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