Role Overview

This is a key opportunity to join ED&F Man Commodities’ cotton trading business as Head of Operations India, leading and continuously improving the domestic operations and trade execution function. Through close commercial partnership with the front office, global trading teams and external logistics providers, you will drive efficient, reliable and cost-effective execution across trucking, warehousing, inventory and delivery operations.

The role will focus on building and strengthening back office processes, leveraging data and digital tools, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement to enhance operational performance, visibility and control. You will also lead and develop a high-performing operations team that plays an integral role in supporting the seamless, compliant and commercially effective movement of cotton.

Position Title: Head of Cotton Operations India

Location: Mumbai, India

Position Type: Full-time

Schedule: Office based

Business Overview

ED&F Man Cotton driven by an ambition to become a leading trader of raw cotton, serving customers around the world. The breadth of ED&F Man Commodities existing operations provides ED&F Man Cotton with offices in major cotton producing regions and expertise in operating sustainable containerised supply chains, underpinned by robust risk management procedures.

ED&F Man is owned by Hartree Partners, LP a leading global merchant commodities firm facilitating the flow of energy, metals, agriculture, and environmental products across the full commodity supply chain, connecting producers and consumers. Hartree was founded in 1997, is jointly owned by senior management and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, LP, and employs around 5,000 individuals worldwide.

Key Accountabilities

• Oversee the end-to-end domestic execution of cotton trades, including trucking, warehousing, inventory movements, delivery scheduling and documentation.
• With support from the Head of Cotton India, build middle and back office resources to enable execution of significant volumes of Indian raw cotton.
• Coordinate with trading, contracts, finance and commercial teams to ensure efficient and timely contract fulfilment.
• Manage trucking, warehousing and third-party logistics providers, ensuring agreed service, cost and performance standards are met.
• Monitor operational performance, resolve delivery and inventory issues, and proactively identify and mitigate operational risks.
• Maintain appropriate operational controls, governance and auditable records across domestic logistics activities.
• Develop strong relationships with key service providers and drive accountability against agreed KPIs and service levels.
• Collaborate with global and regional operations teams to share best practice and leverage existing capabilities.
• Ensure the operations team, processes and capabilities remain fit-for-purpose as the business develops.
• Optimise existing systems and digital workflows across trucking, warehousing, inventory and trade execution, reducing manual intervention and operational errors.
• Develop and enhance data-driven dashboards and KPIs covering transport performance, warehouse utilisation, inventory, costs, service levels and exceptions.
• Use data, root-cause analysis and benchmarking to identify and deliver measurable improvements, ensuring benefits are sustained.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging simplification of processes, better use of technology and stronger cross-functional collaboration.

Skills and Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ operations management experience within agricultural commodities, with strong preference for experience in the cotton trading industry.
• Proven experience managing domestic logistics operations, including trucking, warehousing, inventory movements, delivery execution and third-party service providers.
• Strong understanding of commodity trade operations, contract fulfilment, operational controls and risk management.
• Demonstrated track record of continuous improvement, with the ability to identify inefficiencies, analyse root causes and deliver measurable improvements to processes, cost and service.
• Experience using data, systems and digital tools to improve operational visibility, automate workflows and enhance performance management.
• Strategic and commercially minded, combined with a hands-on, pragmatic and problem-solving approach in a fast-paced trading environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively across trading, finance, operations and external logistics providers.
• Strong analytical skills, commercial acumen and attention to detail, with confidence working with operational KPIs and performance data.
• Proficiency in Excel and supply chain/commodity management systems; experience with ITAS or similar trade execution systems is highly desirable.
• Cotton industry experience and knowledge of the specific operational challenges of cotton trading, storage and domestic distribution would be highly 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.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

To apply you must have the right to work for the provided location.

Role Overview

We have an exciting opportunity to join ED&F Man Commodities’ growing cotton trading business as a Cotton Trader based in India. The role offers the chance to manage and develop a physical cotton trading book, drive commercial growth and build strong relationships across global supply chains. Working closely with trading, operations, finance and origination teams, the Cotton Trader will identify and execute trading opportunities, deliver value to customers and contribute to the continued expansion and success of the cotton business through market insight, commercial acumen and effective risk management.

Position Title: Cotton Trader

Business area: Cotton

Location: Mumbai, India

Position Type: Full-time

Schedule: Hybrid

Business Overview

ED&F Man Cotton driven by an ambition to become a leading trader of raw cotton, serving customers around the world. The breadth of ED&F Man Commodities existing operations provides ED&F Man Cotton with offices in major cotton producing regions and expertise in operating sustainable containerised supply chains, underpinned by robust risk management procedures.

