Finance and Control Officer

About Us:

The Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) - affiliated with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - is the international secretariat carrying out the day-to-day management of the EEA and Norway Grants. The Grants are Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway’s contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area (EEA) and strengthen bilateral relations and partnerships between the Donor States and the 15 Beneficiary States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia). The EEA Grants are financed by the three donor countries whereas Norway Grants are financed solely by Norway. The current funding period has a total budget of 3.2 billion euros.

The programmes in this funding period will focus on these overall priorities:

• European green transition

• Democracy, rule of law and human rights

• Social inclusion and resilience

Why join the FMO?

We offer more than just a job. We offer a stimulating and diverse international workplace with a trust-based culture. Our team of more than 60 employees from the EEA region brings a rich blend of experiences and knowledge to our daily operations.

We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful environment where you can advance your career. Every day, our work is driven by a shared goal: a green, democratic and resilient Europe where everyone can take meaningful part in shaping their lives.

We work closely with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), the 15 Beneficiary States and various international partners.

Learn more:

If you are ready to take on a rewarding challenge and be part of a dedicated team working towards improving economic and social equality and strengthening cooperation and partnerships in Europe, we encourage you to apply. For more details about our work and the opportunities we offer, please visit our website at www.eeagrants.org

The position is open to nationals of the EEA EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and nationals of the 15 Beneficiary States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia).

Scope:

The Finance and Control Officer is part of the Finance and Control unit with 7-8 staff members. The Unit is responsible for the overall finance and control framework of the FMO. This covers budget planning and management, financial reporting and forecasting, payments and accounting, grant management, audit coordination, and risk assessment. It also provides support across the full programme lifecycle of the EEA and Norway Grants.

The Unit supports the entire organisation and works closely with Beneficiary States on the design, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and closure of programmes.

As Finance and Control Officer, you will report directly to the Head of Finance and Control and undertake occasional travel as required. Given the breadth of the Unit’s mandate, you will be assigned one or more areas of responsibility based on your experience and profile, as well as evolving operational priorities.

Responsibilities and tasks of the Finance and Control Unit:

In this key role, you will oversee the full financial management and control cycle of the Grants and work closely with programme teams and external stakeholders to support successful programme delivery across Beneficiary States. Your responsibilities span the entire programme lifecycle, from programme design and contracting through implementation, monitoring and reporting, to auditing, financial closure and cash management. You will also contribute to the continuous development of financial management, internal control, risk management and anti-fraud frameworks within the FMO and across the Grants.

• Liaison with Beneficiary State authorities and provision of financial and control expertise in grant management and programmes design, contracting, implementation, monitoring and reporting;

• Oversight of the overall financial management and control of the Grants in the Beneficiary States;

• Maintenance of the sound financial management and control framework and culture within the FMO and with external stakeholders;

• Preparation of financial reports for internal stakeholders and revision of financial reports of external stakeholders;

• Monitoring and supporting implementation of the internal control framework and anti-fraud strategy;

• Oversight of the development and implementation of the FMO budget and accounting activities;

• Cash management, incl. forecasting of disbursements;

• Coordination of audit activities