Operator - Dry Bulk & Specialties (2024)

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The Operator will be part of the Chemicals & Specialties Trading Team, supporting the commercial execution of dry bulk products (petcoke, sulfur, and urea). This is a critical role responsible for coordinating and executing domestic and international marine and truck movements across the supply chain, ensuring that commercial commitments are delivered safely, reliably, and efficiently.

The Operator will serve as a key interface between Trading, Operations, Finance, Risk, and external stakeholders, facilitating the seamless execution of commercial transactions, trading strategies, and optimization initiatives. The role requires strong commercial awareness, operational discipline, and the ability to proactively identify and resolve issues that may impact the supply chain or financial performance of a deal.

Reporting directly to the Lead Operator, the successful candidate will demonstrate a high degree of ownership and accountability, along with the leadership and judgment required to manage complex operational challenges. The Operator will be expected to drive effective coordination across internal and external parties while maintaining a strong focus on safety, reliability, cost control, and overall operational excellence.

KEY DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate all marine and truck movements across terminals and vessels, ensuring alignment with trading positions, contractual commitments, and delivery requirements
• Coordinate daily with suppliers, traders, operations, risk analysts, terminals, and external counterparties to manage loading, discharge, and delivery schedules
• Manage marine operations for various dry bulk products, including vessel chartering and coordination with brokers, owners, agents, inspectors, and terminals
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve operational processes, logistics efficiency, and overall supply chain performance
• Monitor and manage inventory positions at storage terminals to minimize demurrage, prevent off-specification product, and avoid storage constraints or overcapacity
• Partner closely with the Compliance Team to ensure all import and export activities satisfy applicable customs, regulatory, and documentation requirements
• Serve as the primary operational contact for shippers, counterparties, terminals, and other service providers, resolving issues within contractual requirements, applicable regulations, and company policies
• Maintain accurate and timely records in SAP, Navarik, and other business-critical systems
• Support month-end reconciliation, inventory verification, and reporting activities in coordination with Front Office, Middle Office, and Back Office teams
• Provide 24/7 operational support to the global trading organization as required, coordinating across time zones including Singapore, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and the United States

Risk Management

• Ensure operational activities comply with applicable industry regulations, standards, contractual requirements, and company policies to minimize operational and financial risk exposure
• Proactively identify potential supply chain disruptions and develop contingency plans to maintain continuity of operations
• Coordinate operational response efforts during disruptions, crises, or emergencies to minimize commercial and operational impacts
• Monitor and mitigate physical and contractual imbalances, including inventory positions
• Provide Trading with accurate and timely updates on operational developments, including inventory availability, vessel status, delays, and other issues that may impact commercial positions or P&L
• Escalate material operational, commercial, safety, quality, or compliance risks promptly and ensure appropriate corrective actions are implemented

Collaboration

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key external stakeholders, including brokers, ship owners, shipping agents, terminals, and inspection companies
• Leverage external relationships and market intelligence to improve operational visibility, identify potential risks, and understand market conditions
• Work closely with Back Office to investigate and resolve inventory, quantity, and settlement discrepancies to support accurate P&L reporting.
• Partner with Trading, Operations, Risk, Finance, and other stakeholders to optimize marine and truck movements and maximize the commercial value of trading positions

Regulatory Compliance

• Stay current on changes to applicable customs, trade, maritime, environmental, and other regulatory requirements and implement necessary changes to maintain compliance
• Ensure import and export transactions are supported by accurate documentation and comply with applicable customs and fiscal requirements.
• Maintain complete and accurate operational records necessary to satisfy legal, regulatory, fiscal, audit, and company requirements.
• Execute activities in accordance with Aramco policies, procedures, internal controls, and applicable laws and regulations

COMMUNICATION

Internal Communications:

• Serve as a key liaison across Global Trading, Chartering, Claims, Finance, Risk, and Operations to ensure seamless execution of operational and chartering activities, timely resolution of issues, and accurate and timely reporting to management
• Foster strong cross-functional alignment and proactive communication to support commercial objectives, manage operational risk, optimize inventory levels, and maintain visibility across the supply chain
• Provide timely and effective communication on operational developments, including vessel and truck movements, inventory positions, delays, quality issues, and other events that may impact commercial or financial outcomes
• Demonstrate a high degree of ownership, responsiveness, and sound decision-making, including availability outside normal business hours to support critical operational events and ensure uninterrupted execution across global time zones
• Escalate material operational, commercial, safety, quality, and compliance issues promptly, ensuring appropriate stakeholders are engaged and corrective actions are implemented

External Communications:

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with terminals, shipping agents, brokers, ship owners, inspectors, other external counterparties to ensure safe, efficient, reliable, and cost-effective operations
• Lead coordination with external stakeholders to optimize logistics performance, manage schedules, resolve operational issues, mitigate disruptions, and support reliable execution across the supply chain
• Serve as a primary operational point of contact for external counterparties, ensuring clear communication of commercial requirements, contractual obligations, operational priorities, and delivery expectations
• Leverage relationships with external stakeholders to enhance market and operational intelligence, improve supply chain visibility, identify emerging risks, and proactively address potential disruptions

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education and Skills (Required, Preferred)

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field, with a strong foundation in operations management
• Minimum of 1+ years of progressive experience in operations management, supply chain management, trading operations, or petroleum products supply logistics; experience with dry bulk products is strongly preferred
• Working knowledge of marine and truck operations, with an understanding of supply and trading activities, including logistics, shipping, inventory management, and commercial contracts
• Marine operations experience with clean products, distillates, chemicals, or other petroleum-related products would be considered
• Experience with SAP is preferred

Experience and Knowledge (Required, Preferred)

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify operational inefficiencies, implement process improvements, and drive performance optimization while multi-tasking through multiple complex business issues
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams, external counterparties, and senior management
• Strong organization and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex and time-sensitive business issues simultaneously
• Strong negotiation, influencing, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions and with external stakeholders
• Ability to operate effectively in an environment characterized by ambiguity, constant change, competing priorities, and time-sensitive decisions while maintaining focus on overall commercial and operational objectives
• Demonstrated ability to quickly evaluate large volumes of information, identify critical issues, and make sound, timely decisions.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and follow-through.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously while remaining collaborative, inquisitive, analytical, detail-oriented, and action-oriented
• Resilient and adaptable, with the ability to remain effective under pressure and manage operational challenges in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to organize, monitor, and maintain a large volume of dynamic information, schedules, transactions, and operational circumstances
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications and other business-critical systems
• Ability to effectively manage a high volume of email and text correspondence and communications—often exceeding 100 emails per day—while maintaining timely, accurate, and appropriate responses
• Ability to work in an office environment located in downtown Houston, Texas
• Willingness and ability to provide 24-hour operational support as required, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays
• Must be able to carry and remain accessible via a company-provided mobile phone and assigned laptop outside normal business hours to support critical operational events and global trading activities

NO THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES ACCEPTED