Interim Head of Finance & Transition (gn)

Who we are

Beyond Fossil Fuels (BFF) is an alliance of civil society groups committed to transforming the European energy sector. We strive for a just transition to a fossil-free, fully renewables-based power system that protects our climate and people. This campaign is supported by a BFF secretariat, with staff spread across Europe.

As the BFF secretariat is moving its operations to a new independent organisation in Germany, the Interim Head of Finance & Transition will lead on important elements of this transition. They will also oversee the financial management of the BFF secretariat team, lead on official exchanges with German authorities and ensure compliance with relevant German legal frameworks, as well as advise on organisational development. 

This senior position is created to support the BFF secretariat during the parental leave of our Head of Operations.

1. Position: Interim Head of Finance & Transition
2. Preferable start date: February 2025 
3. Employment type: full-time, 12 month staff contract
4. Location: Berlin

Please note that we do not have the resources to relocate candidates to Berlin from other locations.

Strategic Direction

1. Set financial priorities for the BFF secretariat and secure their implementation.
2. Oversee the structure and functioning of the BFF finance team and ensure the efficient and smooth coordination between finance, HR and office management tasks, especially in the context of a smooth transition from the current hosting arrangement to an operational independent German association (e.V.).
3. Help define the secretariat’s funding needs and address resource gaps.

Finances & grants

1. Responsible for the BFF secretariat’s funder grants.
2. Overview of all income and expenditure flows, adjusting plans when necessary.
3. Oversee planning and delivery of financial aspects of grant applications and reports to funders under the lead of the Managing Director.
4. Ensure that the BFF secretariat finance procedures and policies are regularly updated and that staff are aware of them.
5. Ensure regular meetings between heads of departments are held in order to keep track of expected expenditure, anticipating under- or overspending.
6. Support and advise the strategic coordination of BFF's fundraising efforts.
7. As long as BFF does grant-making, advises on a transparent and efficient grant-making process to ensure campaign gaps are bridged.
8. Can act as back-up for the colleagues they manage or the Managing Director.

Organisational advice and transition

1. Keep an overview of the transition from being hosted by CAN Europe to an independent association (e.V.) in Germany. Plan and coordinate different aspects (including finance, legal, fundraising and IT). Liaise with CAN Europe and relevant BFF secretariat colleagues to ensure a smooth implementation. Lead on the implementation of the finance aspects of the transition.
2. Is the main contact person for German authorities and ensures awareness and legal compliance with the relevant rules and procedures for e.V.s in Germany.
3. Supports and advises the Managing Director on organisational development issues.
4. Is proactive in proposing solutions or streamlining overlapping processes for finance and people operations.

Line-management

1. Oversees the work of two to three direct reports, ensuring the effective management of tasks such as: all payments linked to the secretariat, invoice filing and sending, analytical breakdown, cashflows, expense claim and procurement processes, fundraising for the secretariat and the BFF coalition, delivery of high-quality funding applications and reporting.
2. Holds regular 1-2-1s with the colleagues they manage, oversees their workload and performance, intervening when necessary.

Required skills & experience

1. At least ten years’ experience on finance, operations or accounting, of which five years were spent in a senior finance role; 
2. At least three years line management experience;
3. Hands on experience with double-entry bookkeeping, preferably with DATEV;
4. Education, training or professional qualifications relevant to finance, accounting or organisational development;
5. Demonstrable experience with developing rules and processes related to finance and operations;
6. Knowledge and at least three years’ experience working with accounting and operations in Germany;
7. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely. Fluent in written and oral English. Native German speaker or at least B2 level in German;
8. Strong administrative skills, highly organised and capable of balancing multiple priorities, ability to prioritise and plan;
9. Excellent attention to detail;
10. Proficiency in using google productivity tools (docs, slides, calendar, etc.) and excel;
11. Strong interpersonal skills; ability to engage and connect with broad range of people and work as part of a multicultural team;
12. Passionate about promoting a healthy, environmentally-friendly, and fair society;
13. Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion through continuous development, and proactively managing bias;
14. Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to build common cause and reach agreements;
15. Confident working remotely with a broad range of people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds;
16. Passion for research and understanding complex and legal issues.

Desirable skills & experience

1. Understanding of civil society organisations and the non-profit sector;
2. Experience with Personio;
3. Knowledge of other European languages;
4. Understanding of energy and climate campaigning.

How we support our team

1. We offer competitive compensation packages tailored to each region.
2. Flexible work policy: We empower our team to work when and where they are most productive with our flexible work policy.
3. Training budget: We have a dedicated training budget for each team member.
4. Team building: We prioritise building connections with an annual team retreat.
5. Feedback: We foster a culture of growth with regular performance reviews and feedback.
6. Commuting and home working: We make work easier by covering equipment and commuting costs in Berlin and providing support for remote work in other European locations.

At Beyond Fossil Fuels, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential components of our success, and we are dedicated to building a culture that reflects these values.