Physical Market Development Associate

The Sustainability and Physical Markets team (SPM) is responsible for the strategy, delivery, and operation of the LME’s physical market and sustainability activity. This includes the strategic development of all areas of the LME’s physical ecosystem including future commercialisation, sustainability, overall management of physical market relationships including producers of LME-listed brands, the operation of the LME’s physical network including LME warehousing, operation of the LME approved brands list, and LME responsible sourcing, and the operation of the systems that support and deliver this work and management of all related regulatory requirements including operational resilience.

The SPM team is split into three closely linked sub-divisions to manage these activities, responsible for development and strategic activities, operational activities, or systems management. This role sits on the development side and will cover work across the full physical markets strategic offering at the LME and delivery across all related areas. The role will also involve working with a number of departments across the LME, as well as numerous external stakeholders such as metals producers, financial services entities and consumer product companies. This role will also be crucial in supporting the strategy, delivery and further development of the LME’s physical ecosystem. There will be opportunities for growth and development within the LME, including educational courses, lunch and learns, and networks to join.

Responsibilities

• Act as a reliable and proactive member of the Sustainability & Physical Markets (SPM) team, supporting the delivery of agreed initiatives and day-to-day activities.
• Work closely with the SPM Development team to support delivery against team priorities.
• Take ownership of defined processes, workstreams or tasks, ensuring they are delivered accurately, on time, and to a high standard.
• Provide operational support across SPM activities, maintaining oversight of actions, deliverables and follow-ups.
• Manage relationships with internal stakeholders (e.g. Sales, Operations, Legal, IT) on assigned tasks, escalating issues and proposing solutions where appropriate.
• Prepare clear, well-structured materials (presentations, briefing notes, trackers, meeting packs) to support internal and external meetings.

SPM Development support

• Support the Sustainability & Physical Markets team on projects that contribute to business strategy, product development and new ventures.
• Support the development of new business opportunities by contributing analysis, research and documentation to business case materials.
• Take ownership of specific project tasks or workstreams, resolving operational issues and escalating risks in a timely manner.
• Build a strong understanding of SPM products, services and physical market structure, developing expertise in defined subject areas over time.
• Support in the identification of innovative opportunities across the physical metals market, particularly through emerging technologies (DLT, IoT, AI), with a clear view on feasibility and value.

Financial services entities

• Take operational responsibility for the financial services entities and trade finance-related aspects of LME physical market strategy, acting as the first point of coordination within SPM for financial entity facing activity under senior guidance.
• Maintain an up to date understanding of how financial entities interact with the LME physical market ecosystem, including financing, collateral management, and their data requirements.
• Support the preparation of materials for financial entity meetings, demonstrations and internal decision making.

SPM Systems

• Coordinate internally with SPM Operations to support client related requirements and resolve day to day operational issues.
• Support market engagement across a range of systems, including onboarding support, documentation, process walkthroughs and responding to operational queries.
• Own and maintain process documentation, trackers and workflows relating to external usage of SPM systems, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Capture and synthesise feedback from external users of SPM systems functionality and usability, escalating themes, risks and proposed improvements.
• Contribute to the ongoing commercial development of SPM systems by supporting client retention, usage monitoring and reporting.

Person Specification

• Educated to degree level (minimum 2:1 or equivalent).
• Relevant graduate degree or professional certification.
• Prior work experience in any of the following areas: commodities, commodity trading ecosystem, commodity trade finance, financial markets, management consulting.
• Knowledge of financial markets and financial products.
• Knowledge of digital assets beneficial but not required.

Skills Set And Core Competencies Required For Role

• An interest in the world of physical commodities.
• Highly motivated and independent.
• Good interpersonal skills are essential.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and experience communicating with global audiences preferred.
• Excellent proficiency in Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong business acumen and good understanding of business needs in the context of short- and long-term objectives; thinks holistically and strategically about the business.

Personal Qualities

• Intellectual curiosity.
• Motivated.
• Conscientious.
• Humility.
• Commitment to follow through on tasks.
• Trustworthy.