Regional Recruiter - Shipping
Trafigura · Athens
Main purpose
As a key member of the Talent Acquisition team, this role is responsible for attracting high-caliber talent, primarily within Trafigura's Shipping function, while also supporting the firm's broader hiring needs across other business areas when required. The position manages end-to-end recruitment across the shipping value chain and operates with a high degree of autonomy whilst aligning with global standards.
Reporting to the Regional Talent Acquisition Manager, the successful candidate will be based in Athens and partner closely with senior hiring managers and stakeholders, the majority of whom are also located in Athens. Working as part of both the regional and global TA teams, the role plays a pivotal part in identifying, engaging, and securing top shipping talent in a specialized and competitive maritime labor market, contributing directly to Trafigura's continued growth and operational excellence.
Key responsibilities
Manage end-to-end recruitment at all levels, covering the full shipping function
Partner with Hiring Managers to assess talent needs and provide expertise and guidance around hiring plans and strategy, driving the full recruiting process
Proactively source passive candidates — particularly within niche maritime and shipping talent pools — through various channels and initiatives (e.g. industry networks, maritime associations, LinkedIn) to build and maintain pipelines for critical and recurring roles
Deliver 100% direct hiring — no recruitment agencies or third-party vendors are to be used for sourcing or hiring
Conduct thorough interviews to assess candidates' technical baseline alongside core competencies, engaging credibly with hiring managers and candidates alike
Support internship and other early-careers programmes where applicable
Support hiring needs across other business areas of the firm when required, beyond the core shipping remit
Ensure compliance with relevant employment legislation and local hiring regulations
Provide training and guidance to Hiring Managers and stakeholders on recruitment processes, technical assessment frameworks specific to shipping disciplines, and candidate evaluation best practices
Employer Branding
Represent the firm strengthening visibility within the maritime and shipping talent community
Support employer branding initiatives to articulate the firm's distinctive culture and value proposition to high-caliber candidates
Contribute to the firm's positioning as an employer of choice within the commodity trading and shipping space in Europe
Represent the firm at industry events, conferences, and university career fairs to build long-term talent brand recognition
Build relationships with maritime academies and professional associations to strengthen the firm's talent pipeline and reputation
Global TA Collaboration
Work as part of the global Talent Acquisition team to support other regions when required, and contribute to global TA initiatives and projects
Share market insights — particularly around European shipping/maritime talent trends, compensation benchmarks, and sourcing strategies — to support a globally consistent hiring approach.
Required qualifications
Minimum 3 years' experience recruiting within shipping or commodity trading
Proven direct sourcing capability across active and passive candidate pools, without reliance on agencies
Familiarity with shipping roles, terminology, and fundamental concepts
Proficiency with ATS platforms (Workday preferred) and LinkedIn Recruiter
Comfortable leveraging AI tools (e.g., Claude) to drive smarter, faster decision-making, while applying sound judgement to critically evaluate and validate AI-generated outputs
Preferred qualifications
In-house experience
Previous experience recruiting within a broader commodity trading environment
Experience supporting hiring across multiple locations and time zones
Attributes for success
Strategically minded, able to balance day-to-day delivery with longer-term talent initiatives
Highly credible with senior stakeholders; confident operating in demanding commercial environments
Resilient and adaptable, comfortable managing competing priorities and time pressures
Strong relationships builder and effective communicator
Proactive, resourceful and solution-oriented
Collaborative team-player with a willingness to support broader regional and global priorities
Department overview
The Talent Acquisition team sits within Trafigura's global Human Resources function, reporting to the Global Head of Talent Acquisition based in Geneva. The team operates as a true business partner to the organization, supporting hiring across all levels and geographies. This Regional Recruiter will work alongside the existing Regional Team based in Athens and London, collaborating closely with colleagues across Geneva, London, Houston, Montevideo, Mumbai, and Singapore.
Equal opportunity employer
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse workforce! We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or handicap, disability, or any other legally protected status.