Head of Trading

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 252390**Salary**:

- £62,959 - £71,183- (Note that an additional technical allowance will be applied based on experience and time spent in role)**Job grade**:

- Grade 6**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Type of role**:

- Business Management and Improvement
- International Trade
- Knowledge and Information Management
- Other**Working pattern**:

- Full-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Birmingham, LiverpoolAbout the job

**Job summary**:
The Energy Category currently manages an annual £2.4bn electricity and gas spend across approximately 1100 customers. At the time of writing, it can have commodity spend under management of approximately £3bn+ when forward years are factored in. Within the Energy team, we have a distinct and dedicated Trading team established to manage market exposure in line with strategies agreed with our external governance board. Trading is conducted for both aggregated portfolios and for individual organisations with considerable volume and bespoke needs.

The Head of Trading position is a key leadership role within the business and the post holder will be tasked to ensure that the portfolio is effectively managed at both a strategic and operational level to deliver value for money. The role will also be pivotal in driving new products and services, including a possible expansion into other commodities, and developing hedging strategies with a 20 year time horizon via Power Purchase Agreements.

The post holder will work with strategic stakeholders and experts across the public and private sector to give confidence in our credibility, retain our portfolio in a competitive landscape, and grow our business to deliver greater commercial benefits. The ability to build strong personal working relationships is crucial to the effectiveness of the role. The post holder will provide technical knowledge and support to the overall energy team.

**Job description**:
**Key Accountabilities**:
Management of Trading and accountability for portfolio hedging and performance
- Accountable for leadership, management, and performance of the Trading team
- Prudent Operator - ensuring CCS Trading acts prudently at all times, compiling with all applicable requirements and fulfilling its obligations to its customers
- Responsible for development of the trading and risk teams including, mentoring and coaching traders and graduates and future resource requirements
- Ensure team has the rights capability, capacity, tools, and systems to undertake activities
- Ensure service provided exceeds customer expectations
- Ensure public sector price risk is managed over long-term time horizons, with power purchase agreements

Leadership and Strategic Thinking
- part of the Energy SMT and therefore playing a leading role in the content and implementation of the Energy strategy and developing our people and capabilities
- working across the organisation to deliver projects
- lead the Trading team ensuring best in class service
- leadership role within the wider Buildings Pillar
- drive forward strategic objectives such as expansion into new commodities and power purchase agreements for customers

Strategic Relationship Management
- Ownership of relationships and agreements with key strategic customers
- Responsible for developing and maintaining relevant industry networks to support the overall delivery of the business strategy and business development
- Ownership of trading-related key supplier relationships
- Supporting wider category in relationship management of key Supply of Energy framework suppliers and customers

Commercial Benefits and Spend
- Ensuring purchasing activities are best in class and continue to deliver measurable savings year on year
- Expansion of products, services and hedging commodities to drive spend and commercial benefit

Financial / Business Management
- Responsible for trading team business planning and costs, to feed into the overall Energy category.

**Person specification**:

- Proven leadership qualities in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrable trading experience with delivery of excellent performance in energy markets
- Experience of translating customer / stakeholder requirements into delivery / solutions
- Understanding of applicable policies (i.e. government or organisational), regulatory and compliance requirements and their impact on a product or service
- Significant experience of successfully influencing and managing strategic stakeholders at all levels using excellent communication skills.
- Demonstrable experience of developing trading agreements with customers and advise on technical / contractual arrangements with wider stakeholders

**Desirable Criteria**:

- Experience of negotiating Power Purchase Agreements and negotiating balancing and sleeving arrangements is desirable
- Understanding of UK policies and decarbonisation targets.

**Behaviours