Middle Office Manager – Cocoa

The Opportunity

Our client, a leading soft commodity merchant, is seeking a Middle Office Manager to lead the operational and control framework that underpins its cocoa trading business. Sitting at the heart of the desk, you will be the connective tissue between traders, customers, suppliers, finance, and the wider trade support functions.

This is a role for someone who thrives on accuracy and accountability. You will safeguard the integrity of every commercial transaction, own the reporting and risk picture, and make sure all post-trade activity is executed cleanly and on time.

What You'll Be Doing

• Take full ownership of the administration and control of cocoa trading contracts across their entire lifecycle, from execution through to completion.
• Oversee accurate and timely contract capture by the desk — including entries, amendments, and confirmations — and keep supporting documentation complete and up to date.
• Track contractual obligations throughout the trade and ensure all parties adhere to the agreed commercial terms.
• Deliver accurate, timely reporting of both physical and financial cocoa positions.
• Reconcile positions across systems, investigating and resolving any discrepancies at source.
• Produce the daily, weekly, and monthly exposure reports that management relies on.
• Own FX exposure reporting tied to cocoa trading activity.
• Safeguard the consistency and accuracy of valuation methodologies and the inputs behind them.
• Provide traders and management with analytical reporting and performance metrics that support decision-making.
• Support ongoing risk monitoring and uphold internal reporting standards.
• Design and maintain robust middle-office controls and procedures.
• Spot operational risks early and put appropriate mitigating controls in place.
• Maintain compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and audit standards.
• Monitor customer receivables and payment performance across the book.
• Chase overdue accounts, coordinating collection efforts with the finance and commercial teams.
• Flag payment risks and disputes to traders promptly so they can be managed.
• Act as the central coordination point for operational matters involving external counterparties.
• Manage the administrative requirements of suppliers and customers end-to-end.
• Ensure contractual, compliance, shipping, invoicing, and settlement documentation is provided on time.
• Partner closely with trading, operations, logistics, finance, and counterparties to keep the desk running smoothly.