Operations Manager - Steel / Metals

Our client is a leading global trading and distribution organization with a strong presence across international metals and steel markets.

The Opportunity

Our client is looking for an experienced and proactive Operations Manager Americas to lead and support its US operations.

Based in Schaumburg, Illinois, the role has direct operational responsibility for the performance of the Americas Operations team, with Operations leads in the US and India reporting into the position.

This is not a purely supervisory role. The Operations Manager is expected to remain hands-on in trade execution, personally owning individual trade deals end-to-end while also managing and developing the wider Operations team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, mentor and supervise the US and India-US Operations teams across all aspects of trade execution.
• Personally manage the Niche desk and/or step directly into deal-execution responsibilities whenever required.
• Own individual trade files end-to-end, including contract review, LC issuance/negotiation with banks, customs and regulatory documentation, and logistics coordination.
• Act as the direct escalation point for urgent or complex transactions, personally intervening with banks, customs brokers, vendors and logistics providers.
• Manage and continuously improve operational procedures through streamlining, standardization and automation.
• Develop a customer-focused Operations function with strong relationships across commercial teams, customers and suppliers.
• Train and support Operations staff in coordinating with stevedores, warehouses, trucking companies and other logistics providers.
• Ensure monthly warehouse reports are received and reviewed, ageing inventory is optimized, and inventory is reconciled against the system of record.
• Resolve issues or delays relating to payments for steel purchases, freight and service providers.
• Coordinate with the Finance & Accounting team to ensure proper authorization of vendor invoices before payment.
• Liaise with IT to improve existing operational systems and processes and manage operational claims.
• Work closely with Traders and other regional and functional teams to ensure smooth trade execution.

Required Experience & Competencies

• Strong understanding of international trade operations, products and customer service, gained through recent, direct desk-level exposure.
• Hands-on experience managing physical trade transactions end-to-end.
• Strong working knowledge of Letters of Credit (LCs), banking and trade finance processes.
• Hands-on exposure to customs, import/export documentation, regulatory requirements and international logistics.
• Experience designing and implementing improved operational processes and procedures.
• Proven team management and people-development experience.
• Strong customer orientation, communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving and timely decision-making capabilities.
• Collaborative working style with multicultural and geographically distributed teams.

Preferred Industry Background

Experience within a trading house is strongly preferred, particularly from:

• Steel / Metals Trading
• Steel Mills / Steel Operations
• Commodities Trading
• International Physical Trading

Direct steel or metals trading experience is highly preferred.

Education

Bachelor s degree in Finance, International Trade, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent qualification.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate combines operations leadership with genuine hands-on trade execution experience. They should be equally comfortable leading a team and personally executing transactions involving contracts, LCs, customs documentation, banking and logistics.

Candidates whose recent experience has been primarily managerial or strategic, without current hands-on trade execution exposure, may not be suitable.