Execution Officer

Role: Execution Officer – Origin & Vessel Execution

Department: Contract Execution

Reporting to: Executive Manager for Operations, Logistics and Administration Bulgaria; dotted line to Regional Execution Manager and Regional Logistics Manager

Scope of the role:

- Manage end-to-end execution of assigned purchase and sales contracts from origin until final delivery/transfer to the vessel, including planning, coordination and control of cargo movement, storage, quality, documentation, invoicing and related costs.

- Coordinate the physical and documentary flow between suppliers, warehouses, transport/service providers, port operators and vessel execution parties, ensuring that the right goods reach the right place at the right time and in accordance with contractual requirements.

- Monitor stocks, contractual allocations, ownership/title transfer, quality, quantity losses, sustainability status and operational risks throughout the execution chain.

- Ensure that contracts are executed accurately, on time and within approved contractual terms, internal procedures and budgeted costs, while minimizing delays, losses, claims and avoidable extra costs.

- Act as the main execution contact for assigned contracts and maintain clear communication with Trade, Logistics, Finance/Accounting, suppliers, customers, warehouses, surveyors, laboratories, port operators, agents, fumigators and other service providers.

- Perform other business-related tasks assigned by the direct manager or department head and comply with COFCO values, policies, procedures and internal workflows.

- Take full ownership of assigned contracts from purchase at origin through delivery to the vessel and completion of related contractual, documentary, invoicing and operational obligations.

- Apply sound business judgment by assessing operational decisions in connection with contract terms, financial exposure, stock position, cargo quality and compliance requirements

Main Job Responsibilities:

Purchase contract execution / origin coordination

- Take ownership of assigned purchase contracts from nomination/contract handover through receipt, storage, transfer and allocation to the relevant sale/vessel.

- Coordinate delivery programmes with suppliers and operational parties and follow contractual delivery periods, quantities, quality requirements and documentation.

- Monitor open purchases, expected receipts, stocks and available quantities; identify shortages, delays, quality issues or other execution risks and escalate them promptly.

- Coordinate sampling, inspection, analysis, weighing and other services required by the contract or internal procedures.

- Follow title/ownership transfer, credit limits and payment/document conditions relevant to the physical execution.

Cargo movement, storage and logistics coordination

- Plan and follow the movement and placement of cargo by the applicable transport mode and delivery term, in coordination with the Logistics team and external service providers.

- Coordinate warehouses/stock keepers, transporters and service providers regarding intake, storage, handling, transfer and dispatch of cargo.

- Monitor quantity and quality during storage, handling and transfer; investigate and document differences, losses or deterioration and escalate abnormal exposures.

- Follow operational delays, demurrage/detention or other logistics-related exposures affecting assigned contracts and support timely mitigation.

- Ensure cargo insurance follow-up where applicable.

- When required, arrange transport directly: source suitable carriers and capacity, obtain and compare freight quotations, arrange transport orders within approved terms and budgets, issue instructions and monitor performance and deliveries.

- Coordinate transport arrangements with the logistics team where applicable, without leaving time-critical deliveries unaddressed.

Port and vessel execution

- Follow vessel programme, nominations, ETA updates and loading/discharging requirements relevant to assigned contracts.

- Nominate/coordinate with port operators, agents, inspection companies, laboratories, fumigation companies and other operational parties in due time.

- Prepare and issue operational/document instructions and coordinate cargo allocation by contract for the vessel.

- Coordinate loading/discharging activities from the contractual execution perspective and obtain the required operational and cargo documents.

- Arrange/follow the issuance of phytosanitary, veterinary, origin, quality, sustainability or other certificates where applicable.

- Maintain vessel execution correspondence and ensure timely resolution of documentary or operational issues.

- Prepare/check laytime calculations and support demurrage/despatch follow-up where applicable.

- Prepare, verify and calculate vessel laytime, demurrage and despatch, reviewing Notices of Readiness, Statements of Facts, relevant charterparty/contract provisions and supporting records; coordinate follow-up and settlement of related claims within delegated authority.

- Reconcile cargo quantities at each transfer point, including origin receipts, warehouse dispatch, transport, port stocks and vessel loading figures; investigate discrepancies and document causes and corrective actions.

Systems, documentation, invoicing and cost control

- Register, issue, manage and archive contract correspondence, operational documents, invoices and system entries accurately and on time.

