Head of Middle Office – Contracts & Trade Execution
Location: Singapore
Team Responsibility: Middle Office, Contracts, Documentation and Trade Execution
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Head of Middle Office to lead the end-to-end control and execution of our physical agricultural commodity transactions.
The role will serve as the primary operational partner to the Trading teams, ensuring that agreed trades are translated into accurate contracts and executed smoothly through shipment, documentation, payment and final closure.
The successful candidate will provide strong supervision and direction to the Contracts, Documentation and Trade Execution teams. The role requires someone who can anticipate execution risks, ensure timely resolution of issues and provide Traders and management with clear visibility throughout the trade lifecycle.
This is a senior, hands-on leadership position requiring strong Middle Office experience, commercial awareness and the ability to work closely with Trading, Logistics, Trade Finance, Finance, banks and external service providers.
Key Responsibilities
Middle Office and Contract Management
Own the post-trade lifecycle from trade confirmation through contract issuance, execution, settlement and closure.
Ensure purchase and sales contracts accurately reflect the agreed commercial terms, including pricing, quantity, specifications, shipment periods, delivery terms and payment conditions.
Maintain consistency between trade confirmations, contracts and information recorded in the company’s systems.
Oversee contract amendments, extensions and other changes, ensuring they are appropriately approved and recorded.
Monitor open contracts, shipment obligations and key execution milestones.
Identify contractual and execution risks early and work closely with Traders and other stakeholders to resolve them.
Ensure completed contracts are properly reconciled and formally closed on time.
Support Trading and Legal in managing claims, disputes and non-performance matters.
Trade Execution and Documentation Oversight
Provide overall supervision of international commodity shipments from contract confirmation through delivery, settlement and closure.
Ensure the execution teams coordinate effectively with Traders, suppliers, buyers, origin offices, Logistics, Trade Finance, banks and external service providers.
Establish appropriate controls to monitor shipment schedules, vessel nominations, cargo movements, documentation deadlines and payment status.
Ensure trade documents are prepared accurately, completely and within the required timelines, including Bills of Lading, invoices and relevant certificates.
Oversee the review of Letters of Credit and other payment terms to ensure alignment with contractual requirements.
Guide the teams in resolving documentation discrepancies, shipment delays, shortages and quality or quantity differences, intervening in complex or high-risk matters when required.
Oversee the management of demurrage, despatch, claims and other significant operational matters.
Ensure material execution risks, delays and exceptions are identified early, escalated appropriately and communicated to Traders and management.
Ensure trade and shipment information is accurately maintained in the relevant systems, supported by appropriate controls and periodic reviews.
Hold the respective teams accountable for timely, accurate and commercially responsive execution.
Controls and Process Improvement
Establish strong operational controls, standard workflows, checklists and clear handoffs across Trading, Middle Office, Logistics, Trade Finance and Finance.
Improve contract and documentation turnaround times to support faster collections and reduce financing costs.
Strengthen checking and review processes to reduce execution errors, Letter of Credit discrepancies, payment delays and rework.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures covering contracts, documentation and trade execution.
Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve the use of CTRM, ERP and document-management systems.
Establish meaningful KPIs covering execution timelines, documentation accuracy, payment delays, contract closure and operational exceptions.
Review banking, courier and service-provider arrangements to improve service levels and reduce avoidable costs.
Promote proactive coordination to minimise demurrage, storage, documentation and other execution-related costs.
Team Leadership and Development
Lead and develop the Middle Office, Contracts, Documentation and Trade Execution teams.
Establish clear ownership, service standards and performance expectations across the function.
Allocate work effectively based on trading volumes, shipment priorities and documentation deadlines.
Provide technical guidance on contracts, Letters of Credit, shipping documentation and trade execution matters.
Develop team capability through coaching, cross-training and structured knowledge sharing.
Build a culture of accuracy, ownership, commercial responsiveness and proactive problem-solving.
Ensure adequate team coverage during peak trading and shipment periods.
Build a capable function that can manage routine execution independently while escalating significant risks appropriately.
Candidate Profile
Experience and Technical Knowledge
Approximately 12–18 years of relevant experience in Middle Office, commodity trade execution, contract administration or shipping operations.
Strong leadership experience within an agricultural commodities or physical trading business.
In-depth understanding of the complete physical trade lifecycle, from trade confirmation through shipment, documentation, payment and contract closure.
Strong working knowledge of commodity contracts, Incoterms, Letters of Credit, shipping documentation, laytime, demurrage and despatch.
Proven ability to work closely with Traders and translate commercial agreements into well-controlled execution.
Experience managing high-volume, multi-origin and multi-destination commodity flows.
Demonstrated success in strengthening controls, improving turnaround times and reducing execution or documentation errors.
Experience working with banks, suppliers, buyers, shipping agents, freight forwarders, surveyors and other service providers.
Experience using CTRM, ERP, trade-finance or document-management systems.
Strong Excel, analytical and management-reporting skills.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, International Trade, Supply Chain, Shipping or a related discipline.
Professional qualifications in international trade, shipping, supply-chain management or trade finance would be advantageous.
Personal Attributes
Strong and credible people leader who remains comfortable with operational detail.
Commercially aware, with the confidence to challenge incomplete or unclear trade instructions.
Highly organised, accurate and capable of managing multiple contracts, shipments and deadlines.
Proactive in anticipating execution risks and resolving issues before they affect shipments or payments.
Strong problem-solving, stakeholder-management and decision-making capabilities.
Clear and effective communicator across different teams, cultures and locations.
Able to balance strong controls with timely and practical execution.
High standards of ownership, integrity and professional judgement.
Key Measures of Success
Smooth and timely execution of trades from confirmation through final closure.
Accurate and timely issuance of contracts and trade documentation.
Reduction in execution errors, Letter of Credit discrepancies and payment delays.
Faster documentation turnaround, collections and cash-conversion timelines.
Reduction in demurrage, courier, banking and other avoidable execution costs.
Early identification and effective resolution of operational and contractual risks.
Clear and timely visibility of material execution matters for Traders and management.
Timely closure and reconciliation of completed contracts.
Development of a capable, responsive and well-controlled Middle Office function.
All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
