Finance Operations Manager

RMIT University Vietnam; Barcelona; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

Flexible salary benefits (transport,健康

Free language classes

Job summary

RMIT Europe, based in Barcelona, seeks a Finance Operations Manager to lead the finance function across Europe and ensure compliance with Spanish law and university policy. You will manage budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and payroll, while guiding governance and external audits for EU-funded projects.

You will lead a small finance team, partner with business leaders, and influence decision-making in a complex international environment. Fluency in Spanish and English is required.

Qualifications

• Eight+ years of financial management experience in complex organisations.
• Experience leading a finance team and cross-functional partnerships.
• Strong knowledge of Spanish accounting, taxation, and governance.
• Fluency in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Lead and govern RMIT Europe's finance function and compliance.
• Provide strategic financial advice to support planning and sustainability.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, reporting, cash flow, payroll, and operations.
• Ensure EU-funded projects comply with funding regulations and audits.
• Lead internal controls and risk management.
• Develop a high-performing finance team.

Skills

Financial leadership

Budgeting & forecasting

Financial reporting

Stakeholder management

People management

Regulatory compliance

Spanish tax knowledge

Job description

Overview

Based in Barcelona, collaborative and dynamic international team

High level proficiency in English

Full time, continuing role

We are seeking a Finance Operations Manager to lead the Finance function for RMIT Europe, a separate legal entity and wholly owned subsidiary of RMIT University. The position is responsible for the operational management of all financial activities, ensuring compliance with Spanish statutory requirements, taxation obligations, University policies, and broader governance frameworks.

The position leads a small team that partners with the business to support operations, and provides financial leadership across a portfolio of European Union funded projects, ensuring compliance with funding regulations, effective financial management, successful audit outcomes, and high-quality reporting to funding agencies and stakeholders.

Success in this role requires extensive technical expertise in financial management, statutory reporting, taxation and governance, combined with demonstrated leadership capability, experience managing finance teams, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to influence decision-making in a complex international environment.

What will you be accountable for?

• Lead and manage RMIT Europe's finance function, ensuring strong financial governance, compliance, and stewardship.
• Provide strategic financial advice and insights to support organisational planning, decision-making, and long-term sustainability.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash flow, payroll, and day-to-day financial operations.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, taxation, regulatory, and RMIT University reporting requirements.
• Manage the financial administration and compliance of EU-funded research and innovation projects.
• Lead financial risk management, internal controls, and audit activities to safeguard organisational resources.
• Drive continuous improvement of financial systems, processes, policies, and reporting frameworks.
• Develop and lead a high-performing finance team, fostering collaboration, capability development, and service excellence.

Let's talk about you

• At least eight years' experience in financial management, accounting, taxation, and statutory reporting within complex organisations.
• Strong expertise in budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, management reporting, and business partnering.
• Sound knowledge of Spanish accounting, taxation, compliance, and corporate governance requirements.
• Experience managing the financial administration and compliance of EU-funded projects and audits.
• Proven ability to lead finance functions, manage risk and controls, and develop high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with fluency in Spanish and English.

Desirable

• Knowledge of financial reporting requirements of not-for-profit entities in Spain.
• Knowledge of European funding programmes.
• Knowledge of education sector, and experience working in a university or research centre.

Who is RMIT Europe?

We're the creative and dynamic European hub of RMIT University. Based in the heart of Barcelona, our focus is on successfully extending RMIT's international engagement and strategically growing the University's collaborative research and education activity in Europe.

We facilitate RMIT's collaboration in the development of innovative pan-European projects attracting global knowledge from Europe, Australia, and Asia to deliver local impact. We're a collaborative and dynamic international team, passionate about driving impact through our work, celebrating our achievement.

About the team.

• hybrid working arrangements
• flexible salary benefits (transport, health insurance, childcare, and restaurants)
• free languages classes

Applications Close: 15 nov 2026 11.59 pm

RMIT Europe is the European hub of RMIT University, one of Australia's largest tertiary institutions. Based in Barcelona, we're focused on expanding RMIT's reputation as a global university of technology, design and enterprise.