Finance and Grants Manager

The European Institute of Peace (EIP) is looking for exceptional individuals who share our vision for a world where people live in safety and peace because conflicts and grievances are resolved through inclusive dialogue and lasting political agreements.

We provide practical experience, technical expertise, and policy advice on conflict resolution. We use a variety of tools to help us do this, including analysis, mapping and design of peace processes and agreements, facilitating policy discussions, and proposing practical engagement, for example through inclusive dialogue and mediation support.

Based in Brussels and active in over a dozen countries, the European Institute of Peace is an independent organisation working collaboratively with European decision-makers, the parties to the conflict, and those who represent people suffering from insecurity or at risk of violence, as well as the conflict prevention, resolution and mediation community.

Our innovative approach to peace enables us to be agile, creative, and effective in everything we do, and these are key qualities we look for in our team members. See https://www.eip.org/ for more information.

We are looking for a Finance & Grants Manager to lead the Institute’s Finance Team, which is part of the Operations Team (OPE). The Finance & Grants Manager works across all units supervising accounting, financial and grants reporting as well as financial monitoring systems.

About the Operations Team

The Operations Team ensures the optimal functioning of EIP’s operations by designing and implementing procedures, systems and practices which apply to administration, finance and HR, including safety and security. OPE works in direct support of the implementing units, by monitoring quality of deliverables through the provision of evaluation tools and learning initiatives and by ensuring compliance with policies, procedures and legal regulations in these areas.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Finance & Grants Manager supports the strategic financial management and yearly operational planning of the organisation, providing the Senior Management Team with financial advice and up to date financial information, including analysis of trends and forecasts. You will lead a small team of staff to develop, maintain and ensure the implementation of organisational systems and policies, financial quality control, and support project acquisition.

In more detail, the selected candidate will be responsible for:

Finance

• Manage the financial accounting, monitoring and reporting systems;
• Produce internal reports for decision making;
• Prepare and control the institutional budget, including accounting, budgeting, grants management, etc.
• Monitor cash flows and advise accordingly;
• Develop financial management mechanisms that minimise financial risk, in particular in relations to exchange rates fluctuations;
• Develop external relationships with appropriate contacts, e.g. auditors, solicitors, bankers and statutory organisations;
• Lead the organisation in the procurement of and migration to an ERP system that meets organisational needs;
• Control the correct application of procurement and financial policies and procedures;
• Ensure compliance with Belgian financial regulations;
• Keep abreast of changes in financial regulations regarding Belgian enterprise law and legislation.
• Review grant agreements and MoU with partners for compliance with donor and Belgian legislation.

Grants Management

• Ensure accurate, timely, efficient and transparent processes for all grants;
• Manage institutional reporting, including meeting internal and external reporting deadlines, identifying reporting components, compiling required documents, ensuring report completeness, and facilitating final submission to funders;
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements, including budgets and financial reports;
• Supervision of expenditures to budgets;
• Review budgets for grant proposals;
• Work closely with programme teams to build and execute plans and processes, strengthen capacity for grants management, and ensure transparency and accountability;
• Keep up-to-date with funder requirements and developments in the use of indicators, tools, etc.;
• Participate in relevant meetings relating to the grants and their respective management.

Policies development

• Support the Chief Operating Officer and the Senior Management Team in the development of new policies and review of existing policies, in particular related to financial management, procurement and travel.

Staff management, mentorship and development, including:

• Manage the finance and grants team, defining expectations, providing leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluating direct reports regularly;
• Manage the performance of all staff in the finance unit through staff development strategies and performance management systems.

Profile

• Master degree in the area of business or economics [focus on corporate finance or accountancy is a plus];
• Minimum 5 years of experience in a similar role;
• Fluent in English and Dutch or French;
• Excel, Winbooks;
• Knowledge of ERP systems is a plus;
• Analytical skills;
• Problem solving;
• Money/cash management;
• Internal Control;
• Procurement management;
• Strategic vision;
• Planning and organising;
• Teamwork and Cooperation;
• People management.

The Institute offers

• Employment contract (open ended Belgian contract).
• Salary based on 13.92 months and commensurate to the position and experience.
• Benefits package which includes luncheon vouchers, hospitalisation insurance, pension plan, and contribution to transportation;
• 40h/week including 12 RTT days per year;
• Orange SIM card;
• Contribution to teleworking allowance: 15 €

The Finance & Grants Manager will have to be legally entitled to work in Belgium. He/she will be based in Belgium and work regularly at the Institute premises in Rue des Deux Eglises 25, Brussels.

Start date: As soon as possible

How to apply

Please submit in English:

• Your CV (Name_Surname_CV_ Finance and Grants Manager);
• A one-page motivation letter (Name_Surname_ML_ Finance and Grants Manager) demonstrating your qualification according to the profile.

Subject of the e-mail: Name_Surname_Finance and Grants Manager

Submit to: [email protected]

The deadline is 30/10/2022, 23:59 PM. Due to the likely large number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to perform a written test.