Trade Execution & Traffic Lead

CONFIDENTIAL SEARCH – Trading entity of a privately held international holding group, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Full-time, permanent, reporting to the Executive Board. Hybrid, with in-person presence at the ADGM office in Abu Dhabi at short notice; regular travel to origin and ports. ABOUT THE COMPANY A privately owned investment holding based in Zurich. Through its operating companies, it develops strategic resources at origin, alongside proprietary investments in emerging technologies. The team is small and senior, with short decision paths. The group's ADGM-based trading entity runs physical trading flows of mineral concentrates out of Africa to global offtakers, for its own production and for third-party supply, with gold flows potentially added over time. We are looking for a Trade Execution & Traffic Lead to own every physical trade from mine gate to buyer: contracts, logistics, documentation, settlement and responsible-sourcing compliance. This is not a trading seat. It is the operational backbone that makes every trade deliverable, financeable and auditable – and you will build it from scratch. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Trade Execution - Run end-to-end execution of physical trades in tin, tungsten and tantalum concentrates (and other minor metals), for both proprietary production and third-party supply; potentially gold down the line - Translate signed offtake and purchase/sale contracts into executable shipment plans; track quality, quantity, pricing, Incoterms and delivery obligations - Manage provisional and final invoicing against assays, weights and agreed price references; reconcile positions and trade-level P&L with the finance function - Act as the single point of contact for buyers, suppliers and service providers on all operational matters Traffic & Logistics - Plan and coordinate inland transport, border crossings, port handling and ocean freight out of Africa to offtakers and smelters in Asia, Europe and the Americas - Appoint and manage freight forwarders, shipping lines, warehouses and collateral managers - Arrange independent sampling, assaying and umpire analysis; manage weight and quality disputes - Track cargo, laytime and demurrage; resolve delays and claims Insurance, Hedging & Risk - Place and manage cargo, transit, stock-in-warehouse and political/credit risk cover with brokers and underwriters; handle claims - Manage price exposure from contract signature to final pricing: quotational periods, price fixings, and hedges where liquid instruments exist (tin on LME, FX), in line with board-approved limits - Monitor counterparty, country and performance risk; apply credit limits, payment security (LCs, prepayment structures) and title-transfer terms - Maintain a live risk register per trade covering price, logistics, credit, compliance and force-majeure exposure Documentation & Settlement - Prepare and control the full document set: export permits and mineral marketing clearances, certificates of origin, bills of lading, assay and weight certificates, packing lists and insurance certificates - Present documents under letters of credit, prepayment and trade-finance facilities; meet lender and financier conditions precedent - Work with the Financial & Tax Lead on payment timing, cash forecasting and intercompany flows Responsible Sourcing & Compliance - Own the group's 3TG supply-chain due diligence, aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance (including Annex II) and the five-step framework - Run KYC/KYS onboarding of suppliers, buyers and intermediaries, including UBO, sanctions and PEP screening - Maintain mine-to-market chain-of-custody records; support CAHRA assessments, site visits and third-party audits - Prepare the group for buyer and smelter requirements under RMI/RMAP, ITSCI where applicable, the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation and US Dodd-Frank Section 1502; extend the framework to LBMA and UAE gold due-diligence requirements once gold flows start - Align trade processes with ADGM and UAE regulatory, AML and responsible-sourcing obligations, in coordination with external advisers Systems & Process - Build the execution function from scratch: trade files, checklists, document templates, approval flows and a trade/position tracker - Define controls for counterparty limits, document release and payment authorisation together with the COO - Report trade status, exposures and compliance KPIs to the Executive Board WHAT WE OFFER - Ownership of physical trade execution and responsible sourcing from day one, in a growing trading platform - Exposure to both proprietary production and third-party flows, from mine site to global offtaker - Direct access to the Executive Board and a small, senior team - Hybrid working with an office in Abu Dhabi (ADGM); travel to origin and ports; competitive, tax-free compensation plus discretionary bonus The employer is not named at this stage for reasons of strategic confidentiality. Full company details will be disclosed to shortlisted candidates before the interview process. All applications are treated in strict confidence. - Five to ten years in physical commodity trade operations, execution or traffic at a trading house, miner, smelter or commodity trade-finance bank - Hands-on experience with mineral concentrates, ideally tin, tungsten, tantalum or other minor metals; gold or base metals also relevant - Proven track record moving cargo out of Africa through regional export corridors and ports to global offtakers - Working knowledge of 3TG responsible sourcing: OECD Due Diligence Guidance, RMI/RMAP, ITSCI, EU and US conflict-minerals rules, KYC/AML and sanctions screening - Fluent in trade documentation, Incoterms, letters of credit, cargo insurance, assaying and contract pricing mechanics, including price fixing and hedging - Self-starter who takes ownership and wants to build a function from the ground up; structured, discreet and calm under pressure - Fluent English; other language fluency an advantage - Must be a UAE resident with permanent residence and a valid residence visa, able to attend the ADGM office in Abu Dhabi at short notice Advantageous - Experience with ADGM or DMCC-based trading entities - Familiarity with a CTRM system or structured trade tracking - Network among freight forwarders, inspection companies, insurers and minor-metals buyers