ABOUT THE COMPANY:

The European Investment Fund (EIF) specializes in enhancing access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and innovation-driven ventures across Europe. By providing equity investments, guarantees, and risk-sharing instruments, EIF supports the growth and competitiveness of businesses, particularly in underserved sectors and regions. Its initiatives aim to foster entrepreneurship, drive economic development, and stimulate job creation throughout the European Union and beyond.

JOB SUMMARY

 

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is seeking to recruit for its Strategy Department (STR) at its headquarters in Luxembourg, (Senior) Finance and Strategy Officers*.

These are full time positions (travel required) at grade level 5/4 – E/F or 5/6 – E/D (depending on experience), for which the EIF offers a permanent contract.

*Internal benchmark: (Senior) Officer

This is a generic campaign in the view of both current vacancies and to a create reserve list for future vacancies.

Retention of the reserve list will be for a maximum period of 18 months.

Panel interviews via video-conference are anticipated for September 2024.

EIF Purpose:

Part of the EIB Group, the mission of the European Investment Fund (EIF) is to improve access to finance for SMEs and small mid-caps in Europe.

We do this by supporting emerging and established fund managers with equity investments and by designing debt financing instruments that share the risk taken by financial institutions when they lend to or invest in small businesses.

We bring this support closer to entrepreneurs through our extensive network of partners and financial intermediaries in all EU Member States and associated countries.

Team Purpose

The Strategy Department within the Finance and Strategy Office (“FSO”) is responsible for supporting the strategic direction of the EIF from medium and long-term perspective by providing Executive and Senior Management with relevant support and strategic orientations & priorities that guide future operational activities of the Fund.

Furthermore, the Strategy function regularly provides strategic analysis for ongoing projects and activities of the EIF to assess their fit to the ongoing strategy and to enable achievement of the EIB’s objectives.

Finally, it is planned to create within the FSO an internal consultancy activity to support all EIF services in their endeavours to streamline processes, to transform their activities in line with the Digital Ambition programme and to increase efficiency.

In the above context, FSO is looking to hire (Senior) Officers to assist in the core activities of the Strategy Department and the internal consultancy activity.

Operating network

The successful candidates will report to one of the Heads of Division of the Strategy Department and will work in close cooperation with other members of the Department and the FSO.

The successful candidates will have regular contact with colleagues across relevant EIF and EIB services, as well as external stakeholders. In the context of the upcoming review of the organisational structure following the appointment of the EIF Chief Financial Officer as Head of the Finance and Strategy Office, a change in reporting line might occur and the content of the work might become focussed on a subset of the responsibilities described below.

Responsibilities

At a level commensurate with your experience and seniority you will mainly:

• Contribute to the design, implementation, and update of EIF`s institutional/corporate strategy (Strategy)

• Contribute to the development of EIF strategic positions across a range of areas, including market presence, impact and policy contribution, stakeholder engagement, profitability and capital planning (Strategy)

• Contribute to and facilitate a systematic and integrative strategic planning process, including the EIB group perspective, and a corporate operational planning process in close cooperation with other services within the EIF as well as the relevant services within the EIB Group (Strategy)

• Elaborate assessments of market gaps in which the EIF could become active (Strategy)

• Develop and implement analytical tools and approaches to assess the fit of projects and activities to the institutional and operational strategy and objectives (Strategy)

• Analyze organizational processes and identify gaps or areas where they could be improved, identify or develop solutions for such gaps or improvement needs and support their implementation (Internal Consultancy)

• Provide internal consultancy to the different EIF services, supporting them in the identification and implementation of creative solutions addressing weaknesses or issues identified (Internal Consultancy)

• Conduct non-financial and financial analysis to provide a holistic assessment of business activities and/or projects, including costs, benefits, alternative options, etc.

  (Internal Consultancy)

• Foster and promote change processes initiated in the context of the ongoing Digital Transformation Programme of the EIF (Internal Consultancy)

• Ensure sound and productive alignment across EIB Group in respect of institutional developments and medium-term operational goals

• Foster productive working relationships internally and externally (including EIB, EC, National Promotional Institutions, etc.) around key topics of strategic importance to the EIF

Qualifications

• University degree, ideally in a business-related subject, and preferably supplemented by post-graduate studies

• At least three (3) (Officer role) or five (5) (Senior Officer role) years of post-graduation (after having obtained your initial university diploma) relevant professional experience at the same level of responsibility in Strategy management, assessment of strategy projects, operational planning, audit of financial institutions or project management;

• Any – or combination – of the following would be an advantage:

  • Prior experience in the development and/or implementation of institutional or operational strategy for a large financial institution, or a policy institution with substantial exposure to financial markets would be considered an asset (Strategy function);

  • Prior experience challenging processes and financial planning of financial institutions and with EBA guidelines would be considered an asset (Internal Consultancy function)

  • Sound understanding of EIF’s mission, strategy and policies;

• Excellent knowledge of English and a good command of another EU language.

Competencies

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

• Creative thinking to develop strategies that are unique to the organization

• Ability to identify and evaluate change opportunities

• Ability to generate ideas to implement improvements

• Ability and eagerness to approach strategy formulation from a quantitative and data-driven perspective

• Clarity of thought and ability to communicate effectively around complex issues at all levels of seniority

• Excellent drafting skills and the ability to produce clear and concise reports

• Team worker

• Persuasive negotiation and oral communication and presentational skills

• Ability to interact at all levels of the organization

• Excellent organisational skills with capability to prioritise

Deadline for applications: Monday, 9 September 2024

Applications of women and/or candidates from countries under-represented in EIF (DEU, NLD, POL, DNK, SWE, AUT, CZR) are encouraged.

We are an equal opportunities employer, who believes that diversity is good for our people and our business.

We encourage all suitably qualified and eligible candidates to apply regardless of their gender identity/expression, age, racial, ethnic and cultural background, religion and beliefs, sexual orientation/identity, disability or neurodiversity.

Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact the EIF Recruitment team Recruitment@eif.org who will ensure that your request is handled.

By applying for this position you acknowledge the importance of maintaining the security and integrity of the Information of the EIB Group.

In case of selection for the position you agree to comply with all measures (policies, controls, document classification and management) implemented by the EIB Group to prevent unauthorized disclosure of any information or any damage to the EIB Group reputation.

Candidates are informed that pre-employment integrity screening is an integral part of the EIF recruitment process.

* Due to high volume of applications, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

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Good luck!