Grain Merchandiser Job Opening

Grain Merchandiser

Louis Dreyfus

• West Memphis, Arkansas
Category: Merchandiser

This position will be responsible for merchandising grains and oilseeds with specific emphasis on origination into a river or export terminal.


Primary Responsibilities/Essential Functions

  • Aggressively originate commodities by developing a rapport with local farming/commercial community through direct communication
  • Report real-time market information on the Louis Dreyfus intercompany chat system
  • Organize and execute FOB bushel ownership program

  • Dispatch trucks
  • Work to achieve “last right of refusal” for bushels brought to market

  • Devise and execute origination strategies for commodities
  • Participate in daily conference calls reporting market information to regional traders
  • Compose market wires
  • Build and maintain long term relationships with customer base
  • Participate in customer visits and industry social events
  • Develop a base knowledge of the customer’s business including the functionally of his/her operations, provide customers with knowledge of the markets.
  • Travel and work at other facilities expected periodically

Additional Responsibilities

  • Gather news, statistics and information related to individual commodity supply and demand from customers and trade sources, and distribute that information to the remainder of the group to support overall strategic trading/positioning (e., contributes to research function)

  • Identify, qualify and capture new business
  • Learn CINCH, Compuweigh and probing / grading operations.
  • Participate in regular crop tours to assess conditions and potential yields to anticipate markets.
  • Become familiar with all physical plant operations including safety, grading, truck dumping, and barge loading procedures.


Company Conformance Statements

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to conform to the following:

  • Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
  • Interact professionally with co-workers, Company business associates and the general public.
  • Work together in a cooperative spirit to serve the best interests of the Company.
  • Operate in a fully responsible manner and comply with all laws and Company policies.

Equipment Used

  • Typical office equipment: PC, telephone, scan/fax machine, PDA’s.
  • Where appropriate, personal protective equipment (PPE) will be worn in compliance with Company standards and governmental regulations

Working Conditions

  • Primarily works in a climate-controlled office environment with periodic visits to operational areas resulting in exposure to a variety of temperatures and prevailing weather conditions. This may also result in occasional exposure to dust, odors, gases, vapors, wet or slick surfaces and loud noises. The extension of regular working hours is occasionally necessary to complete time-sensitive projects, attend training or respond to emergencies.
  • Work extended hours during peak truck receiving months.

Employee Supervision

  • No direct supervision responsibilities

Decision Making/Accountability

  • Processes a variety of information and data to devise and execute trading strategies. Negotiates with trade counterparts to maximize corporate returns. Advises and recommends trading strategies, assesses risk pertaining to buying and selling and negotiates contract terms with clients.

Louis Dreyfus Company provides equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other protected status.


Required Skills

Basic qualifications:

  • Basic knowledge of futures markets, hedging and arbitrage
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong quantitative skills, including basic knowledge of statistics, algebra (e.g., supply and demand relationships, analysis of price relationships)
  • Ability to organize multiple responsibilities, prioritize workload and perform multiple tasks simultaneously
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision
  • Must be able to climb stairs
  • Must be able to periodically work outdoors and lift small objects
  • Proficiency with spreadsheet and word processing software, (e.g., Excel and MS Word).
  • Must be a motivated self-starter


Required Experience

Basic qualifications:

Up to two years in one or more of the following:

  • Commodity Merchandising/Origination/Trading
  • Commodity Risk Management
  • Logistics/Operations (i.e., coordination of shipments and deliveries)

Preferred qualifications:

  • Previous experience in grain Merchandising/Origination