ED&F Man is owned by Hartree Partners, LP a leading global merchant commodities firm facilitating the flow of energy, metals, agriculture, and environmental products across the full commodity supply chain, connecting producers and consumers. Hartree was founded in 1997, is jointly owned by senior management and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, LP, and employs around 5,000 individuals worldwide.

Key Accountabilities

• Manage and grow a physical cotton trading book, with accountability for margin, volume and trade execution performance.
• Execute trading strategies in line with business objectives and guidance from trading leadership.
• Negotiate purchase and sale contracts directly with ginners, exporters, mills, merchant and other market participants within approved trading parameters.
• Analyse domestic and international market fundamentals, crop conditions, supply and demand dynamics, pricing trends, freight economics and customer requirements; monitor and report on market developments, crop forecasts, government policies, export trends, competitive activity and industry developments to identify, capitalise on and support informed trading decisions.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with cotton growers, ginning operations, textile mills, exporters and other key stakeholders across the Indian and global cotton supply chain, building a broad external network to enhance market intelligence and commercial opportunities.
• Drive business growth by identifying and securing new trading opportunities with prospective customers across India and export markets, while supporting retention of existing clients through regular engagement, high-quality service and commercially relevant offerings.
• Collaborate closely with operations, finance, logistics and risk teams to ensure efficient trade execution and excellent customer experience.
• Support the effective alignment of physical trading positions with logistics capabilities, financial objectives, and risk parameters.
• Work closely with IT and trading leadership to automate time-consuming and repetitive aspects of physical trading processes, improving efficiency and decision-making.
• Represent the business at industry events, conferences, trade associations and customer meetings to strengthen market presence and relationships.

Skills and Experience

• 10+ years of physical commodity trading experience is highly preferred, with direct experience in cotton trading strongly preferred.
• Experience working within Indian agricultural commodity markets and knowledge of cotton supply chains, procurement, logistics and export flows.
• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of risk management principles.
• Demonstrable experience of identifying, pursuing, and growing trading opportunities.
• Understanding of domestic and international cotton pricing mechanisms, quality specifications and trade practices.
• Excellent analytical, numeracy, communication and negotiation skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively within India and internationally as required.
• Demonstrable technological focus to drive results and efficiency gains for core accountabilities.
• Proactive, eager-to-learn and problem-solving mindset with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic trading environment.

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.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

To apply you must have the right to work for the provided location.

Business Overview

Established in 1783, ED&F Man is an employee-owned agricultural commodities merchant with 5,500 people in 50 countries and annual revenue in excess of $8bn. We trade sugar, coffee, molasses, animal feed and pulses. Established in 1783, ED&F Man is an employee-owned agricultural commodities merchant with 6,000 people in 60 countries and annual revenue in excess of $8bn. We trade sugar, coffee, molasses, animal feed and pulses. Corporate responsibility is ingrained in our culture. We are passionate about sustainable production, take care to limit the environmental impact of our operations and actively support the communities in which we work.

We source or process raw, white and specialty sugars from over 40 producing countries. We sell to refineries, industrial users, wholesalers, retailers and consumers, offering local solutions though a number of in-country purchasing, sales and distribution businesses.

Key Accountabilities

The primary aim of this role is to handle all execution activities related to the EDF MAN’s Sugar business.

1. Execute end to end transportation processes applying defined contractual terms to minimize risks of the execution.
2. Liaise with suppliers and internal and external customers to plan and manage shipments according to contractual requirements.
3. Manage sales contracts to ensure their clauses are fully understood and executable, ensuring legal and fiscal requirements.
4. Ensures review of operational metrics, maintaining accurate controls and delivery as per the expectation of trade execution processes.
5. Maintain and foster established relationships with customers, clients, suppliers and other business partners, such as supervisory companies, insurance companies, laboratories, agents, warehouses, buyers, and sellers.
6. Independently solve issues with minimal supervision while escalating complex issues to appropriate staff.

Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications 

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience

Minimum of two years of related work experience

Skills and Experience

At least five years’ experience in trade execution, logistics, supply chain, trading or similar

Strong knowledge of Incoterms, UCP rules & ISBP, International Shipping Practice.

Strong organizational, analytical and communication skills

As an ever-friendly reminder: Researchers have found that men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Women and other underrepresented groups tend to apply only when they check every box. If you are interested, but don’t feel like you meet every single point on the job description, please still 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.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process.