Head of Section Administration and Finance

General InformationVacancy number1089/2025Recruitment typeExternal recruitment (local)Posted date20-Nov-2025Deadline to apply11-Dec-2025Duty stationThe HagueGradeA1/A2EntityRegister of Damage caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against UkraineDescription & RequirementsYour TeamThe Register of Damage for Ukraine, established in May 2023 through an Enlarged Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe, is based in The Hague, Netherlands, with an office in Kyiv, Ukraine. It serves as a documentary record of claims and evidence on damage, loss or injury caused by the Russian Federation’s internationally wrongful acts in or against Ukraine. The Register receives claims from individuals, businesses and state and municipal entities in Ukraine regarding damage, loss or injury that they have suffered because of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.The team you will lead, the Administration and Finance Section, ensures the effective management of the Register’s financial, administrative and human resources operations. The Section also manages procurement and logistics in line with Council of Europe regulations and ensures proper follow-up to audit requirements. In addition, it handles day-to-day HR processes, including recruitment and staff administration.Your RoleAs a Head of Section Administration and Finance, you will:advise the Executive Director and senior staff on all budgetary, administrative and human resources issues relevant to the management and further development of the Register;lead the finance and administration team of the Register;act as Financial Officer for the operational and personnel appropriations, notably:prepare budgets and monitor their execution, in particular ensuring accurate budget expenditure forecasts;provide reports in respect of all financial matters;ensure compliance with the Council of Europe financial rules and regulations as well as any other specific instructions given by the Conference of Participants, the Register’s Executive Director or its Board;ensure adequate and effective internal control, and performance monitoring;ensure that financial transactions are properly coded and recorded in the financial information system;ensure appropriations are used economically, efficiently and effectively;supervise the payments to suppliers and the reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses;deal with all financial, budgetary and administrative aspects related to projects financed by extra-budgetary resources;lead all procurement and logistics activities of the Register and ensure compliance with the Council of Europe financial regulations;respond to internal/external audit observations;lead on human resources matters in liaison with the Executive Director, the Directorate of Human Resources and other relevant counterparts, especially all aspects of recruitment procedures, communication with staff, implementation of HR policies and programmes, training, supervision of staff leave and absences;ensure direct supervision of staff dealing with finance, procurement, logistics and human resources matters as required;co-ordinate and control general administrative tasks;identify, analyse and formulate suitable solutions for financial and administration issues;work in close contact with others to ensure co-ordination of activities; disseminate appropriate information to all those concerned;oversee the staff performance management system;determine the need for setting up, communicate and monitor the implementation of internal procedures, adjusting them where needed;organise and supervise the administrative processes related to the management of the Register’s office, including handling the relationship with the Dutch authorities;carry out other work-related duties as required.Requirements to applyYou Musthold a higher education degree or qualification equivalent to a master’s degree (2nd cycle of the Bologna process framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area) in management, business administration, finance or a related field; a first cycle higher education degree combined with two additional years of qualifying professional experience may be accepted in place of the second cycle higher education degree;after having obtained the relevant degree, have at least four years of relevant professional experience in finance, budget, HR, procurement and/or administration;have a very good knowledge of English (one of the Council of Europe's two official languages); knowledge of French would be an advantage;be a citizen of the host country or one of the 46 member States of the Council of Europe and fulfil the conditions for appointment to the civil service of that state;be currently present in the Netherlands;have discharged any obligation concerning national service (military, civil or comparable);not be the parent, child, stepchild or grandchild of a serving staff member of the Council of Europe;be under the age of 65 years.Your application must demonstrate to what extent you have the competencies listed below. To help you doing so, feel free to consult our competency framework.Key competenciesOperational - Planning and work organisationOperational - Analysis and problem solvingOperational - Results orientationInterpersonal - Teamwork and co-operationProfessional and technical expertise:advanced knowledge in accounting, financial management, and budgetary execution;sound and proven experience in the development of budgets, financial report preparation and verification;experience in applying private sector or public sector accounting standards such as International Financial Reporting Standard(s) (IFRS) or International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS);experience working with ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems;knowledge and experience of procurement and logistics with track record of managing tenders;experience in using current ICT facilities and office systems, including excellent ability to use Excel.Desirable competenciesInterpersonal - Service orientationInterpersonal - ResilienceProfessional and technical expertise:experience in working in a similar capacity in an international organisation;experience in asset and inventory accounting/management;experience in working with international organisations;knowledge and experience of HR best practices.What we offerThis job vacancy is for a local external recruitment based on fixed-term contracts. Employment is limited to 31 December 2027 and may be extended. You can consult the conditions of employment (salaries, allowances, pension scheme, social insurance etc.) on the webpage What we offer.Applications and selection procedureFor more information on how we recruit, you can consult the page Our recruitment process. This recruitment is carried out in accordance with Rule No. 1234 laying down the conditions of recruitment and employment of locally recruited staff members working in Council of Europe Duty Stations located outside of France. The deadline for applications is indicated in the General information section of this vacancy notice (see above) and is fixed at 23:59:59 (CET/CEST). When applying, make sure your motivation shows how your competencies make your profile the best for the role.Important informationAs an equal opportunity employer, the Council of Europe welcomes applications from all suitably qualified people, irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, disability, religion or belief. Under its equal opportunity policy, the Council of Europe is aiming to achieve gender parity in staff employed in each category and grade. At the time of appointment, preference between suitable people shall be given to the person of the gender which is under-represented in the relevant grades within the category to which the vacancy belongs.Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact us at talents@coe.int, we will ensure that your request is handled.The information published on the CoE’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication of the vacancy notice. Any changes to these conditions during the recruitment process will be updated on our Portal and will apply at the time of the job offer. Our career's website is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have. Should you have remaining questions, please contact us at talents@coe.int.