Manager - Commodity Procurement & Trading - Food & Agri

Role Purpose: The role will be responsible for commodity procurement and trading activities, with a primary focus on Maida/Wheat. Candidates with relevant experience in procurement or trading of Wheat, Edible Oil or Sugar will also be considered, with preference for professionals having strong Wheat/commodity trading exposure. Key Responsibilities: Commodity Procurement & Trading: - Manage procurement and trading activities for commodities across South and West India. - Handle spot and forward buying and ensure competitive procurement rates. - Develop and maintain relationships with traders, mills, suppliers and other commodity-market participants. - Evaluate market prices, supply-demand trends and buying opportunities. - Track procurement requirements and ensure timely availability and delivery of commodities. - Support Wheat/Flour/Maida procurement and custom milling activities. - Monitor by-product rates and market movements where relevant. - Identify and develop new vendors/suppliers to improve competitiveness. Market Intelligence: - Develop strong ground-level understanding of commodity markets. - Track prices and market developments across major clusters. - Monitor competition, supply availability and market trends for Wheat, Maida, Edible Oil and Sugar as relevant to the candidate's experience. - Provide market inputs to support procurement and trading decisions. Purchase Operations: - Track purchase orders and ensure timely execution and delivery. - Work on improving RFQ effectiveness and procurement efficiency. - Monitor quality and reduce quality-related rejections. - Coordinate with internal teams, vendors, mills and logistics partners. - Facilitate internal and external audits related to procurement. Team Management: - Lead and guide a small procurement team. - Ensure effective execution of purchase and commodity-related activities. Skills and Experience: Candidate Profile: - 2 - 6 years of experience in commodity procurement, commodity trading or purchase. - Candidates with experience in Wheat, Maida, Edible Oil or Sugar will be considered. - Wheat traders / Wheat procurement professionals are particularly preferred. - Candidates from either procurement or trading backgrounds can be considered. - Experience dealing with traders, mills, commodity suppliers or institutional buyers preferred. - MBA from a premier B-School is mandatory. - Strong understanding of commodity markets, pricing and procurement practices. - Good Excel and analytical skills. - Strong negotiation, vendor management and communication skills. - Ground-level market exposure and ability to develop supplier/trader relationships. Preferred Commodity Background: - Wheat / Maida - Preferred - Edible Oil / Oilseeds - Sugar - Other Food & Agri Commodities - The position is particularly suitable for professionals with 2 - 6 years of hands-on experience in commodity procurement or trading, especially those with Wheat trading/procurement exposure.