North America. A successful candidate will be responsible for building and managing relationships with small and medium-sized customers, driving green coffee sales, and overseeing contract execution—including price fixation, quality control, and delivery coordination. This aspect of the role demands a high level of teamwork, customer focus, and operational follow-through.

• Onsite presence 5 days a week is required for this role

In parallel, the role will also lead research initiatives on coffee imports, market trends, and consumer insights, requiring strong analytical skills and the ability to translate findings into actionable strategies that inform the team’s trading decisions.

The ideal candidate will possess a blend of interpersonal and analytical strengths, communicate effectively, think strategically, and thrive both independently and within a collaborative team environment. A strong interest in the green coffee industry is essential, and while prior experience in account management, particularly within coffee or related food sectors—is preferred, it is not mandatory.

The position involves ongoing collaboration with ofi’s coffee-origin teams, as well as logistics and Accounts Payable (AP) departments, making cross-functional engagement a key component of success.

Position Responsibilities

• Support execution of the Coffee trading plan.
• Manage green coffee sales as per customer and origin budgets.
• Focus on execution of sales of spot coffee
• Develop new business by identifying and fostering new customers in the small and medium segments.
• Frequent interaction with customers, understanding and responding to their needs and submitting offers.
• Learn and develop the skills for green coffee quality control (grade and cup).
• Manage contract execution, including weekly review of open position per customer. Coordinate additional actions with logistics whenever it is necessary.
• Cross-collaborate with logistics and AP teams as needed to ensure smooth execution of contracts.
• Lead research on green coffee imports, market trends, and consumer insights utilizing both open and paid data sources
• Elaborate the weekly book value every week.
• Support the trading / sales teams as needed to align to the trading plan.
• Regular monitoring of market trends and industry activity to identify trading opportunities and potential risks.
• Provide regular reports on trading performance, market dynamics, and recommendations for optimizing sales strategies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree is required. Preferred majors in Business, Management, Marketing, or related studies.
• A minimum of three (3) to five (5) years’ experience in sales or logistics is required. Experience within the commodities or food industry is preferred; green coffee industry experience is a plus.
• Strong negotiation skills and self-initiative are required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail is required.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, effectively managing workload to meet deadlines, while ensuring a high standard of quality is required.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook is required.
• Experience managing relationships with customers and/or internal or external stakeholders is required.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills are required.
• Ability to work occasional weekends and evening when participating in company trade or vendor shows, or customer-related events is required.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 10% of the time is required.
• Trading environment experience preferred but not required.
• International trade regulations and compliance knowledge preferred but not required.

ofi provides employees with a comprehensive & competitive benefits package that is designed to support your career, health, and future. A Rewarding Career Awaits!

The pay for this role ranges from $85,000 - $120,000 annually and is based on position responsibilities and geographic location. Actual pay within this range may be determined based on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and/or other determining factors.

Performance-based Bonuses: Discretionary bonus rewarding company performance as well as your contributions and impact, for eligible roles.

Comprehensive & Affordable Benefits: Coverage for you (and your eligible dependents) with plans designed for peace of mind and savings for the future.

A Culture of Well-being: Paid Volunteer time off, access to events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being for you and your family.

Family Support: Paid parental leave, Fertility benefits and lactation support, including milk shipping for traveling employees.

Additional Perks That Make a Difference

• Vacation time from Day 1 – Your time off starts accruing immediately, growing with your tenure.
• Paid Sick Leave – Rest, recover, and return strong – with paid sick leave on ofi.
• Company Paid Holidays – ofi values work-life balance and the importance of celebrating life’s special moments.
• 401K Match on Day 1 – Invest in your future with our competitive retirement savings program.
• Career Growth & Learning – Join a company committed to developing talent, fostering innovation, and creating meaningful opportunities.

At ofi, we don’t just offer jobs—we provide careers built on impact, inclusion, and innovation. Come grow with us!

ofi provides equality of opportunity for all persons with respect to hiring without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. All employment will be decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us for support at: [email protected]

At ofi, we celebrate our diversity. Olam Americas LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.