About Odyssey
Odyssey is a climate fintech company transforming distributed energy globally. Our mission is to radically accelerate investment in distributed energy in growth markets, from Africa to India and Latin America. We have enormous traction ($2.3B capital on the platform), a collaborative, motivated and mission-driven team, and top investors backing us. We’re scaling quickly and ready to hire a Director, International Trade to lead our company’s international trade and trade credit operations.
Our ideal candidate would have led end-to-end export-import management in an organization operating across multiple countries and is now motivated to take up an entrepreneurial role to shape a business from an early stage. The candidate would have excelled in drafting, negotiating, and managing complex agreements for EPC, renewable energy, and infrastructure projects and handled pre- and post-contract activities, such as ensuring compliance, mitigating risks, handling variations, claims and resolving disputes.
Overseeing Import and Export Operations: Manage and coordinate the movement of goods across international borders, ensuring timely delivery and compliance with regulations.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with all relevant international and local country trade regulations including customs laws, tariffs, and documentation requirements.
Client Management: Establish her/himself as a trusted advisor to clients for all matters relating to international trade, procurement and procurement finance.
Deal Negotiations and Drafting: Lead deal discussions with clients to negotiate optimal terms to balance risks and returns and safeguard organisational interests at all stages. Draft and negotiate robust error-free documentation that avoids delays and risks.
Payments Security: Coordinate with own and client banks as required to negotiate right mechanisms (e.g. letters of credit, guarantees as required, etc.) for payment security.
Logistics Coordination: Develop and maintain strong working relationships with freight forwarders, and customs brokers to streamline processes. Plan and coordinate logistics for international shipments, including transportation, warehousing, and distribution.
Contracts Management: Manage and enforce contract terms handling variations, claims and resolving disputes.
Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks related to international trade, including payment risk, risk of delays, regulatory changes, and supply chain disruptions.
Analysis and Budgeting: Analyze costs associated with import and export operations, develop budgets, and identify areas for cost reduction.
Data Analysis and Reporting: Regularly analyze trade data and trends to inform strategic decisions. Create reports for senior management on trade performance.
Team Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams, including sales, finance, and logistics, to ensure streamlined operations. Be the go-to-expert in the company for global trade-related matters, providing expertise and guidance to teams.
Experience and Qualifications
We’re looking for a candidate that brings:
Proven expertise in all aspects of international trade and import/export operations
At least 10 years of relevant experience, with significant leadership responsibilities in a similar role
A degree in international trade, supply chain, procurement, finance, trade laws or a related field
Excellence in in structuring, negotiating complex trade deals
Solid techno-commercial experience of trade terms, financial instruments, compliance requirements and legal drafting and contract management
Hands-on, leading the team from the front approach
Attention to detail
Preferably, experience in solar industry
Preferably, experience of transactions in Africa and India, our biggest markets
Flexible: Company offers remote working, but this position will coordinate with teammates in Asian, European and African time zones so multiple hours of working-hour overlap with these time zones is necessary.