Finance Watch, the Brussels-based public interest advocacy association dedicated to making finance serve society, is looking for a Head of Operations & Finance to strengthen its team. Growing this team with highly skilled and motivated professionals is an essential component of our five-year strategic plan.

Job Title: Head of Operations & Finance

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Job Type: Full-time or part-time (minimum 80%)

Role Summary

The Head of Operations & Finance will lead the Operations & Finance (O&F) department and be responsible for the overall coordination of this department.

They will report to the Secretary General and coordinate their activities with a Head of Research & Advocacy and a Head of Communications & Networks (as part of the ‘Management Team’).

The role combines direct contribution to operations, finance, fundraising and HR activities, acting as a senior specialist, along with helping to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the organisation.

The Operations & Finance department currently comprises a Finance & Operations Officer and a Grants Assistant, assisted by an in-house Administrative consultant. Each person works on specific topic areas of expertise, manages administrative tasks, monitors grant agreements and contributes to the financial stability as well as the legal compliance of the organisation. They have direct contact with funders and members as part of their administrative work.

The ‘Operations & Finance department’ focuses mainly on the following activities:

Financial Management, Accounting & Forecasting (Budget & cashflow)
Grants & small donations administration
Office & logistics
Human resources
Membership administration
Processes & tools, including IT
Event management
Legal & compliance, incl GDPR
Board Administration

Key Responsibilities of the role

Management of the O&F Department

Lead a Department ‘Operations & Finance’ of currently 2 staff and 1 in-house consultant
Coordinate their activities with the other members of the ‘management team’ (Secretary General, Head of Research & Advocacy, Head of Communications & Networks)
Manage the appropriate time allocation/workload
Monitor the budget allocated to the Department
Make sure deadlines are respected within the Department

Human Resources management of the O&F department

Human resources management of the department, including promotions, recruitment, evaluations, performance indicators, career development, monthly catch-ups, holiday planning etc.
Replace an Operations & Finance Projects colleague or a manager in case of leave

Internal collaboration

Contribute to the weekly management meetings
Contribute to the monthly staff meetings
Plan regular training sessions to upgrade the knowledge of the staff on the latest developments
Ensure a smooth collaboration between the 3 departments, including the contribution to outputs & activities related to the other departments (blogs, social media, grant reportings, press, timesheets, events, internal policies, grant proposals, newsletters, etc)
Ensure the O&F department respects internal processes, templates, guidelines and procedures

Strategy

Contribute to Finance Watch’s overall multi-annual strategy
Implement the O&F part of Finance Watch’s strategy
Monitor the implementation of the strategic plan, as well as the annual work programmes
Contribute to the development of a fundraising strategy
Develop the annual work programme of the Operations & Finance Department
Ensure consistency of the outputs of the Operations & Finance Department with Finance Watch’s mission and strategy
Report status and progress, especially on Finance, HR & Operations items to the Secretary General and the Board

Operational excellence - Transversal

Coordinate internal projects in order to maximise impact, including by implementing simple & innovative solutions
Ensure overall team collaboration (respect of processes, guidelines & procedures), fostering a culture of continuous improvement
Propose improvements for internal processes, templates & guidelines
Evaluate risk: produce risk assessments and implement risk mitigation strategies across all operational and financial areas. Prepare contingency plans.
Ensure operations run smoothly and with equal treatment of all staff

Operations

Implement efficient processes and standards
Supervise & monitor all processes
Supervise the organisation of events, workshops, and initiatives and provide logistical and operational expertise
Manage contracts and relations with customers, vendors, partners and other stakeholders
Ensure smooth Office operations (answering switchdesk phone calls, pleasant work environment, including from home, water-internet-heating supply, cleanliness of the office, etc)

Data management

Ensure a good quality of data management (contacts, emails, addresses) in the Department (from daily updates to monthly or yearly cleaning exercises)
Propose improvements in the data architecture of the organisation
Assess the quality of data provided by other departments, as well as the proposed automations & workflows, especially in the CRM tool.
Ensure continuous GDPR compliance of the organisation.

