Head of Trading (Energy)

The Head of Trading (Energy) at Acumen Group in Cape Town will lead the trading and risk functions, operationalize power purchase agreements, and establish a risk framework as the electricity trading market matures. Responsibilities include managing regulatory compliance, market access, risk management, and team leadership. This role requires building capabilities in a developing market and contributing to executive strategy and governance.
The Opportunity
This position leads the company's
trading
and
risk
function as a member of the executive team. The role is accountable for building the company into a fully operational electricity trader, creating and maturing the trading platform and controls, securing the regulatory licences and market authorisations required, operationalising signed power purchase agreements into the trading desk, and establishing the risk framework that protects the business as transaction volumes grow.
This is a build role. South African competitive electricity trading is a young industry. The private trader cohort has largely built its capability over the past three to four years, and the market is still maturing. SAWEM is being established, NERSA's trading rules are being finalised, cross-border trading through SAPP is opening up to private participants, and municipal wheeling frameworks are still being shaped.


The successful candidate is expected to grow the mandate as the market matures and as the company's trading book and counterparty mix evolve. Comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to build the role over time are core requirements.


Key Responsibilities
Trading Operations and Platform

Design, procure and implement the ETRM and supporting systems; ensure straight-through processing from origination to settlement and integration with finance and reporting.
Operationalise signed GPPAs and CPPAs into the desk, including nominations, scheduling, settlements, invoicing, reconciliations, dispute management, and lead day-to-day trading execution.
Build pricing, dispatch and portfolio optimisation models for bilateral, day-ahead and, in due course, SAWEM activity.

Market Access, Regulatory Engagement and Operationalisation

Own the company's regulatory licensing and market authorisations, including applications, conditions, compliance and ongoing engagement with NERSA.
Drive market-access readiness as South Africa's trading framework develops, including certification, market code compliance, nominations and settlement.
Lead operational engagement with Eskom, NTCSA, municipal distributors and the market operator; secure and maintain wheeling, use-of-system, network access and metering arrangements.
Represent the company in SAETA and industry forums on trading rules and market design, coordinating with Legal Counsel on formal regulatory matters.

Risk Management, Hedging and Treasury

Own the company's market, credit and counterparty risk framework, including risk appetite, position and exposure limits, stress and scenario testing, KYC and credit assessment together with in-house Legal.
Provide regular reporting on market, credit, liquidity and operational risk to the CEO, the Board and Group Risk and Audit stakeholders.

Trading Desk Build and Team Leadership

Lead and grow the trading and risk team, including developing the Trading and Risk Manager into the next layer of trading leadership.
Establish desk culture, code of conduct, dealing mandates and continuous-improvement disciplines befitting a regulated trader.

Executive Contribution and Governance

Serve on the Executive Committee as a peer to the CSBDO and CCO; contribute to strategy, budget and major commercial decisions, and challenge the trading and risk implications of those decisions.
Act as the primary trading and risk interface with the Board and Group stakeholders, including Renewable Energy Cluster, Group Risk, Group Treasury, Group Internal Audit and external auditors.
Identify and assess medium-term market opportunities as the industry develops, and build the analytical basis for entering them.

Qualifications and Experience

Undergraduate degree in Engineering, Finance, Economics, Business, Built Environment or a related quantitative or technical discipline.
Postgraduate qualification or specialist certification in project finance, energy markets, risk management, contracts or a related field.
At least six years of post-graduate professional experience, with a track record across electricity operations, wheeling, metering and billing, project management, and energy or financial-market trading.
At least three of those years in a senior leadership or executive role carrying profit-and-loss, mandate or risk-ownership accountability.
Hands-on experience within a South African electricity trader, aggregator, utility, IPP or comparable platform, with exposure to NERSA-licensed trading, wheeling and CPPA/GPPA structures.
Practical understanding of SAWEM, the NERSA trading rules, Eskom and municipal wheeling frameworks, and SAPP