Head of Unit-Finance and Contracts Ref.UfMFT202608

Union for the Mediterranean; Barcelona; On-site; EUR 62,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona seeks a strategic Head of Unit-Finance and Contracts to lead three units: Finance, Procurement and Contracts, and Grants and Funds Management. You will translate priorities into plans, allocate resources, and oversee financial services with a strong focus on compliance and performance.

The role requires extensive leadership experience in IFRS/IPSAS environments, plus proven ability to manage budgets, treasury, procurement, and donor reporting.

Qualifications

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Master’s degree or equivalent in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Auditing or a related field.
• A professional accounting qualification (ACCA/CPA/CA or equivalent) is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Advise the Director of Administration and senior management on Finance and Contracts matters, including financial planning and resource allocation.
• Lead long‑term financial planning and annual budgeting.
• Oversee Treasury, Procurement, Accounting, Planning and Monitoring with strong internal controls; translate priorities into the Unit’s work programme.
• Lead, develop and supervise staff; ensure timely, accurate financial services and foster cross‑unit collaboration.
• Coordinate internal and external audits and ensure donor compliance for financial reporting.

Skills

Leadership

Financial planning

Budgeting

Treasury management

Procurement & contracts

Donor reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree or equivalent

Accounting qualification (ACCA/CPA/CA)

Tools

IFRS/IPSAS

PRAG knowledge

Donor reporting systems

Job description

Job Title: Head of Unit-Finance and Contracts

Ref.

UfM/FT/2026/08

Location

Barcelona, Spain (on-site)

Department

Finance, Legal & Administration Department

Reports to

Director of Administration Department

Deadline to apply

12 October 2026 (midnight, Central European Summer Time – CEST, GMT/UTC+2).

Staff category and conditions

• Post Classification: CS2. 2, Step 1 (Head of Unit)
• Gross Salary: 69,358 €
• Contracted Staff as per UfM Staff Regulations and Implementing Rules
• Fixed-term contract of 3 years as per Staff Regulations and Implementing Rules of the Staff Regulations, 6 months’ probation period

SUMMARY

The Head of Finance manages the activities and teams of three units: Finance, Procurement and Contracts, and Grants and Funds Management. The position provides operational leadership across these functions, translates organisational financial priorities into operational plans, allocates resources effectively, and ensures the timely and accurate delivery of financial, procurement, contractual, grants, and funds management services.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Financial Leadership and Planning

• Advise the Director of Administration and senior management, as appropriate, on Finance and Contracts matters, including financial planning, budgetary discipline and resource allocation.
• Lead long-term financial planning and annual budgeting.
• Develop and implement financial strategies aligned with UfM priorities.
• Oversee Treasury, Procurement, Accounting, Planning and Monitoring, including effective internal controls; and translate financial priorities into the Unit’s work programme and operational delivery.

Team Leadership and Operational Management

• Manage the Finance and Contracts Unit; identify staffing and operational needs; allocate resources; and ensure timely and accurate financial services.
• Lead, develop and supervise staff; distribute tasks; set priorities, objectives and performance expectations; manage performance; and support professional development.
• Foster a results-oriented, accountable and client-focused environment; monitor service levels and take corrective action; coordinate financial and accounting processes with the Accounting Officer; and promote cross-functional collaboration across Units, Departments and Divisions.

Financial Systems, Internal Controls and Compliance

• Implement financial rules, policies and procedures in compliance with the UfM’s financial regulations, delegated authorities and internal-control and legal frameworks, ensuring compliance with contractual and legal obligations.
• Apply accounting and internal-control principles in accordance with IFRS and/or IPSAS; review accounting and financial-system reports; and oversee data-entry controls and financial-information integrity.
• Coordinate internal and external audits and implementation of recommendations; establish early-warning mechanisms for budget variances, expenditure risks and compliance or reporting delays; and initiate corrective action.

Budgeting and Financial Analysis

• Coordinate the preparation, monitoring and analysis of budgets and financial plans with Departments and Divisions; analyse expenditure, contracts and grants; and provide projections and recommendations supporting budgetary discipline and cost-effective resource use.
• Develop the annual operating budget with departmental management, including the financial aspects of programme planning, salary recommendations and other administrative actions; and provide stakeholders with current budget, expenditure and forecast information.

Treasury and Cash Management

• Oversee treasury operations, cash management, banking arrangements, receipts and payments, ensuring the security of funds and appropriate financial controls.
• Manage bank relationships, accounts and services, including signatory mandates, access rights and documentation; ensure secure and timely transactions, payments and transfers in line with authorisation matrices, signatory mandates, segregation of duties and dual controls; and maintain cash-flow forecasting tools supporting liquidity planning and decisions.

Accounting, Financial Reporting and Monitoring

• Oversee accounting operations and transactional records, ensuring the completeness, accuracy and integrity of the general ledger; compile and analyse financial information; and ensure accurate preparation and posting of entries.
• Ensure effective control and accurate reporting of funds and expenditure, supported by complete documentation; coordinate financial statements and periodic and ad hoc reports; and prepare and review budget, revenue, expense and payroll entries, invoices and other accounting documents for accuracy, completeness and compliance.
• Ensure timely, independently reviewed bank reconciliations and resolution of discrepancies; coordinate donor financial reporting; and ensure compliance with grant agreements and donor requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement, Continuous Improvement and Additional Activities

• Communicate financial information to senior management and relevant stakeholders; maintain productive relationships with colleagues, donors, auditors, service providers and external partners; monitor financial risks and reporting timelines; and take corrective action.
• Improve financial processes, efficiency and internal controls; align Unit activities with organisational priorities and other Units; promote knowledge-sharing and the documentation, retention and consistent application of financial procedures, institutional knowledge and good practices.
• Support Secretariat-wide digitalisation from a Finance perspective by defining business and process requirements, supporting system implementation and testing, and coordinating finance-related process and data migration to protect continuity, data integrity and internal controls.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Director of Administration within the position’s responsibilities and competencies.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

• Be a national of a UfM Member State (https://ufmsecretariat.org/who-we-are/member-states/)

Educational Background

• Hold both a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Master’s degree or equivalent; at least one must be in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Auditing or a closely related field.
• A professional accounting qualification such as Certified Chartered Accountant (e.g. ACCA, CPA, CA or an equivalent internationally recognised title) is highly desirable.

General and Managerial Experience

• Overall experience: At least 14 years of progressively responsible professional experience relevant to the position, covering several of: finance, accounting, budgeting, treasury, financial reporting, procurement, contract management, and grants and funds management.
• Senior leadership: At least 8 years at senior managerial or leadership level in roles of comparable scope, with accountability for complex financial operations and budgets, direct line-management of finance teams, and leadership of multidisciplinary teams.
• Institutional experience: Proven experience in one or more of: international organisations; EU institutions, bodies or agencies; international development agencies; national public administrations; institutional donors; organisations managing donor-funded programmes or operations; or comparable institutions operating in EU-related, public-sector, international-development or donor-funded contexts.

Specific Professional Experience

• Proven experience in financial accounting, including preparation of financial statements, is mandatory, together with solid knowledge and proven application of IFRS and/or IPSAS and experience in budget formulation and execution, financial planning, treasury and cash management, financial reporting and internal controls.
• Experience managing procurement processes and contracts with service providers.
• Demonstrated experience in grants and funds management, including the financial monitoring of grants and reporting to institutional donors.
• Knowledge of, and practical experience in applying, the Practical Guide to Contract Award Procedures for European Union External Action (PRAG), particularly in procurement, contract-award and grant-award procedures.

Experience working within international and EU financ...