Members

Oversee the membership-related administrative processes (onboarding, outboarding)
Handle inquiries from membership, mainly in terms for membership fee and data management
Organise the Annual Gathering of Members
Add automations & workflows where possible
Participate in Board meetings when required
Contribute to the quarterly report to the Board

Board Administration

Provide a Secretary of the Board (meeting management, minutes, agenda & administration)
Make sure new Board members are onboarded

Funding

Manage the grants
Coordinate staff contributions to the periodic reporting on activities to existing funders
Coordinate the drafting of funding proposals to new funders

Budget & Finance

Monitor the financial situation (budget & cashflow)
Build the annual budget
Provide the Secretary General and the Board with accurate, timely financial updates and forecasts
Organise monthly catch-ups with the Treasurer
Make sure payments are done with respect to processes & accesses
Respect tax deadlines
Answer to the queries from the auditors and external accountants

Human Resources - Transversal

Lead human resources functions, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, trainings and staff development
Ensure alignment with Finance Watch’s values, Ethical charter and diversity, equity & inclusion principles
Advise management on talent development and organisational structure to meet strategic objectives
Develop and implement progressive HR policies that support a team consisting of many expatriates
Support employee well-being through initiatives that enhance motivation, engagement, and work-life balance

Legal & compliance

Ensure regulatory compliance: membership rules, Annual Gathering of Members, Articles of Association, working rules, psychosocial protection, HR contracts, tenders, transparency register, National Bank of Belgium, and other legal requirements…

It

Oversee the implementation of IT systems and tools
Ensure staff have access to appropriate technological resources and training for effective remote/hybrid working
Implement and maintain IT systems, tools, and cybersecurity protocols to support efficient and secure operations and take adequate measures in case of threats or attacks

What does success in this job look like?

A well-structured and cohesive Operations & Finance Department, where team members feel valued, respected, and supported. All outputs are delivered on time, properly documented, and aligned with the organisation’s mission and objectives.

Profile/ Qualifications

Required

A master degree, preferably in Law, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Accounting or equivalent experience
Experience and affinity with the financial administration of a membership not-for-profit organisation is highly desirable
Several years of experience in Operations, Finance & HR in small businesses or a Non-governmental Organisation, or several years of financial controlling in an auditing company
Management and leadership experience
Experience in leading the development, coordination and engagement of a small team
Knowledge of Belgian HR law & rules
Experience working with Boards, decision making processes and organisational governance structures
Experience organising engaging meetings and events
Experience with financial management, and fundraising (funding processes, applications and reports)
Excellent level of English
Excellent writing skills
Ability to interact with a diverse set of senior stakeholders
Excellent Excel skills

Desired

Experience in philanthropic fundraising
Experience in fundraising through individual donations
A good knowledge and experience of EU funding and philanthropic funding of civil society
Knowledge of and experience in organisational development and network development
Experience in a civil society network
Experience in implementing and running digital platforms and tools to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge
Experience in managing a CRM
Knowledge of French or Dutch is an asset (the organisation is based in Belgium)

Skills

Required

Able to adapt to the evolving needs of the organisation
Lead by example
Excellent project management skills
Budget management skills
Mindset of operational excellence
Leadership skills and operational vision
Excellent people skills including active listening and empathy
Ability to understand the role of financial services and their regulation on the functioning of market economies
Ability to work in an international environment
Ability to manage a substantial and varied workload effectively, including managing competing demands, maintain high levels of accuracy, and ensure excellent coordination of activities across diverse entities
Delegation skills

What we offer

A permanent contract under Belgian law
No probation period
100%, or part-time negotiable
40h a week if full-time
Hybrid (i.e. teleworking in Belgium + presence in the office in Brussels)
Up to six weeks of teleworking from within Europe permitted annually
A competitive salary, dependent on seniority and skillset
20 days of legal holidays (prorata) per year + 1 recup day per month (prorata) (= 32 days per year for a full-time position)
A monthly expense allowance, amount depending on seniority
DKV complementary health insurance, including dental and hospitalisation insurance
Additional pension plan paid by Finance Watch (6% of gross salary)
A laptop (for professional use)
Full reimbursement of public transportation in Belgium
Lunch vouchers 8€ per working day (minus personal contribution of 1.09€ per working day)
“Ecocheques” 250€ per year (prorata)
Training possibilities
A multidisciplinary and multicultural working environment

Process

The recruitment process will include a series of interviews - up to three or four -, online or in presence in Brussels, involving managers and staff. A written assessment can be asked. We are willing to create opportunities for candidates to learn more about Finance Watch and engage in meaningful conversations throughout the process.

Equal employment opportunity

Finance Watch is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job. Know that we are particularly eager to increase the representation of women, “non-Caucasian” and people with disabilities within the Finance Watch staff. Selection will be in accordance with objective, job-related criteria. The appointment will be on the basis of applicants’ merits and abilities.

Application guidelines

Interested candidates are invited to send a letter of motivation + CV via email to: [email protected]

Please quote ‘Head of Operations & Finance - Vacancy’ in the title of your email.

The position remains open until filled.