COMPANY OVERVIEW
Holcim Trading & Shipping (HT&S) is the trading arm of Holcim Group, the world leader in innovative and sustainable building materials. Holcim Trading & Shipping (HT&S) is specialized in meeting the needs of customers and suppliers around the world through a unique portfolio of products and services provided from offices in Zurich, Singapore and Miami.Holcim Trading & Shipping (HT&S) is a leading international trader and seaborne logistics operator who delivers, through a team of dedicated specialists, solutions for the seaborne import and export of raw materials and finished goods both to Holcim Group companies as well as to third party businesses.SUMMARY OF THE JOB
The Head of Region EMEA is responsible for proposing and executing the Holcim Trading & Shipping plan in the EMEA Region by:
1. As a member of the Management Team, ensuring adequate processes and resources are deployed;
2. Developing and managing a network of internal and external business partners;
3. Managing teams of traders, chartering managers and operators;
4. Ensuring strategic alignment with Holcim Group entities;
5. Embedding the carbon reduction policies in the supply and demand game plan;
6. Managing risk and compliance for trading in his/her region;
7. Maximizing Volume, Net Sales and ROIC with third party customersMAIN ACTIVITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy
The Head of Region EMEA contributes to the elaboration of the overall global trading strategy. He/she is responsible for ensuring its execution in his/her Zone for all product lines (Cement, clinker, cementitious, gypsum, ARM and any other products, which the Group may allocate from time to time).
The Head of Region EMEA is also a key contributor to “read” the worldwide international cementitious market, to identify opportunities and risks and to anticipate them. The Head of Region EMEA proposes, and is involved in specific strategic development projects related to seaborne import/export of all products traded in the zone.
The Head of Region EMEA also helps import/export Group companies in the definition and implementation of their own strategy and optimization of their footprint when related to international seaborne flows. She/he provides expertise on investment alternatives.
The Head of Region EMEA is in charge of developing and maintaining a network of decision makers (usually company CEOs and Exco members) in the global cement industry, in particular in countries where the Group does not have a presence.Business objectives
The Head of Region EMEA is accountable for his/her trading P&L. He/she is accountable for defining the trading roadmap in line with the overall trading strategy for the Regions:
● Satisfaction of export/import requirements of Group companies at market prices
● Maximize third party volumes, net sales and ROIC by leveraging on pooling of volumes, optimizing and arbitraging flows and qualities, as well as taking positions. Definition and
implementation of the trading development plan; priority countries and target customers, value propositions, trading resource allocation.
● Manage extreme situations (e.g. sudden shortage of cement / clinker in one country),
● Leverage Group assets by maximizing their utilization, and capture value for the Group from imbalances
● Manage key customers/suppliers/partners through regular visits and Customer Satisfaction Survey animation
● Foster innovation through the development of service offer, new product offer
● Integrate and animate the worldwide management cycle for Trading
● Implement the set objectives received/agreed with the Trading Excom: define and seek approval on the yearly budget including transfer Prices, arbitrage across sources.
● Validate resource allocation to ensure resources (people and financial) are used optimally
● Ensure performance tracking on a monthly basis as per KPI dashboard
● Accompany the decarbonisation efforts conducted by many countries within the region and leverage them for optimal sourcing and sales planningPeople development
As a member of the Holcim Trading & Shipping management team, the Head of Region EMEA contributes to the overall safety performance of Holcim Trading & Shipping. He/she is directly responsible for the Health and Safety of direct and N-2 reports.
The zonal trading team reports directly or indirectly to their corresponding Head of Regions.
The Head of Region EMEA is responsible for ensuring adequate staffing of the zonal trading team in line with HT&S overall ambition. He/she also ensures the personal development of each trader and team member in line with the respective competency profiles. The Head of Region EMEA also plays a key role to ensure effective team work at the interfaces between the Trading team, Chartering, Operations and the support functions (Business Intelligence, Finance, Legal…), as well as with the Trading teams of other zones and Group Procurement.
The trader’s job being a Group development position, the Head of Region EMEA plays a key role in coaching and developing identified Group talents and to prepare them for future general management or senior commercial positions.Risk management
Due to the nature of international seaborne trading, risk management is a key responsibility of the Head of Region EMEA:
● Adherence of Trading team to the Holcim Code of Business Conduct and all other applicable Group policies
● Monitoring of the enforcement of the Holcim Trading and Shipping Policies in the zone
● Protection of the Holcim Group reputation and brand value for relevant seaborne trading activities
● Approval of trades and execution of contracts as authorized by CEO of Holcim Trading & Shipping within the framework of the Group and HT&S delegation of authority
● Supervision of trades and early identification and resolution of potential risks
● Arbitration on Group sources / destinations in order to optimize overall costs whilst balancing country and customer risks;
● Direct intervention on material risk prevention
● Crisis management
● A posteriori controls on key risks to ensure respect of corporate governance
● Proposes, approves and monitors as per DOA model open position taking/closingPROFILE REQUIRED
Education/ Qualification:
● Higher technical/commercial education, ideally business degree (MBA)
Experience:
● min. 15 years of management positions in building materials / cement businesses. Sales, Marketing and Strategy experience is a must, ideally completed by exposure to maritime
logistics.
Knowledge and skills:
● Technical competencies / job knowledge: in depth understanding of cement values, properties and usages for various types of customers (IP, GS, distributors, construction
sites…). Expertise in international seaborne trading and maritime regulations and logistics.
● Managerial and Interpersonal competencies / communication; agility to adjust management style and interpersonal skills to a broad variety of country and company cultures whilst
consistently promoting Group / trading values and principles. Politically savvy and diplomacy in particular to manage intra-Group priorities.
● Cultural and language Skills; Posted experience in at least 2 different countries. Strong appetite and curiosity for geo-political topics and multinational cultures.
Languages:
● Excellent English, written and spoken
● Mastery of at least 1 additional internationally representative language (e.g., Spanish, French, Arabic, etc).Travel requirements:
Time spent travelling internationally or nationally is very high (up to or more than 50% of the time)Did we spark your interest? Build your future with us and apply.