Trader Trainee Intern (Ingredients)

Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods. Our activities span the entire value chain from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines, we leverage our global reach and extensive asset network to serve our customers and consumers around the world. Structured as a matrix organization of six geographical regions and ten platforms, Louis Dreyfus Company is active in over 100 countries and employs approximately 18,000 people globally.

Overall Purpose and Objective of Position

The objective of the intern program is to train an individual on the basics of ingredients sales and trading including; understanding the manufacturing process of ingredients, supply and demand relationships, hedging, prospecting new customers, customer relations, price negotiation skills, freight spread analysis, basic accounting and helping to work on data analysis.

This internship will ideally be 8-10 weeks and located in the Wilton office. Prefer local candidates, start date ASAP. This person will need to possess a genuine interest in sales and enjoys interacting with new people daily, with the ability to socialize easily and gain trust and extract information through conversation. 

Primary Responsibilities/Essential Functions:

• Gathering US import and export data on new products joining our portfolio due to LDC’s acquisition of BASF’s emulsifier business in Europe.
• Using LDC’s new AI features to screen for prospective customers to build a hit list of new customers, for all products but also the new ingredients we will have from the BASF acquisition.
• Freight spread work on prospective customers for LDC’s new soybean oil refinery in Upper Sandusky Ohio.  Rank destinations by freight cost.  Compare freight vs. our competitors’ refineries and determine where we have the right to play.
• Customer prospecting using online tools and cold calling to find a potential buyer for our products.  Setting up intro calls with a senior salesperson on our team and joining the calls to learn how we introduce LDC products and what our capabilities are to a new customer.  
• Potentially join our team at a trade show in the third week of July in Chicago and meet the broader ingredients team for LDC.    Gather information from prospective customers visiting the LDC booth and follow up with those new leads after the show.
• Using Power BI, build out reports on our historical business and do some customer stratification reports.
• Learn to negotiate prices and contract terms with customers.  Elevate skills to maximize price, payment terms, and awarded volumes.
• Input contracts into front office system.
• Learn and practice methods for hedging canola oil purchases and sales.

Additional Responsibilities

• Research and analyze market data.

• Create spreadsheets to organize relevant data.

Education/Professional Certifications/Licenses

Must be enrolled in college pursuing a two or four-year degree in one of the following areas: Business, economics, agriculture, communications or marketing. 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (including any physical demands)

• Willingness to learn the basics of futures markets, hedging and customer relations.
• Possesses a genuine interest in sales and enjoys interacting with new people daily, with the ability to socialize easily and gain trust and extract information through conversation.
• Skilled in communication, both written and verbal
• Proficient with MS Word and Excel.
• Proficient speaking in English
• Must be able to commute to the location

Working Conditions

Primarily climate-controlled office environment.  Periodic visits to industrial operations areas are necessary with exposure to variety of temperatures and prevailing weather conditions.  Regular exposure to gases, vapors, dust and odors.  Occasional exposure to areas with wet floors and high volume of noise.  Some stair climbing is required.  Extensions of regular working hours are occasionally necessary to complete time-sensitive projects or to respond to emergencies.  Some weekend work will be required.  

Employee Supervision

Supervises no other employees.

Decision Making/Accountability

Exercises judgment, within established parameters, to arrive at appropriate merchandising/origination decisions and actions for the purpose of adding value to the firm; assesses risk pertaining to buying and selling in the corn and distiller market.

What We Offer

We provide a dynamic and stimulating international environment, which will stretch and develop your abilities and channel your skills and expertise with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the largest and most solid private companies in the world.

- Comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental and vision care coverage, flexible spending account plans, employee assistance program, life insurance and disability coverage
- 401k with Company Match
- Family Friendly Benefits including childbirth and parental leave, fertility and family building benefits
- Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays
- Flexible work available (not applicable to all roles)

Diversity & Inclusion

LDC is driven by a set of shared values and high ethical standards, with diversity and inclusion being part of our DNA. LDC is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity, equity and inclusion.

LDC encourages diversity, supports local communities and environmental initiatives. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Equal employment opportunity (EEO)

Louis Dreyfus Company provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Sustainability

Sustainable value is at the heart of our purpose as a company.

We are passionate about creating fair and sustainable value, both for our business and for other value chain stakeholders: our people, our business partners, the communities we touch and the environment around us