Facility Merchant

The Facility Trade Merchant is responsible for maximizing the revenue generated through Scoular’s facility network by optimizing the buying, selling, futures spreads, time spreads, and arbitrage of grain merchandising through facilities within the Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois region. The Facility Trade Merchant is an experienced commodity trader with proven history of deploying established trade skills.  This regional role has responsibility to interpret markets, formulate and communicate market opinions and take risk/reward positions for Scoular.  This role must leverage the internal trading and trader resource/synergies of the company and remove identified duplication resources or other inefficiencies. In partnership with the Facility Trade Manager, the Facility Trade Merchant is expected to write contracts and trade with the nested local supplier relationships of the assets to enhance the division’s cross-country book in partnership with enterprise rail and truck teams. The Facility Trade Merchant is on the front line with the external market place using trade and execution acumen, global supply & demand data and regional strategy development to maximize the product group strategy and drive growth initiatives within the region. 

The position connects business unit strategy, operational execution, and regional initiatives by establishing trading discipline, identifying growth opportunities, and building strategic partnerships. Success requires strong market insight, leadership capability, commercial acumen, and the ability to drive profitable growth in a dynamic agricultural marketplace.

Market Analytics & Business Growth

• Buy and sell commodities across short- and intermediate-term markets, using hedging, basis management, logistics, and premium positioning to maximize regional facility revenue.
• Partner with regional, divisional trade, origination, and facility operations teams to develop and execute profitable trading strategies within established risk and inventory management policies.
• Analyze supply and demand, market conditions, economic forces, competitive activity, and short- and long-range fundamentals to identify arbitrage, hedge, and growth opportunities.
• Improve trade-unit efficiency and profitability through strategic planning, timely forecasting and budgeting, variance analysis, and continuous monitoring of emerging market trends

Trade Execution

• Analyze and execute profitable regional and product-line trading opportunities using market intelligence, risk management tools, and disciplined trading strategies.
• In partnership with the Facility Trade Manager, lead truck and rail execution strategy, optimize commodity arbitrage, and manage freight-provider relationships and contract negotiations.
• Maintain assigned commodity positions, credit limits, in-store inventories, and related trade contracts within established controls.

Commercial and Customer Development

• Partner with Operations, Origination, and Trading teams to align customer needs with market opportunities and negotiate profitable commercial and transportation agreements.
• Develop and sustain relationships with key customers and suppliers, including producers, end users, elevators, brokers, and prospective partners.
• Serve as a front-line negotiator to resolve trading conflicts and deliver a favorable, seamless experience for suppliers, end users, and carriers.

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Business, Finance, Supply Chain, Transportation, or a related field; equivalent industry experience may be considered.
• 4+ years of progressive experience in agricultural commodity trading, grain merchandising, freight trading, or a closely related commercial role.
• Strong understanding of rail freight markets, railroad operations, freight contracts, rail logistics, and agricultural commodity flows.
• Demonstrated record of profitable commercial decision-making and risk management.
• Demonstrate a collaborative, enterprise-first mindset to drive Company results.
• Proven critical thinking skills and ability to develop, communicate and implement trade strategy.
• Strong negotiation, communication, analytical, and relationship management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions in a fast-paced, changing market environment.
• Strong financial acumen, including the ability to evaluate margins, spreads, exposure, and risk/reward tradeoffs.