Company Overview:
Zen-Noh Global Holdings SA is a global agribusiness organization committed to delivering high-quality agricultural products and services across international markets. With roots in Japan and established operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other key agricultural regions, Zen-Noh Global Holdings is expanding its international footprint to meet growing demand and build resilient supply chains.
Joining Zen-Noh Global Holdings means being part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team that values sustainability, innovation, and strategic growth.
Role Summary:
Zen-Noh Global Holdings is seeking an experienced and highly skilled Trade Execution Executive to join our Geneva office. This role is critical in ensuring operational excellence across the full trade lifecycle, supporting robust risk management, and driving continuous process improvement.
The Trade Execution Executive will oversee and coordinate all types of trade execution activities ranging from routine flows to highly complex transactions. In this leadership role, you will also manage and guide a team of trade execution specialists, ensuring seamless coordination of all processes related to the movement of grains worldwide while maintaining consistent communication with internal and external stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and develop the trade execution team, setting individual goals that align with corporate and departmental objectives established with upper management.
- Ensure accurate and compliant contract creation, incorporating all commercial terms and specifications received from the Traders into written purchase and sales contracts for export flows.
- Validate that all contract terms conform to the appropriate governing frameworks, including GAFTA, FOSFA, NAEGA, ANEC, and other relevant industry standards.
- Ensure non-standard contract terms (outside GAFTA/FOSFA/NAEGA/ANEC scope) are fully compliant with all relevant international regulations (including food and feed safety standards) and internal legal, compliance, risk, and accounting policies prior to execution.
- Oversee the full lifecycle of trade execution, including contractual notices, adherence to tenders terms, loading/discharge coordination, all documents issuance, quality compliance, full payment process, and finalization of laytime statements with both customers and shippers.
- Implement and enhance document control processes, ensuring strict adherence to contractual payment terms, documentary instructions, and internal control procedures.
- Work closely with banks to negotiate favorable terms for opening or confirming letters of credit, performance bonds, document presentation, refund/payment conditions, and all banking-related processes.
- Ensure documentation and banking obligations meet both contractual terms and importing country’s laws and regulations, enabling the timely issuance of vessel shipping documents and prompt customer payment.
- Selection and appointment of supervision companies where needed and keeping excellent work relationships with them to ensure problems are solved in timely fashion with zero or minimum disruption.
- Track and improve the whole cash cycle for all contracts’ execution to reduce working capital requirements and strengthen cash flow discipline.
- Identify, research, and implement technological and procedural improvements to enhance execution efficiency, documentation workflows, contract lifecycle, reporting capabilities, and operational visibility.
- Maintain strong coordination with trading, logistics, legal, finance, risk, insurance, vessels operation teams in all global Zen-Noh offices to ensure seamless, timely execution of export flows.
- Manage operational claims and proactively resolve complex execution issues, ensuring effective communication with counterparties and service providers.
- Proactively find solution to anticipate escalation of risks into losses or claims and ensure working directly with higher management where needed to report and get resources needed to mitigate any potential losses.
- Oversee administrative activities, including any contractual related invoice processing, shipment record maintenance, and performance tracking for the execution function.
- Perform other duties as required to support operational excellence and continuous process improvement.
- Be a champion of compliance and regulatory adherence and escalate where needed or share with the team to ensure proper learning opportunity for the whole Zen-Noh teams.
Profile
- Minimum 15 years of experience in trade execution and contract management within the soft commodities sector.
- Proven global experience across US, Asia, EMEA, and LATAM regions.
- Deepen knowledge of supply chain operations, logistics flows, letter of credit or any other payment terms and latest Incoterms.
- Excellent understanding of trade finance instruments and mechanics and governing terms.
- Solid working knowledge of international shipping documentation.
- Deepen understanding of contract law and frameworks governing global agricultural commodities (notably NAEGA, ANEC, GAFTA, FOSFA, etc…).
- Fluent English and French; Arabic is a strong plus.
- Outstanding time management and prioritization skills, including flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities.
- Demonstrated ability to manage, mentor, and develop staff while fostering a collaborative and high‑performance team environment.
- Willingness to travel internationally.
Personal Attributes
- Entrepreneurial mindset with a proactive and solution-oriented approach.
- Reliable, self-motivated and able to demonstrate strong leadership.
- Excellent attention to detail, rigorous, structured and meticulous.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills , with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively.