Head Budget & Finance

Location: Laspezia

1. POST CONTEXT
This is a position within the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) an organization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

CMRE is an established world‑class scientific research and experimentation facility that organizes and conducts scientific research and technology development centred on the maritime domain delivering innovative and field‑tested Science & Technology (S&T) solutions to address defence and security needs of the Alliance.

As per the STO Charter CMRE operates under a Customer Funding Regime whereby customers are charged the direct costs of the services provided plus an overhead to cover general and administrative expenditures recuperation of capital investments (if applicable) and the Centre operating and running costs. Customers are comprised of NATO bodies NATO Nations and other parties consistent with NATO policy.

The Budget & Finance Branch provides financial management in support of the CMRE and its Programme Of Work (POW). The Branch Head is responsible for all budgetary and financial management operations  Branch Head ensures adherence to the principles of sound financial management as laid down in the NATO Financial Regulations (NFRs). They hold responsibility for administering the budgetary and financial internal control systems of CMRE and for financial risk management in accordance with the applicable policies.

The Branch Head provides CMRE with a solid POW cost accounting system to ensure full cost recovery through the customer funding regime and to guarantee the financial health of CMRE.

Acting as principal advisor on all financial and budgetary matters for the Centre the incumbent reports directly to the Director CMRE functionally to the STO Financial Controller.

2. PRINCIPAL DUTIES
The Head of Budget and Finance is responsible for :

All matters relating to budget and finance;

Carrying out their financial duties within the limit of the financial authority delegated to them by the STO Financial Controller;

Leading the annual budgeting and the long‑term financial planning creating financial models to forecast results;

Financial control and accounting of all international funds allocated or contracted with the Centre supervising all disbursing activities and countersigning all payment orders;

Developing and issuing detailed rules and procedures in implementation of the NFRs and the STO Financial Procedures ensuring effective economical budgetary and financial administration;

Overseeing the current use and future development of the Centres financial and accounting system (Oracle based);

Conducting financial studies as required providing all the CMREs financial and managerial accounting reports and supporting the Director CMRE and STO Financial Controller in presenting them to the relevant finance committee(s);

Managing the processing and recording of requests for authorization to commit funds as well as prior approval and management of commitments in accordance with NFRs and within the limits established by the STO Financial Controller;

Organizing effective internal control of activities having financial implications for both appropriated and non‑appropriated funds;

Providing advice on the effective and efficient allocation of financial resources while ensuring that funds are expended in line with the approved purpose;

Supervising preparation of annual financial statements to include statement of financial position statement of performance statement of changes in net assets statement of cash flows statement of budgetary execution and the accompanying footnotes;

Chairing the CMRE Contract Award Committee within the authorities delegated by the STO Financial Controller and providing the fiduciary aspects of control and accounting associated to contracts awarded by the Centre;

Acts as the main point of contact for all CMRE audits from the International Board of Auditors for NATO and other stakeholders;

Directing the Budget and Finance Branch supervising the provision of financial management and manages the daily activities of the Budget and Finance Branch and its staff;

Manages banking arrangements with financial institutions;

Other related…