Operations Manager – Commodity Trading & Supply Chain

Role Overview

This position owns the operational backbone of a Nairobi-based commodity trading desk, turning executed deals into physical movement — booking cargo, coordinating vessels and haulage, and keeping paperwork in step with the goods. Leading a team of seven to eight operations specialists, the role sits where trading, treasury and trade finance meet, and small execution errors there quickly become real cost, risk or customer-service problems. The person in this seat keeps cross-border commodity flows running predictably and builds processes that hold up as volumes grow.

Key Responsibilities

• Run the day-to-day work of a seven- to eight-person operations team: allocate shipments, set priorities, review the quality of output, coach individuals and step in when volumes spike.
• Own end-to-end execution of international commodity shipments across container, bulk and breakbulk modes, from booking through to final delivery.
• Handle trade and shipping documentation, apply the correct Incoterms (FOB, CFR, CIF, EXW, DAP) to each transaction, and resolve discrepancies before they hold up cargo or payment.
• Act as the daily point of contact for suppliers, customers, shipping lines, freight forwarders, customs agents, transporters, ports and 3PL partners across several jurisdictions.
• Work alongside Trading, Treasury and Trade Finance so shipments, payments and paperwork stay aligned and no transaction stalls on an operational detail.
• Track stock positions, reconciliations, shipment milestones and outstanding payments, and keep operational systems and records accurate and current.
• Document and continuously tighten operating procedures and controls, diagnosing recurring bottlenecks and fixing the underlying cause rather than the symptom.
• Use Power BI and related reporting tools to monitor cost, transit time and exception trends, give management evidence for decisions, and drive uptake of shipping and digital operations tools across the team.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, International Trade, Commerce, International Relations or a comparable discipline.
• Five to seven years in operations, with a background in commodity trading, international logistics, shipping or supply chain. Commodity and trading operations experience is essential rather than optional.
• Demonstrated responsibility for supervising a team, ideally of seven or more people, including workload planning and development of staff.
• Working command of shipping operations and freight movement: booking practice, carriage documentation, and cargo handling across container, bulk and breakbulk shipments.
• Solid grounding in the legal and regulatory framework surrounding international trade, including customs and import/export compliance obligations.
• Hands-on experience dealing with shipping lines, transporters, freight forwarders, ports, customs authorities and 3PL providers.
• Strong systems fluency, including Power BI and comparable management-reporting tools, and a habit of using data to sharpen controls, reporting and decision-making.
• Proven handling of stock movements, reconciliations, shipment records and operational controls.
• Practical, hands-on problem-solving style with the confidence to engage international counterparties and internal stakeholders, plus clear written and verbal communication.