What are the responsibilities and job description for the Trading Manager, Wheat position at COFCO International?
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Trading Manager – Wheat to join our U.S. business, with a primary focus on origination, farmer relationships, and domestic market development. Based in the U.S. (preferably Midwest grain belt), the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in sourcing wheat directly from local farmers, cooperatives, and elevators, while building strong commercial partnerships that secure supply for COFCO’s global network.
This role requires a strong commercial mindset, deep knowledge of the U.S. wheat market, and the ability to balance origination, trading, and risk management.
Key Responsibilities
We are seeking an experienced Trading Manager – Wheat to join our U.S. business, with a primary focus on origination, farmer relationships, and domestic market development. Based in the U.S. (preferably Midwest grain belt), the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in sourcing wheat directly from local farmers, cooperatives, and elevators, while building strong commercial partnerships that secure supply for COFCO’s global network.
This role requires a strong commercial mindset, deep knowledge of the U.S. wheat market, and the ability to balance origination, trading, and risk management.
Key Responsibilities
- Origination & Farmer Relations
- Build and maintain long-term relationships with farmers, cooperatives, and local grain elevators.
- Act as COFCO’s representative in farming communities, providing market insights and developing trust-based partnerships.
- Develop and implement origination strategies to secure wheat volumes aligned with COFCO’s global supply requirements.
- Trade and monitor FOB U.S ports market
- Trading & Market Development
- Monitor and analyze wheat market trends, pricing, and supply-demand fundamentals in the U.S.
- Execute trades that optimize value, balancing origination and merchandising strategies.
- Support the export program by coordinating with logistics, execution, and global trading teams.
- Risk Management & Compliance
- Manage price risk exposure in collaboration with risk and finance teams.
- Ensure trades comply with company policies, risk frameworks, and relevant regulations.
- Maintain accurate reporting and data for positions, contracts, and market exposure.
- Collaboration & Growth
- Partner with COFCO’s global grains trading desks to align U.S. origination with international demand.
- Provide regular market intelligence and farmer feedback to global trading, research, and strategy teams.
- Contribute to building COFCO’s U.S. origination platform as part of the company’s long-term growth strategy.
- Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness, Economics, Finance, or related field.
- Minimum 5–10 years’ experience in wheat trading, origination, or merchandising within the U.S. grains industry.
- Established farmer network and strong relationships with cooperatives and local grain buyers.
- Proven track record in origination strategies, execution, and risk management.
- Solid understanding of U.S. wheat market fundamentals, logistics, and export flows.
- Strong communication and negotiation skills; ability to engage credibly with farmers and commercial partners.
- Entrepreneurial, results-driven mindset with the ability to work independently and as part of a global team.
- Opportunity to join a leading global agri-business with strong growth ambitions in the U.S. grains market.
- Direct impact on building COFCO’s farmer origination platform in the U.S.
- A dynamic, entrepreneurial work environment with global exposure.
- Competitive compensation package, including performance-based incentives.