Role Overview
We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join us as Business Development Manager UK & Ireland, leading the growth of Volcafe’s specialty business and green coffee markets. This role will play a critical part in shaping and executing the commercial strategy, ensuring we maximise opportunities across the global supply chain to deliver value to our clients, through building strong partnerships and driving sustained business growth.
Business Overview
Volcafe Ltd is one of the world’s leading international green coffee trading companies, operating in over 20 countries globally. Our expertise spans green coffee procurement and preparation, sustainability, blending, quality control, risk management and export as well as importing and distribution. We supply the world’s major coffee roasters and retail distributors with their green coffee requirements,
with significant strategic growth ambitions for the future. We are part of ED&F Man Commodities, a world leading trader of agricultural products including coffee, sugar, molasses and animal feed.
Volcafe works across the whole green coffee supply chain to make coffee business better, together with our partners and employees. We have built and operate sustainable coffee supply chains across all our origins, addressing key economic, social and environmental issues in coffee farming communities. Our Volcafe Way farmer support programme engages with thousands of coffee farmers and provides a holistic response to the challenges they face.
This role offer a hybrid working style, with our UK office based in Bristol.
Key Accountabilities
- Manage commercial relationships with an existing portfolio of specialty clients, ensuring delivery against growth targets and long-term partnership development.
- Develop and execute a proactive lead generation strategy to expand the client base across the specialty coffee segment.
- Support purchasing decisions and risk management strategies to meet client demand, leveraging internal and external supply chain capabilities.
- Manage relationships with specialty supply chain stakeholders to ensure efficient and cost-effective contract execution.
- Contribute to sourcing and purchasing strategies to strengthen spot availability and enhance B2B sourcing services.
- Represent the company at industry trade events and contribute to trade media to strengthen market presence and brand positioning.
- Collaborate with leadership to develop and execute marketing initiatives that elevate brand visibility across the UK, Ireland and international markets.
- Maintain a deep understanding of client needs, market trends and the evolving role of specialty roasters and green buyers.
- Drive a client-centric approach to ensure demand is captured and translated into commercial opportunities.
Skills and Experience
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience in the coffee industry, ideally within green coffee sales, business development or trading.
- Strong commercial acumen with an entrepreneurial mindset and a track record of delivering business growth.
- Client-focused approach with demonstrable knowledge of the UK and Irish specialty coffee markets.
- High level of numeracy and literacy, with the ability to manage commercial data and contracts effectively.
- Strong relationship management skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across internal and external stakeholders.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with confidence representing the business in client and industry settings.
- Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Proven cupping ability, with Q-Grader qualification considered highly desirable.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently, both domestically and internationally.
- Fluency in English required; additional languages such as Spanish or Portuguese are advantageous.
We recognise that talent comes in many forms, and we value potential just as much as experience. If this role excites you but you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.
Our Offer
We provide a fast-paced, stimulating and truly global environment, which will stretch your abilities and channel your talents. We also offer competitive salary and benefits combined with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the global leaders in soft commodity trading.
Our Values
Respect, Integrity, Meritocracy, Client Focus, Entrepreneurship
Our values define who we are. They are the fundamental beliefs that determine our actions and guide our behaviour. They influence the way we communicate and collaborate, and define the way we engage with our clients, partners, and communities. Our values are underpinned by a set of essential behaviours, which form part of our performance management approach. Delivering on our objectives is very much about ‘what’ we do, but these essential behaviours also provide a guide and measure for ‘how’ we do things. Our performance essentials are Take Initiative, Self‐Management, Deliver Results and Collaboration.
Our Commitment
We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and are focussed on actively building and developing diverse teams. All qualified applicants will receive equal treatment without regard to race, colour, sex, gender, age, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, marital or civil partner status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment (identity, gender expression), genetic information or any characteristic protected by local law.
