Grant-cycle officer at EIT Food

Back

Financial Controller

Leuven, Belgium

Employee

Option for/Allows Remote Job

ABOUT EIT FOOD
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, working to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted by consumers. Established by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in 2017, EIT Food is a young and fast-growing partnership organisation focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation in the food sector.

EIT Food is a member organisation bringing together key industry players, agri-food startups, research centres and universities from across Europe representing the food value chain in Europe. In addition to thematic leadership, EIT Food is also responsible for coordinating a multi-million euro EU grant allocation from the EIT and distributing it among its partners and stakeholders for the implementation of projects.

EIT Food headquarters (HQ) are based in Leuven (Belgium) and it has 5 regional offices (Co-Location Centres or CLCs) in Europe (based in Poland, Spain, Germany, the UK and Belgium), each working with and for partners in several EIT Food partner countries.

JOB AND CONTRACT TYPE
Financial Controller, full-time permanent position.

LOCATION
The selected candidate will be based at EIT Food ivzw, the HQ in Leuven (Belgium).

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
We are looking for an experienced Financial Controller, to assist with all aspects of financial management, including corporate accounting, regulatory and financial reporting, budget and forecast preparation, as well as maintaining internal control policies and procedures. Finance Controller responsibilities will also include financial risk management.

You will be part of a team of professionals working to maintain order and transparency for the company’s finances, in an organisation which is dynamic and continuously evolving. The ideal candidate is well-versed in Belgian accounting principles and able to work comfortably with numbers and has a strong attention to detail. EIT Food’s portfolio of activities is continuously expanding and developing, so agility is key.

EIT Food receives EU funding and must ensure compliance with grant eligibility conditions, in particular under the Horizon Europe programme. The Financial Controller will be expected to support in ensuring compliance with grant conditions, in particular related to the use of EU funds.

EIT Food is an international organisation with colleagues working across several European locations. The position of financial controller will be located in a multinational team at EIT Food HQ in Leuven (near Brussels). In the future we plan to consolidate the financial reporting of HQ and regional offices, so the role will evolve and grow with the organisation.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Monitor all accounting operations including Billing, A/R, A/P, GL, Cost Accounting and Revenue Recognition;
Assist with the preparation of the budget and financial forecasts and report variances;
Prepare and publish timely monthly financial statements and reports;
Ensure quality control over financial transactions and financial reporting;
Support the Finance Manager to prepare cash-flow reports and project cash on a monthly basis;
Support in the preparation of regulatory reporting, in close cooperation with the Finance Manager and Senior Accountant;
Assist with the implementation of a new ERP-system in 2023, NetSuite;
Develop and document business processes and accounting policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls;
Support Finance Manager in cost reporting to EIT and other funding agencies;
Support during audits (statutory audit and audits imposed by funding bodies).
Additional controller duties as necessary.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE / SKILLS:

Bachelors degree in Finance or Accounting or alternatively a degree coupled with relevant professional experience;
Minimum 3 years proven experience in audit and /or controlling;
Certified in Belgian GAAP;
Fluent in Dutch and excellent written and oral communication skills in English;
Thorough knowledge of MS Office (especially excel), familiarity with accounting tools as well as willingness to learn new IT systems. Experience in using NetSuite, MS Access and/or Power BI are considered an asset;
The ability to confidently communicate in English with colleagues, partners & suppliers;
Process-orientation with strong attention to detail and respect for internal and external deadlines;
Engaged team player, also able to work independently and flexible to work in small (multi-national) teams with regional offices;
Open-minded, looking forward to working in a multicultural environment. Experience in an international environment is considered an asset;
Experience of working with EU funding, in particular the Horizon Europe programme / EIT, is considered an asset;
Knowledge of Belgian legislation on international non-profit legal entities (IVZW/AISBL) is considered an asset.

WHAT WE OFFER
As a Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, you will be able to make a difference for the food industry. So, if you're looking for more than just a job, if you want work which is meaningful and fulfilling, apply today. You will join an organisation with enthusiastic and motivated colleagues.
We offer a competitive salary with fringe benefits, including a company car, group & health insurance, meal vouchers, home working allowances, etc.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
EIT Food is an equal opportunity employer, offering each candidate matching the minimum obligatory qualifications and experiences an equal chance in employment and promotion procedures.

APPLICATION
Interested candidates are asked to upload their CV and Cover Letter in English in electronic format to CV Warehouse.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to prove their background, qualifications, skills and experiences by providing relevant documents.

