Trader

Job Title: Refined Fuel Trader / Trade Platform Designer → Operations & Trading Management Lead

Location: New York / New Jersey Metro Area (Required)

Type: Contract to Hire.

This role is based in the NY/NJ region. We will consider candidates who live outside the area if they can travel to New Jersey during the work week on a consistent basis. This role reports to the Head of Trading / Commercial Director / Platform Program Lead

Role Summary (Two-Phase Role)

This position is intentionally structured in two stages:

Phase 1: Platform Design & Build (Initial Focus)

For the first portion of the role, the successful candidate will act as a front-office refined products trading SME and workflow owner, helping design, validate, and launch a new refined fuels trade platform. The candidate will translate real trading-desk needs into system requirements across the full lifecycle: origination → pricing → execution → logistics → due diligence/KYC → settlement.

Phase 2: Operations / Management Transition (Post-Launch Focus)

After the platform is live and stable, the role will transition into a leadership seat overseeing trade operations, execution integrity, platform adoption, and ongoing optimization, with continued commercial/trading contribution as appropriate. This is a rare opportunity to design the system first, then run the business on it.

Key Responsibilities

Phase 1 – Platform Design & Launch Ownership

• Serve as trader-in-the-loop product owner for the design of a refined fuels trading platform.
• Define platform requirements and user stories based on real desk workflows:
• deal capture & pricing (Platts/Argus benchmarks, diffs, EFPs)
• hedging and paper links to physical trades
• shipping & scheduling (laycans, nominations, re-routes)
• terminal/storage integration
• credit checks & limits
• documentation, confirmations, invoicing, settlement
• Map and build in real-world exceptions: quality disputes, partial lifts, demurrage, claim handling, washouts, swaps/rolls.
• Lead UAT, go-live validation, and trader/ops acceptance testing.
• Partner with engineering/UX to ensure adoption-ready workflows.

Phase 1 – Trading & Market Expertise Input

• Provide refined products trading expertise to ensure platform matches market and execution reality.
• Help shape product scope including:
• EN590 / ULSD / Gasoil
• Jet A1 / Av-kerosene
• Gasoline (multi-grade)
• Fuel Oil (HSFO/VLSFO/MGO blends)
• Naphtha blending components
• Validate arb, freight, storage, and blending economics logic in platform tools.

Phase 2 – Operations & Management Lead (Post-Launch)

• Lead trade operations and execution quality once the platform is live.
• Run the refined fuels trade lifecycle on the platform: execution governance, logistics coordination, due diligence/KYC/credit integrity, and settlement reconciliation.
• Own platform adoption, training, and operational KPIs.
• Drive a continuous improvement roadmap based on live desk feedback.
• Manage or help build the operations/trading support team as volume scales.
• Continue commercial/trading contribution as appropriate.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• 7–15 years refined products trading at a major trading desk (Mercuria / Trafigura / Vitol / Glencore / BP / Shell / TotalEnergies / Gunvor).
• Demonstrated refined fuels P&L capability and deep physical execution knowledge.
• Hands-on experience with front-to-back trading platforms, such as:
• Endur/Openlink, Allegro, RightAngle, SAP CTRM, AspectCTRM, Brady/Eka, Murex
• Execution/market access: ICE, CME/NYMEX, Trading Technologies, Trayport
• Post-trade digitization a plus: VAKT, Komgo
• Strong logistics fluency: shipping, storage, blending, inspections, claims.
• Ability to convert desk workflows into platform requirements for technical teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Engineering, or similar.

Preferred / “Edge” Capabilities

• Prior involvement in CTRM migrations, UAT, platform upgrades, or desk buildouts.
• Existing counterparty network with refiners, NOCs, wholesalers, and end users.
• Comfortable bridging front office, ops, credit, compliance, and engineering.
• Builder mindset with high standards for usability and controls.