- Ensure correct allocation of quantities, inventories and costs to the relevant contracts/positions.

- Receive/check/register cargo and service invoices within the execution scope and follow the documentary flow required for payment.

- Monitor execution-related receivables/payables and unresolved documentation affecting invoicing or payment.

- Maintain complete execution files and supporting evidence for audit, claims and compliance purposes.

- Provide accurate and timely internal reporting on contract status, stocks, costs, risks and open items.

- Follow unresolved execution-related documentation and invoice discrepancies through to closure so that billing and payment processes are not unnecessarily blocked.

Risk management and stakeholder coordination

- Identify operational, contractual, quality, financial, sustainability and documentation risks early and propose practical next steps.

- Escalate material issues with clear context, expected impact and available options.

- Maintain effective communication between internal teams and external parties so that decisions and actions are taken in time.

- Support claims, loss justifications and corrective actions with complete facts and documentation.

- Identify inefficient or repetitive execution activities and propose practical improvements to workflows, reporting, systems and controls, including reducing manual work and improving accuracy.

- Prioritize competing contracts, shipments and vessel requirements according to deadlines, operational urgency and business impact; adapt to changing commercial requirements and logistics constraints.

- Share execution knowledge and practical best practices with colleagues to support consistent standards and continuity, without assuming managerial authority.

- Escalate material risks with clear background, likely impact, available options and a recommended course of action; follow up until resolved.

Requirements

- Bachelor’s degree; minimum 5 years of relevant experience in grains/oilseeds contract execution, logistics, commodity operations or a similar role.

- Good technical knowledge of Incoterms, GAFTA/FOSFA principles, grain and oilseed handling/quality, storage and transport flows, VAT/basic accounting and commercial documentation.

- Practical understanding of port/vessel execution, survey/inspection processes, cargo documentation and laytime is an advantage.

- Knowledge of ISCC/sustainability requirements and traceability is strongly preferred.

- Strong business understanding and ability to connect contract terms, stock position, logistics, quality, costs, documentation and payment implications.

- Organized, proactive, accurate and solution-oriented; able to prioritize and work under tight and recurrent deadlines.

- Strong communication and stakeholder coordination skills; team player with good resistance to stress.

- Advanced MS Office skills; experience with ERP/trading systems (including SAP/Sharp or equivalent) is an advantage.

- English: advanced spoken and written; Bulgarian: native/fluent.

Competency

- Technical knowledge and execution discipline

- Business understanding and risk awareness

- Ownership and accountability

- Planning, organization and prioritization

- Independent thinking and sound judgment within delegated authority

- Clear communication and stakeholder coordination

- Problem solving and structured escalation

- Cost awareness and numerical accuracy

- Teamwork and collaboration

- Results orientation and personal effectiveness

Decision-Making

What decisions/actions can the job holder take without referral to others?

- Daily coordination and follow-up of assigned contracts within approved contractual terms, procedures and budget.

- Stock monitoring and control; routine cargo allocation follow-up.

- Normal document issuance, registration and filing.

- Invoice registration and routine cost/document checks.

- Coordination of standard inspection, analysis, warehouse, port and vessel execution activities already covered by approved contracts/procedures.

- Proposal of corrective actions and practical solutions for operational issues.

What decisions/actions need to be signed off?

- Contract claims, material loss justification, exceptional inventory transfers, invoice payments and department expenditure – according to the applicable approval matrix.

- Extra costs above approved contract/service budget – according to the applicable approval matrix and with Trade/Management approval where required.

- Any matter with material contractual, financial, quality, sustainability/compliance or reputational risk – to be escalated to the direct manager with context, impact and proposed options.

Building relationships (internally – externally)

- Maintain clear and effective communication with Execution and Logistics teams, Department Managers, Traders, Finance, Accounting, Controlling, Quality/Sustainability and other relevant internal stakeholders.

- Act as the main execution contact for assigned contracts and coordinate suppliers, customers, warehouses/stock keepers, transporters, port operators, agents, inspection companies, laboratories, fumigation companies and other service providers.

- Ensure alignment on contract status, stock position, timelines, operational priorities, documentation requirements, costs and potential risks.

- Proactively share updates and escalate issues early to avoid delays, additional costs, cargo losses, claims or disruption.

- Position based in Bulgaria office