Summary of the role

ECMWF is looking for an exceptional Senior Finance Officer to join our Finance team. This position will be based in Reading, UK and will be an integral part of the Finance Section in the Administration Department at ECMWF. You will report directly to the Head of Finance and be part of a highly motivated and competent team.
The Senior Finance Officer will play a key part in the financial processes of ECMWF by taking responsibility accounting of many financial transactions to ensure they are completed accurately, on time and in line with the appropriate financial controls. The role is a supervisory one and has one direct report.

This position would suit an individual who can work to tight deadlines, embraces change, is flexible and continuously looks to improve financial controls and processes. Strong communication skills are also required as this role will involve much interaction with other stakeholders across the organisation. It is both an exciting and challenging time to join the ECMWF finance team as we continue to enhance the finance service at ECMWF to support new initiatives.

About the Finance Section

The Finance Section is part of the Administration Department at ECMWF and has a wide-ranging set of responsibilities all related to the management and control of the finances at ECMWF. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• ensuring that the highest standards of financial control are implemented and maintained across the Centres 3 sites;
• providing decision-making support and analysis to all parts of the organisation through the production of timely and accurate management and financial reports;
• ensuring that ECMWF meets its financial obligations under its Convention, regulations and its Council’s decisions;
• production of statutory financial records
• managing the relationship with the Centre’s auditors
• production and implementation of the Centre’s annual budget (currently with costs c.£170m)
• maintaining the finances for the Centre externally funded activities including 2 major programmes funded by the European Union

About ECMWF

ECMWF is the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. It is an intergovernmental organisation created in 1975 by a group of European nations and is today supported by 35 Member and Co-operating States, mostly in Europe. The Centre’s mission is to serve and support its Member and Co-operating States and the wider community by developing and providing world-leading global numerical weather prediction. ECMWF functions as a 24/7 research and operational centre with a focus on medium and long-range predictions and holds one of the largest meteorological archives in the world. The success of its activities relies primarily on the talent of its scientists, strong partnerships with its Member and Co-operating States and the international community, some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, and the use of innovative technologies such as machine learning across its operations.

ECMWF has also recently adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows its staff to mix both office working and teleworking. This generous and flexible model provides our staff with considerable flexibility to spend time outside or away from their duty station and decide how they wish to manage their professional working time at ECMWF. ECMWF is an organisation that values the whole being and both understands and values the need for flexibility in the way its staff work.

For details see www.ecmwf.int.

Main duties and key responsibilities

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Managing and co-ordinating the work of one team member

Purchase Ledger Management

• Responsible for the processing of all finance transactions within agreed deadlines, to include purchase and sales ledger, banking transactions, fixed asset transactions and general ledger journals
• Manage the purchase ledger, including supplier payments
• Manage the bank transactions
• Compilation of regular VAT returns and issuance of VAT exemption certificates
• Deal with relevant issues as they arise from internal and external stakeholders (such as queries from staff and creditors etc)

Management and Financial Accounts

• Play a key role in the coordination of all financial document processing (including scanning and filing) and cut off periods for production of both monthly management accounts and annual financial statements
• Deal with the monthly closedown and year-end rollover of multiple ledgers, ensuring full audit trail
• Manage multiple currencies and ledgers, including the monthly currency retranslation process
• Deal with various queries from both internal and external auditors

Controls and Processes

• Develop internal controls and processes within the finance function and communicating the improved processes to the budget holders and other internal stakeholders
• Implement and manage improved levels of service
• Contribute to the development of the recently installed accounting system, including reviewing and proposing new processes as appropriate and in consultation with the key personnel in the organisation
• Ensuring adherence to the Centre’s Financial Regulations and procedures

Providing general support to the Finance Section

What we are looking for

• ​​​​​​​Solution-oriented with a strong understanding of how to evaluate the financial and commercial implications of ECMWF’s activities
• Good relationship management skills with a focus on client service, including the ability to gain credibility with key stakeholders across the organisation and the user community
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to communicate at all levels with internal and external stakeholders
• Excellent writing and presentation skills with an ability to explain financial issues in terms that are accessible and understandable to all
• Capacity to manage a range of conflicting and urgent issues to tight deadlines
• ​​​​​​​Strong attention to detail
• Excellent organisational skills are essential

Education, experience, knowledge and skills (including language)

Education

• Candidates should have a higher standard of education (EQF Level 4) and preferably a professional qualification equivalent to Accounting Technician

Experience

• Several years demonstrated experience in a Finance team and with particular emphasis on accounts payable functionality.
• Strong demonstrated accounting experience, preferably in an international organisation or in the public sector
• Demonstrated experience in developing and improving financial control processes
• A good working knowledge and experience of using and reporting from Business World (previously known as Agresso) would be an advantage.
• Knowledge and experience of accounting using the IPSAS framework would be an advantage

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent working knowledge at advanced level of MS-Office (Word and Excel).
• Candidates must be able to work effectively in English and interviews will be conducted in English.
• Fluency in German or Italian would be an advantage

Other information

Grade remuneration

The successful candidate will be recruited at the B6 grade, according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations and the annual basic salary will be £65,456.28 net of tax. ECMWF also offers a generous benefits package, including a flexible teleworking policy. The position is assigned to the employment category STF-C as defined in the ECMWF Staff Regulations. Full details of salary scales and allowances available on the ECMWF website at www.ecmwf.int/en/about/jobs, including the ECMWF Staff Regulations and the terms and conditions of employment.

Starting date: As soon as possible.

Length of contract: Four years with the possibility of a further contract.

Location: The position will be based at ECMWF’s headquarters in Reading, UK.

As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility to staff to mix office working and teleworking.

Successful applicants and members of their family forming part of their households will be exempt from immigration restrictions.

Interviews by videoconference (via Teams ) are expected to take place during Aug 2023

Who can apply

Applicants are invited to complete the online application form by clicking on the apply button.

At ECMWF, we consider an inclusive environment as key for our success. We are dedicated to ensuring a workplace that embraces diversity and provides equal opportunities for all, without distinction as to race, gender, age, marital status, social status, disability, sexual orientation, religion, personality, ethnicity and culture. We value the benefits derived from a diverse workforce and are committed to having staff that reflect the diversity of the countries that are part of our community, in an environment that nurtures equality and inclusion.

Applications are invited from nationals from ECMWF Member States and Co operating States, listed below:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

In these exceptional times, we also welcome applications from Ukrainian nationals for this vacancy

Applications from nationals from other countries may be considered in exceptional cases