Risk Management Manager

FURST-MCNESS COMPANY • Rockford Township, IL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Risk Management Manager is responsible for overseeing all merchandising and commercial trading activities in the company, assuring that commodity trades and related risks are managed within the scope of the company’s risk tolerance, procedures, and guidelines. This role partners with the Merchandising Sales Manager to ensure full alignment, encouraging higher levels of collaboration and cooperation amongst merchandising leaders.

Requirements

• Be able to succeed within and adhere to the culture of the Furst-McNess Company.
• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without accommodation.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English.
• Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness or related Ag degree, or the equivalent in related work experience along with 7+ years of experience in merchandising, trading, or grain and/or feed ingredient procurement.
• Active Series 3 and Series 30 or ability to obtain.
• Proven experience in commercial roles within the agricultural sector, specifically related to grain and feed ingredient merchandising/trading.
• Experience in risk management and hedge desk responsibilities.
• Proficient with computers and Microsoft Office products.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and can utilize these skills within all levels of the Company as well as externally.
• Ability to provide outstanding customer service to all associates and management staff, showing a sense of urgency relative to solving problems, performing assigned tasks, employee concerns, etc.
• Ability to effectively organize work schedules and manage multiple assignments by utilizing time management skills to ensure day-to-day assignments and special projects are completed within guidelines agreed upon.
• Ability to work as an effective team member within the department and company. Willingness to pitch in and perform work that may not be a specific part of the job description for the overall benefit of the department and company.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of the livestock and/or poultry industry is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Manage comprehensive risk management strategies to mitigate market risks associated with grain, feed ingredient, and feed commodity trading, including company-wide position management and hedging activities.
• Oversee and monitor all hedging activities, back-to-back sales, and selected opportunistic commodity positions, ensuring compliance with company policies, industry regulations, and risk limits to protect against price volatility and market fluctuations.
• Collaborate with trading, origination, and feed ingredient trading teams to analyze market trends, assess risk exposure, and recommend appropriate hedging strategies to optimize profit margins.
• Collaborate with sales and technical leadership to leverage commodity sales as a complement to nutrition solution sales.
• Determine, implement, and monitor position limits for merchandising and commodity traders.
• Identify grains, ingredients, and commodities that will and will not be handled by the company.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and performance evaluations of existing hedging strategies, adjusting as necessary to align with market conditions and company objectives, and escalating any breaches in a timely manner.
• Work closely with external risk management firm(s) who support hedging strategies for the company.
• Prepare and preset detailed risk management reports and metrics to senior leadership, highlighting key risk indicators, hedging performance, and recommendations for strategic adjustments.
• Partner with the credit team on credit reviews and approval processes, including limit setting and requirements, credit exposure for transactions, and credit terms and margin agreements.
• Monitor liquidity risk arising from margin calls and partner with accounting to ensure adequate funding and liquidity buffers especially under adverse market conditions.
• Ensure strong control frameworks across trading activity, reconciliations, and P&L results.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks across trading, scheduling, logistics, and settlements.
• Develop and maintain risk policies, procedures, and delegated authorities aligned with executive leadership.
• Prepare and present risk reports and ensure compliance with internal controls and external regulatory requirements.
• Promote a strong merchandising culture that balances commercial objectives with disciplined risk taking.
• Collaborate and establish boundaries between merchandising activities and commercial sales.
• Ensure all contracts entered into are reviewed and adhere to all policies and established guidelines.
• Perform other work-related tasks as requested or required.

Benefits

• Health Coverage: PPO or HDHP medical plans, plus HSA/FSA options and 100% covered preventative care.
• Dental, Vision, & RX: Low bi-weekly premiums for employees and dependents.
• 401(k) with Match
• Paid Time off: Vacation, holidays, floating holidays, bereavement leave, jury duty, and FMLA.
• Wellness & Protection: EAP, disability coverage, life & AD&D insurance, and wellness incentives.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees