Commercial Manager at Louis Dreyfus Company

Job Description

Main accountabilities (Main Responsibilities):
PNL manager 

• Management of LDC Kenya coffee team and business, responsible for trading and marketing
• Develop customer relations. Understand client’s needs and answer to these needs in a commercial manner, sustain the relationships with the key customers through commercial actions (provide market advice, visit clients, etc.) 
• Identify potential new trade flows and customers; work on ways to initiate/increase business with customers and suppliers.
• Support LDC sustainable initiatives and build supply chains

Knowledge and Experience:

• 10+ year’s experience in physical coffee trading preferably in specialty 
• Existing solid book of EAF green coffee buyers
• Origin experience and knowledge in developing sustainable supply chains
• Knowledge: Sound coffee cupping/liquoring experience preferably Q grader
• Education: University qualification in Business, marketing or related field
• Languages: English mandatory, foreign additional language preferable 
• Systems: MS office

Technical/ Functional skills:

• Strong experience in cupping and sensory evaluation, preferably Q Grader
• Advanced Excel & word

Other skills and competencies:

• Strong written & verbal communication skills are essential 
• Must be willing to travel in Origin and internationally

Problem solving:

• Analyze balance sheet and evaluate trading opportunities.
• Review local market and new sourcing opportunities.
• Map main destination markets and derive marketing strategy to enter those markets

Dimension and context:

• Financial: 2m USD Commercial Margin

Team Size:

• Staff: 15-20

Interactions/ interface:

• Will be in contact with external customers and authorities as well as internal departments such as Execution (both domestic and international), Origin sourcing teams, Exporters, Roasters, Credit Risk, Finance, and Controlling 

Job challenge:

• Competitive and niche Kenyan coffee marketing