Head of Finance and Grants Management

Company Description

About the European Climate Foundation

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) is a major philanthropic initiative working to help tackle the climate crisis by fostering the development of a net-zero emission society at the national, European and global level.

We support over 1000 partner organizations to carry out activities that drive urgent and ambitious policy in support of the objectives of the Paris Agreement, contribute to the public debate on climate action and help deliver a socially responsible transition to a net-zero economy and sustainable society in Europe and around the world.

The ECF brings together diverse perspectives and backgrounds to find the best innovative solutions to tackle climate change. We are focusing on engaging and hiring great people from a wide diversity of backgrounds to strengthen the cause. If you share our values of respect, innovation, and collaboration, join us.

Position About the role

The Head of the Finance and Grants Team contributes to the evolution of financial grant practices and systems. The role supports planning of all financial elements of grant management, ensuring integrity, compliance, and strategic alignment between donor requirements and ECF’s regranting operations. The Head of Finance and Grants Team is guiding the unit's transformation toward best-in-class practices, systems, and controls, supporting broader financial and organizational objectives.

Key responsibilities

• End-to-End Grant Financial Governance: Oversee the full financial lifecycle of regranting activities – from budget design to reporting and audit – ensuring that all grants meet both internal standards and external funder obligations.
• Funder Compliance and Assurance Oversight: Provides guidance on donor financial compliance, interpreting and operationalising complex funder requirements into internal processes and systems, provides input into funder negotiations and agreements to ensure compliance feasibility and financial sustainability, ensures assurance processes per funding agreement (audits, reviews, reconciliations) ensure compliance.
• Financial Reporting and Audit: Leads and oversees all financial reporting to funders, ensuring timely, accurate, and donor-compliant outputs; Directs the preparation of internal regranting reports, ensuring full alignment with organizational policies and requirements (e.g., Docket process), and that reporting outcomes inform decision‑making at senior levels; Oversee the funder audits from finance perspective and ensure audit compliance for all grant‑related financial activity—proactively monitors the maintenance of audit‑readiness through integrated controls and documentation and serve as the key liaison with funder appointed auditors.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Influence: Partner with Strategic Partnerships, Programmes, Grant Hub, Accounting and Business Control Teams to co‑develop financial strategies, funder reporting frameworks, and compliance structures; Contributes to a culture of financial literacy and compliance throughout grant‑funded functions.
• Systems Improvement and Policy Development: Identify financial risks in the grant management cycle (e.g., delayed disbursements, reporting failures, potential underspends or misuse of funds) and oversee mitigation plans; Develop and enforce internal policies for financial grant governance (e.g. Funding allocation, carry‑over of unused funds) in line with regulatory, donor, and audit requirements; Contribute to the finance leadership team’s long‑term planning and strategy.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• Experience: Minimum 7 years of experience in financial grant management or a similar function, with increasing responsibility.
• Skills: Solid understanding of donor compliance, fund allocation processes, and financial reporting requirements; Strong coordination and collaboration skills across multi-disciplinary teams; Experience working with grant management systems (e.g., Fluxx) and financial software (e.g., NetSuite); Proactive mindset with attention to detail and ability to work within established frameworks; Good communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to explain financial concepts to non-finance stakeholders; Fluency in English.

Other information What we offer

• The unique opportunity to work in a highly dynamic, international team of individuals who combine their passion to make a difference with a rigorous and results‑oriented approach to work.
• A flexible work environment and a space to develop and challenge yourself with a growth mindset.
• Great values and accessible, collaborative management.
• The chance to contribute to climate action from a highly focused professional perspective.
• Fixed-term contract of one year, with the intention to convert to an open-ended contract thereafter.

Location

The Hague

Start date

As soon as possible.

How to apply

Send your CV & motivation letter

#J-18808-Ljbffr