Associate Manager/Manager, Business Development, Sales and Trading - Wheat

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated individual to achieve sales and trading targets for Wheat commodities. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the PnL of the Wheat Division for a specific geography, driving business development, generating market intelligence, and optimizing supply chain arbitrages. This role requires strong capabilities in customer relationship management, staff development, and meticulous reporting.

• Experience: 2-6 years in Agri trading and sourcing, preferably with reputed Agri procurement companies.
• Domain Expertise: Strong knowledge of local traders, government platforms, and market dynamics in Agri commodities.
• Key Skills: Sales, Trading, PnL Management, Market Intelligence, Research, Supply Chain Optimization (procurement, warehouse, logistics), Customer Relationship Management, Staff Capability Building, Reporting, Documentation, Business Development.
• Attributes: Highly self-motivated, ability to work with minimal supervision, strong interpersonal skills, excellent written and verbal communication, excellent computer skills.
• Education: Preferably from premier Agri Institutes (IRMA, MANAGE, SIIB, XIMB, NIAM).

About the Role

Achieve the Sales/Trading Target of the commodity Wheat through creation of Action Plans, Interfacing with Internal / External Organizations, Business Development, generating market intelligence, research, capturing arbitrages in supply chains (procurement, warehouse, logistics etc.), executing the trading plan, customer relationship management, capability building of Staff & extended Organization, providing error free Reports and documentation.

The Manager shall be responsible for managing PnL of Wheat Division for a particular geography.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Business Development

• Creation of Action Plans for Sales.
• Ensure translation of DHQ Plans for PnL and annual sale requirement through customer backward approach.
• Prepare and execute sales plan in accordance with the procurement plan and channel capability for procurement of various commodities and finished products.
• Continuous tracking of market rates to capture arbitrages in trade.
• Creation of domestic sale pipeline, and ensure complete execution of same for meeting annual and quarterly targets.
• Execute Sales at the best possible prices at stated contribution levels in line with the overall divisional plan.
• Generate action plans to expand the business into other diversified categories in order to better the margins and enter into a more value-added segment.

Customer Relationship Management

• Identify customer needs and building strategic and tactical measures to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Improvise and execute innovative trading mechanisms customized to the needs of various customers.
• Migrate customers from price category to service or commitment category.

Interface with Internal / External Organization

• Interface and recommend with the Channel to improve processes.
• Ensure adequate support to the Channel to resolve all issues related to Trading in the State has been provided.
• Coordination between customers and Channel to improve process efficiency.
• Interface with the Foods Division in the State.

Performance Analysis & Feedback

• Highlight various deviations in performance through active monitoring of performance indicators vis-à-vis sanctioned plan figures, reasons for the gap, provide feedback on performance improvement and follow up on the suggestions given for its improvement.

Capability Building

• To enable staff and team with necessary support for better performance of business.
• To interact with all stakeholders to address their issues.
• To ensure necessary technology is in place to make the systems more efficient.

Reports & Documentation

• Ensure proper documentation of Sales & Trading related Data and Reports as required by the Business.
• Ensure all documents such as sale trackers, PnL circulation reports, market reports, risk mitigation reports, Long Short reports and other necessary trackers are sent on time.

Market Research / Intelligence

• To access market reports, weather reports, mandi rates, customer end product markets and global markets to derive at a complete understanding of the market.
• Develop a network of brokers and traders in the domestic market for extending better reach in the market.
• Generating Supply and demand of Wheat at Hub level, State level and subsequently at country level.
• Develop a system in conjunction with the Channel Manager that ensures that the Channel keeps track of supplier competition and their activities.
• Develop a system in conjunction with the Channel Manager that determines the crop potential of various crops being cultivated or having potential of cultivation in the State, that identifies value chains of crops having marketable surplus and a reliable, credible crop survey mechanism that predicts accurately critical parameters viz. expected quantity, quality etc. of crops under observation.

Warehouse Management

• To sensitize BOM manager regarding planned storage capacity before the start of the Wheat season.
• Develop a system / process in conjunction with the Channel Manager to ensure optimum warehouse utilization.
• To ensure delivery of material as per the required blend specifications of the customers.
• To maintains strict distinction between material classified for internal customer (FBD) from material meant for general trading or other preferred customers.

Logistics Management

• Develop a system in conjunction with the Channel Manager that maintains proper records, accounts of material dispatched and received at destination, transition losses, cost of transportation, variation of cost from budgets and packaging material usage and to provide an audit trail to the entire process.
• Develop market tracking mechanism in conjunction with the Channel Manager to provide regular information on prevailing market prices, competitor's costs and stock movement by competitors and other market players.

Requirements

Candidate Profile

• Experience: 2-6 years of experience in Trading and Sourcing desk in reputed Agri procurement company.
• Market Knowledge: Strong knowledge of local traders and good relationship with government platforms.
• Work Ethic: Highly self-motivated and demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrated ability to work well with people from a variety of backgrounds.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Technical Skills: Excellent Computer skills.

Key Stakeholder Relationships

Internal Communication

• Business Manager
• Vice President – Bulk Commodities & Supply Chain

External Communication

• Government authorities
• Traders and Trading community
• Brokers
• Competitors – Millers, Institutional customers etc
• Logistics and Transporters

Qualifications

• From a reputed Agri sourcing and procurement organizations in similar space.
• Preferably from premier Agri Institutes like IRMA, MANAGE, SIIB, XIMB, NIAM etc.