Senior Merchant - Cross Country Trucks

Scoular•Overland Park, KS

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Merchant is an experienced commodity trader responsible for interpreting the market, formulating and communicating market opinions, and taking risk/reward positions for Scoular. The role builds deep relationships with buyers and sellers, with an added focus on commercial relationships with origin elevators and end-user customers. It also plays a critical role in mentoring and guiding other Merchants. Based in Overland Park, Kansas, the position supports the cross-country truck trade team and its customers in Kansas and the Midwest region. The Senior Merchant assesses market trends and supply and demand, manages positions, and makes trade decisions that generate revenue while ensuring compliance with risk management policies. The role leads logistics planning and strategy, manages freight-provider relationships, negotiates freight contracts, and resolves execution issues. It recruits and serves customers, provides market and transaction information, handles trading conflicts, and supports a favorable customer experience. The position assists the Trade Unit Manager with P&L estimates and forecasts, manages the trade unit’s daily position report, and maintains position limits, credit limits, and in-store inventories. It also coaches and mentors Merchants, directs Merchandiser Assistants, and promotes collaboration across the division and company.

Requirements

At least 4 years of merchandising experience.
College degree in a business-related field or equivalent experience.
Proven critical-thinking skills and ability to drive strategy forward.
Exceptional customer service skills and relationship-building capability.
Ability to perform in a fast-paced environment.
Aptitude in accounting and financial practices and procedures.
Highly skilled in problem-solving techniques.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency with Microsoft Suite and willingness to learn new programs.
Active involvement in agricultural industry association groups.
Demonstrated leadership skills.
Demonstrated knowledge of agricultural macroeconomics.

Responsibilities

Ensure the trade unit complies with risk management policies.
Assess market trends and leading indicators, review product supply and demand, and formulate market opinions and trade decisions.
Manage a position or a subset of the business’s overall position and maintain an informed market opinion each day.
Maintain local, state, and country-level supply-and-demand information and communicate forecast changes to the broader team.
Lead execution logistics planning and strategy, including truck and rail execution and commodity arbitrage.
Manage relationships with freight providers and negotiate freight contracts.
Arbitrage positions for optimal execution and resolve day-to-day execution issues.
Participate in Organic SOPs and monitor and report on compliance.
Recruit customers and business that support the business unit’s strategy.
Develop and maintain business relationships throughout the marketplace.
Provide customers with accurate market information and answer questions about business transactions, including settlements.
Build ongoing relationships with current and potential customers.
Act as a frontline negotiator in trading conflicts.
Support a favorable customer experience for suppliers, end users, and carriers.
Assist the Trade Unit Manager with monthly, quarterly, and annual P&L estimates and forecasts.
Manage the trade unit’s daily position report.
Maintain position limits, credit limits, and in-store inventories as defined by division leadership and trade finance.
Coach and mentor Merchants and provide daily direction to Merchandiser Assistants.
Promote collaboration within the division and company.