Back

Apply

Back

Grant-cycle officer

Leuven, Belgium

Employee

Partial Remote Job

ABOUT EIT FOOD
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, working to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted by consumers. Established by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in 2017, EIT Food is a fast-growing partnership organisation focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation in the food sector.

EIT Food is a member organisation bringing together key industry players, agri-food startups, research centres and universities from across Europe representing the food value chain in Europe. In addition to thematic leadership, EIT Food is also responsible for coordinating a multi-million euro EU grant allocation from the EIT and distributing it among its partners and stakeholders for the implementation of projects.

EIT Food headquarters (HQ) are based in Leuven (Belgium) and it has 5 regional offices (Co-Location Centres or CLCs) in Europe (based in Poland, Spain, Germany, the UK and Belgium), each working with and for partners in several EIT Food partner countries.

Visit our website: https://www.eitfood.eu

CONTRACT TYPE
Full-time permanent position.

LOCATION
EIT Food HQ, Leuven (Belgium)
Note that applicants should have the right to work in Belgium.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The grant-cycle officer will be an integral member of the Operations Team of EIT Food. Working with grant-cycle managers, they will support colleagues throughout EIT Food and our external partners to implement each stage of the EIT grant cycle, from business planning through to reporting. They will support the organisation to meet key milestones and secure EU grant funding, through monitoring and supporting a range of Partner-led activities in the agri-food sector.

The grant cycle-officer will support grant-cycle managers to implement key processes in a timely manner, such as:

Supporting the grant-cycle managers to improve and continuously develop processes, raising red flags where needed and proposing solutions to manage risks
Supporting in the implementation of a new Business Planning process under Horizon Europe, including the implementation of open calls
Managing reviews of proposals by external reviewers, including coordinating multiple review panels and consolidating and distributing the evaluation results
Contributing to the drafting of key documents such as business plans and monitoring reports
Supporting the Programme Managers to roll out their monitoring of ongoing projects and collating information for central reporting and monitoring purposes
Managing the iterative feedback process with Partners at key reporting milestones
Communicating with partners to process changes to project budgets and work plans
Implementing key grant cycle processes through mastering the use of the tailor made IT platforms

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

Bachelor or Master degree in a relevant field
Between 1-3 years of relevant working experience
Experience in process implementation, with a high degree of attention to detail and respect for timelines and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
Very good knowledge of Microsoft Office tools, good IT skills and willingness to adapt to new systems
Flexible to work both independently and in small (multi-national) teams
Very good communication skills, service oriented and confident to communicate with international stakeholders
Logical thinker, motivated to drive continuous improvement based on sound analysis
Can-do attitude, driven to learn and realise impact, a self-starter
Knowledge of the EU grant cycle, the EU’s Horizon Europe Programme or the EIT environment will be considered a strong asset.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
EIT Food is an equal opportunity employer, offering each candidate matching the minimum obligatory qualifications and experiences an equal chance in employment and promotion procedures.

WHAT WE OFFER
As a Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, you will be able to make a difference for the food industry. So, if you're looking for more than just a job, if you want work which is meaningful and fulfilling, apply today. You will join an organisation with enthusiastic and motivated colleagues.
We offer a competitive salary with fringe benefits, including group & health insurance, meal vouchers, home working allowances, etc.

APPLICATION
Interested candidates are asked to upload their CV and Cover Letter in English in electronic format to CV Warehouse before March 31rd, 2023. Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview.

Shortlisted candidates may be asked to prove their background, qualifications, skills and experiences by providing relevant documents.

Back

Apply

Back

RIS Project Manager

Warsaw, Poland

Employee

ABOUT EIT FOOD

The website of EIT Food is https://www.eitfood.eu

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food is a young and fast-growing organisation focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation in the food sector. EIT Food is a start-up but has the characteristics of a multinational and is operating in a European and international environment. It has 5 regional offices (Co-Location Centres or CLC) in Europe, each covering several EIT Food partners and partner countries. The members of the EIT Food community are world-class players in the international food domain.

EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, working to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted by consumers.

We believe that we are all responsible for, and connected to, the food that we eat so we all need to work together to improve it. We are building a unique network of diverse partners that provide a holistic view of the food value chain, including key industry players, agri-food start-ups, research centres and universities from across Europe, all working together to deliver an innovative and entrepreneurial food sector.

Let’s create the future of food together!

CONTRACT TYPE

Full time and unlimited duration with three-month probationary period

EXPECTED START DATE

Ideally in April

LOCATION

(S)he will be based in the Co-Location Centre (CLC) North-East in Warsaw, Poland.
Occasional travel within Europe can be expected.

