Trade Finance Lead

Job Title: Trade Finance Lead

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Department: Trade Finance

Reports To: Trade Finance Manager

Role Overview

As the Trade Finance Lead, you will be responsible for overseeing and optimizing trade finance activities, ensuring compliance, and managing key banking relationships. This role requires extensive experience in both banking and trading environments, with a strong preference for candidates who have worked with Turkish banks. You will act as a strategic partner to the business, driving efficiency, mitigating risks, and enhancing financial performance within the trade finance function.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy:

· Lead and oversee all trade finance activities, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

· Develop and implement strategies to optimize trade finance operations and mitigate financial risks.

· Manage an international team, ensuring effective collaboration across different locations.

Trade Finance Activities:

· Manage and supervise the issuance, negotiation, and execution of trade finance instruments, including Letters of Credit (LCs), Standby LCs (SBLCs), Letters of Guarantee (LGs), and Performance Bonds.

· Ensure the accurate processing of documentary collections, discounting, and risk mitigation instruments.

· Review and approve financial transactions, ensuring compliance with UCP600, URC522, ISBP, URDG758, and other international trade finance regulations.

· Oversee and validate bank charges, ensuring cost efficiency and accuracy.

Risk Management & Compliance:

· Monitor trade finance risks and ensure strict adherence to regulatory and corporate policies within multiple regions

· Conduct due diligence on counterparties and banking partners, assessing financial exposure and risk mitigation strategies.

· Ensure compliance with sanctions, anti-money laundering (AML), and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements in trade finance operations.

· Support carbon credit trading activities and assess associated financial risks and opportunities.

Banking & Relationship Management:

· Build and maintain strong relationships with Turkish and international banks to secure the most favourable terms and structures.

· Negotiate financing terms, trade credit lines, and collateral requirements to optimize working capital.

· Explore innovative trade finance solutions, including structured finance, trade credit insurance, and alternative funding mechanisms.

Qualifications & Experience:

· Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.

· 6+ years of experience in trade finance, with a strong combination of banking and trading company experience.

· Extensive experience working with Turkish banks is highly preferred.

· Proven experience managing an international team in a fast-paced environment.

· Strong knowledge of ICC rules, trade finance instruments, and Incoterms.

· Experience in carbon credit trading and financial structuring related to sustainability initiatives is an advantage.

· Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess financial risks and optimize funding structures.

· Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.

· Proficiency in financial modelling and trade finance software/tools is an advantage.

· Fluency in Turkish is a must, in addition to English.