Role Overview
We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join us as a Cotton Buyer to work in a truly entrepreneurial environment. This role will be responsible for procuring cotton by developing and maintaining a customer base within the Southeastern territories to achieve business results as established through business planning and goal setting. The role provides long term development potential for someone eager to demonstrate their skills and experience in the fast-paced soft commodities environment.
Business Overview
ED&F Man Cotton was established in mid-2025, 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 all major cotton producing regions and expertise in operating sustainable containerized supply chains, underpinned by robust risk management procedures.
We are part of ED&F Man Commodities, a world leading trader of agricultural products including coffee, sugar, cotton, molasses and animal feed.
The position is based remotely throughout the Southeast of the US, with substantial travel required during the buying season September to March.
Key Accountabilities
- Develop, implement and manage regional procurement and contracting strategies, ensuring overall alignment with corporate objectives.
- Management of general buying positions, contract exposure, credit, freight and logistics in conjunction with the internal team, to meet or exceed budgeted volumes and margins.
- Achieve fiscal procurement through various contract options that align with the corporate strategy (e.g. Customer Basis Adjustment).
- Conduct analysis of the current and future agricultural trends alongside competitor analysis to develop and implement strategies to create commercial opportunities.
- Management of purchase contracts alongside internal support teams.
- Develop and maintain effective partnerships with customers (including agents) in respective regions, identifying new business opportunities whilst balancing profitability, market share and customer service.
- Provide customer learning opportunities that provide incremental value, regarding strategies in order to increase awareness of customer/business needs.
- Responsible for establishing marketing plans to achieve margin and volume objectives, alongside the trading team.
- Coordinate research, analysis and gathering of information to support the regional production and quality model.
- Track purchase levels for month end P&L to ensure reconciliation and weekly reports of market structure and activity in the region, related to trade levels, volumes and competitor information.
- Represents the business in regional industry groups.
Skills and Experience
- Substantial prior experience within the commodity buying / origination function, preferably within the cotton industry.
- Degree educated within preferably agriculture, agri-business, business administration or marketing.
- Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with customers and colleagues in a competitive environment.
- Proven ability to identify opportunities to deepen relationships and improve client satisfaction and retention.
- Understanding of warehousing tariffs, trading terms and quality specifications
- Excellent oral, written and listening communication skills.
- Strong negotiation skills.
- Proven knowledge and understanding of purchasing contracts.
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.