JOB DESCRIPTION

You will create, implement and support dedicated programmes and instruments of the EIT Food dedicated to representatives of public sector, students, researchers, entrepreneurial talents and other stakeholders from agrifood sector in the Nordic countries and countries targeted by EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS), including Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, the Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
Reporting to CLC Director and RIS Programme Manager in CLC North-East and collaborating with Education and Public Engagement Teams.

Your responsibilities will include:

Building and orchestrating a strong ecosystem in countries targeted by EIT Food RIS Strategy

Implementation of the instruments specified in the EIT Food Business Plan including RIS portfolio including Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, the Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine;
Acquiring and maintaining relationships with stakeholders in Central Eastern European countries;
Regular visits to countries covered by CLC North-East, including those targeted by the EIT RIS, cooperation with stakeholders, and maintaining contacts with them by email, phone, and via social media (including LinkedIn);
Collaborate with the EIT Food Hubs and other EIT communities, in particular, to strengthen existing contacts with the start-up community and exchange experiences and good practices;
Participating in the development of design applications for the EIT Food Business Plan;
Participation in the EIT Food RIS Strategy update;
Actively seeking additional financing opportunities for EIT Food activities to ensure long-term financial sustainability;
Preparing reports on RIS activities for the EIT and EIT Food, in particular, the impact of EIT Food RIS activities on innovation systems in RIS countries;
Engaging in dialogue with stakeholders from RIS countries, including decision makers at the political level, and contribution to the development and implementation of Smart Specialization Strategies;
Engaging in social media interactions with stakeholders in RIS countries using the LinkedIn platform and other appropriate communication channels;
Contribution to the creation and operation of the collegial body "RIS Policy Council" within EIT Food;
report to RIS Programme Manager and CLC Director.

Creating impact

Identifying opportunities for joint projects involving EIT Food HUBs and EIT Food partners that add value and deliver KPI’s;
Monitoring and analysing the success of Alumni of EIT Food programmes, ensuring to meet the KPI’s and preparing reports within CLC NE, EIT Food management and EIT;
Actively looking for revenue generation opportunities to support EIT Food's financial sustainability.

Exposure and Scope

You will interact with primary producers, students, scientists, alumni of EIT Food activities and companies within the food system to promote entrepreneurship, open innovations and science-industry knowledge transfer;
You will co-operate with EIT FOOD HUBs in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia to share good practices and engage stakeholders from EIT RIS countries in activities of EIT Food;
You will look for alignment and synergies between EIT Food RIS activities and Research Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategies in agri food sector;
You will liaise with other functions in EIT Food headquarters (such as Finance, Operations, and Communication)

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

Ideally, the candidate has:

Master's degree related to social sciences, political sciences, technology, project and/or innovation management
University or professional education related to agri-food sector is a clear plus
Minimum 4 years of work experience, including 2 years of relevant working experience related to project management, public affairs, social impact generation
Excellent Project Management skills
Excellent communication skills
Strong sense of ownership with proven record of delivering results
Combining analytical thinking with creativity
Solid business judgment, orientation for progress, practical application of technical solutions, broad, flexible and interdisciplinary thinking
Experience in designing long-term strategies, including product development and service portfolio
Very good command of Microsoft Office and social media channels for professional use
Excellent English (writing and speaking), knowledge of other European languages is a clear plus

Other skills and qualities:

Openness and proven ability to establish trust as well as the capacity for building alliances between industry, public sector, research, education and other stakeholders, including remote communication with international teams
Taking initiative, independent and trustworthy
Respectful of timelines and deadlines and attention for detail,
Ability to work both independently and in small but multi-national teams
Organised, proactive, service-oriented and capable of multi-tasking

WHAT WE OFFER

A challenging and stimulating position within the leading European food innovation initiative
To contribute to high-potential innovative agrifood business development in Central Eastern Europe and Nordics
The opportunity to work in a human-sized, dynamic and excellence-oriented environment
An attractive remuneration package
A full-time permanent contract

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

EIT Food is an equal opportunity employer, offering each candidate matching the minimum obligatory qualifications and experiences an equal chance in employment and promotion procedures.

APPLICATION
Interested candidates are asked to upload their CV and Cover Letter in English in electronic format to CV Warehouse before April 19th, 2023.

Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview.

Shortlisted candidates may be asked to prove their background, qualifications, skills and experiences by providing relevant documents.

Back

Apply

Working at EIT Food

Current job openings

Financial Controller

Grant-cycle officer

RIS Project Manager