Senior Contract Specialist (9 months' contract)

We are seeking a highly experienced and commercially minded lawyer to join our Contract Specialist Team, supporting a fast-paced global commodity trading business. The Contract Specialist Team serves as the primary point of contact for contractual and legal matters across various bulk commodity departments.

This is a senior role requiring a lawyer with substantial experience drafting, negotiating and advising on complex commercial agreements in a dynamic business environment. The successful candidate will partner closely with Trading, Operations, Group Legal, and Compliance teams, providing pragmatic, commercially focused advice while balancing legal risk and business objectives.

The role offers responsibility and requires the successful candidate to independently manage complex contractual matters from inception through to execution, exercising sound judgment regarding escalation of material legal or commercial risks.

The main tasks and responsibilities include:

• Lead the drafting, review, negotiation and execution of a broad range of complex commercial agreements, including:
  • Commodity trading contracts
  • Confidentiality agreements / non-disclosure agreements
  • Distribution agreements
  • Marketing and agency arrangements
  • Offtake agreements
  • Profit-sharing agreements
  • Term sheets
  • Assignment and novation agreements
• Serve as a trusted advisor on legal and commercial matters to Traders and other stakeholders, working closely with Commercial and Operational Teams to facilitate efficient transaction execution.
• Engage in contractual negotiations and, where required, engage with counterparties and external legal counsel regarding contract terms, claims and contractual disputes.
• Identify, assess and manage legal and commercial risks while supporting commercial objectives.

Our ideal candidate

• Demonstrates sound commercial judgment and has a pragmatic, solutions-oriented mindset and strong negotiation skills.
• Has the confidence and credibility to engage directly with senior commercial stakeholders and is comfortable making risk-based recommendations.
• Understands how legal, commercial and operational considerations interact within a trading environment.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, deal-driven environment and enjoys working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Has effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Is engaged, enthusiastic and collaborative, taking an active interest in their work and contributing positively to team and business outcomes.

Qualifications and requirements:

• Qualified lawyer (UK, Switzerland or another recognised jurisdiction).
• Significant post-qualification experience in a commercial legal role, ideally gained in-house and/or within a leading law firm.
• Extensive experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Experience within a commodity trading organisation, or advising commodity trading clients, would be advantageous but is not essential. Candidates with strong commercial contracting experience gained in other transaction-driven industries are encouraged to apply.
• Fluent English (written and spoken).

Who we are

Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 commodities. Through a network of assets, customers and suppliers that spans the globe, we produce, process, recycle, source, market and distribute the commodities that advance everyday life.

With over 140,000 employees and contractors and a strong footprint in over 30 countries in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, our marketing and industrial activities are supported by a global network of offices.

Glencore’s customers are principally industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, battery manufacturing and oil sectors. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities.