_{12th September, 2026}

JOB SUMMARY
A client of ours is seeking a Commercial Economist to join its Johannesburg operation and provide rigorous financial and commercial analysis across its commodity trading activities. The role requires a relevant Economics qualification together with direct experience handling the economics of a trading entity. The successful candidate will build financial models across current operations, undertake forecasting and profit projections, analyse unit economics and costs, support commercial optimisation and evaluate the viability of new opportunities and commercial structures. The position combines internal operational economics with external investor focused financial analysis.

ABOUT OUR CLIENT
Our client operates within the commodity trading sector, with current activities focused on coal and fertiliser. The business is strengthening its South African operational and financial capability as it develops its trading activities and evaluates future opportunities across additional commodities and African markets.

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT
In order to be shortlisted for the vacancy, the successful candidate will have the following skills and competencies, but not limited to:

• Relevant university degree or higher qualification in Economics
• Practical experience handling the economics of a trading entity
• Strong financial modelling capability, including the ability to build financial models around existing operations
• Experience in forecasting, profit projections, unit economics and cost analysis
• Commercial understanding of how trading operations generate profit and where costs and financial risks arise
• Ability to analyse commercial viability and evaluate new opportunities and commercial structures
• Strong numerical, analytical and commercial judgement
• A systematic and highly accurate approach to financial and operational analysis
• Experience within commodity trading is strongly preferred
• Coal industry knowledge and experience are strongly preferred
• Experience within fertiliser or other physical commodity markets would be advantageous
• Experience preparing investment projections, viability studies, commercial feasibility analysis or investor focused financial documentation would be advantageous
• Experience within a smaller or mid tier trading business or major commodity trading organisation would be relevant
• Ability to communicate financial and commercial analysis clearly to management and stakeholders

JOB DESCRIPTION
The role responsibilities will include, but not limited to:

• Build and maintain financial models across current commodity trading operations
• Produce financial forecasts and profit projections
• Analyse internal unit economics and undertake detailed cost studies
• Support the optimisation of operating costs and identification of opportunities to maximise profitability
• Model the financial implications of existing operations and proposed scaling opportunities
• Prepare investment projections for potential project expansion
• Evaluate new commercial structures and assess their financial viability
• Undertake commercial feasibility and viability analysis
• Analyse financial information to identify commercially attractive opportunities
• Support management with reliable financial and economic analysis for operational decision making
• Prepare financial models and supporting documentation for investors
• Translate operational activity into robust financial and commercial models
• Work with operational information to understand the economics of coal and other commodity trading activities
• Apply financial and commercial analysis across coal, fertiliser and potentially additional commodities as the business develops  

Please be advised that only shortlisted candidates with the specific skills and experience required to fulfil the responsibilities of the role will be contacted for an interview by one of our consultants. Thereafter, a detailed job description will be made available for discussion before CVs are submitted to our client for review.

REMUNERATION PACKAGE
A market related salary based on the level of responsibility for this role is on offer.

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