At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team as a Commodity Trader Graduate, working on risk management and trading strategies.
- Company: Commerzbank is a leading corporate banking and capital markets organisation with a global reach.
- Benefits: Enjoy opportunities for professional growth, competitive salary, and a dynamic work environment.
- Why this job: Be part of a cutting-edge team, shaping the future of commodity trading in a fast-paced market.
- Qualifications: Recent graduates in quantitative disciplines with strong analytical skills and programming experience are encouraged to apply.
- Other info: This role offers hands-on experience in a high-stakes financial environment.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 48000 £ per year.
A leading corporate banking and capital markets organisation is seeking a Commodity Trader Graduate to join their team in London.
Main Purpose of the role:
Commerzbank Corporates clients (CC) is the integrated Corporate and Investment Banking division of Commerzbank AG. CC provides corporate and institutional clients with a broad range of commercial and investment banking products. It is active in Europe’s most important markets with main offices in Frankfurt and London. The business incorporates capital markets activities in commodities, interest rates and foreign exchange with a strong focus on derivatives. It provides clients with capital and debt raising solutions and offers its customers access to a broad range of investment and risk management products across all major asset classes.
The Commodity trading team within Financial Markets (FM) is a product specialist team with the responsibility of market making and risk managing the whole Commodity products suite of the bank. This includes Precious metals, Base metals, Oil & Gas, Power, Carbon and Agricultural products. Our clients are corporates who manage their commodity price risk; and their banks that act as their counterparties when Commerzbank has no relationship with the end-client. We provide tailor-made Commodity hedging solutions to our clients across the globe. We design complex Commodity trading strategies to maximize the value of our client franchise and optimize the P&L for the bank.
Key Activities and Competencies:
- Work with senior traders to produce risk management and P&L reports.
- Gain a solid understanding of all Commodities derivatives products.
- Pricing of all commodity payoffs following sales requests.
- Use VBA programming or similar language to support the automation of daily trading tasks.
- Idea generation: keeping on top of market, political and economic trends, developing an understanding of relevant issues in the market, and conveying this understanding to sales, in order to facilitate the sales process.
- Structure, price, trade and manage positions on Commodities in order to exploit and develop the bank's core client franchise in a risk controlled, capital efficient and cost effective manner.
- Responsible for effectively market making, managing risk and keeping senior staff informed of current risk positions.
- Be up to date with the rules and regulations of the markets and exchanges in which you trade and ensuring an accurate mark-to-market of the trading book at all times.
- Monitor current market levels and competitor pricing, marking the trading books and making available such market data across the Commodity platform.
- Reconcile and ensure accuracy of Risk and Profit & Loss figures on a daily basis.
- Develop technical, market, product and technological expertise in a fashion consistent with the strategic aims of the business.
- Coordinate projects, monitor performance against objectives and ensure timely delivery.
Typical instruments traded will include futures/forwards, swaps and options.
Key Requirements:
- Graduated in the last 12 months or graduating in 2025.
- Educated to degree level in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Econometrics, or similar highly quantitative discipline.
- Expected to or have achieved a minimum 2.1 UK bachelors degree (or equivalent).
- Excellent numerical and analytical skills.
- Solid problem-solving abilities.
- Strong commercial mindset and high communication skills.
- High entrepreneurial attitude required to develop a business.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Business knowledge from a previous internship within Financial Services.
- Solid understanding of derivatives products at a theoretical and practical level.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office.
- Experience in at least one programming language (VBA, Python, etc…).
- Team player.
Contact Detail:
Commerzbank AG Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Graduate - Commodity Trader (City of London)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in commodities trading. Follow market news, reports, and analyses to understand how global events impact commodity prices. This knowledge will help you engage in meaningful conversations during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the industry. Attend finance and trading events, webinars, or workshops to meet people who work in commodities trading. Building connections can provide insights into the role and may even lead to referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Enhance your programming skills, particularly in VBA or Python. Since the role involves automating trading tasks, showcasing your ability to write scripts or automate processes can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for technical questions related to derivatives and risk management. Brush up on your understanding of futures, options, and swaps, as well as how they are used in trading strategies. Being well-prepared will demonstrate your commitment and expertise.
We think you need these skills to ace Graduate - Commodity Trader (City of London)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant skills and experiences that align with the role of a Commodity Trader. Emphasise your quantitative background, any internships in financial services, and your programming skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for commodities trading and your understanding of market dynamics. Mention specific examples from your studies or previous experiences that demonstrate your analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Highlight Relevant Coursework: If you have taken courses related to finance, economics, or mathematics, be sure to mention these in your application. This will show your academic preparedness for the role and your ability to handle complex quantitative tasks.
Showcase Programming Skills: Since the role requires knowledge of programming languages like VBA or Python, include any relevant projects or coursework that demonstrate your proficiency. If you have automated tasks or created models, describe these experiences briefly.
How to prepare for a job interview at Commerzbank AG
✨Know Your Commodities
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the different commodities and derivatives products. Brush up on your knowledge of precious metals, base metals, oil & gas, and agricultural products. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will impress your interviewers.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your numerical and analytical skills during the interview. You might be asked to solve problems or analyse data on the spot, so practice some relevant exercises beforehand to show that you can think critically under pressure.
✨Highlight Relevant Experience
If you've had any internships or projects related to financial services or trading, be sure to highlight them. Discuss what you learned and how it applies to the role of a Commodity Trader. This shows your commitment and readiness for the position.
✨Brush Up on Programming Skills
Since the role involves using programming languages like VBA or Python, be prepared to discuss your experience with these tools. You might even be asked to solve a coding problem, so make sure you're comfortable with the basics and can explain your thought process.