The Integrated Carbon Observation System, ICOS ERIC, is a European Research Infrastructure Consortium with 16 member countries. ICOS produces standardised data on greenhouse gases, which is essential in understanding and mitigating climate change. Finland is the statuary seat of ICOS ERIC. The Head Office is based in Helsinki. It coordinates the operational activities, administers the finances, coordinates international cooperation and communications.  

The Administration Unit within the ICOS Head Office is focusing on administrative and financial management of the ICOS research infrastructure, contract management and the procurement as well as financial management of the externally funded projects. The unit also supports human resources management, which is executed in the Director General Unit.

ICOS ERIC is hiring a

Head of Administration

Responsibilities

• Financial management of ICOS ERIC including invoice and payment processing, budgeting, financial reporting and managing the closing of the books and the annual audit process.
• Overall financial management of the research infrastructure including gathering information for budgeting and reporting from the Central Facilities and National Networks as well as calculating and monitoring of membership contributions of the participating countries.
• Contract management, coordination of the service providers of the Head Office and procurement processes. Management of facilities and equipment register.
• Payroll administration, personnel costs in the accounting and project management, travel management and supporting in other human resources management tasks for the Head Office.
• Coordination of the IT services for the Head Office
• Organisation of the Unit and supervision of the staff in the unit (currently 3).

To succeed in this role

You are a self-driven and pro-active professional with outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills and an ability to work as part of a team in an international environment. 

To be successful in this position, you also need to have

• Master’s degree or equivalent level of education and several years of relevant work experience in a similar position,
• Strong knowledge of business operations processes and finance,
• Experience and knowledge of HR/Payroll financial operations,
• Supervisory experience,
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Finnish,
• Excellent organising, prioritisation and inter-personal communication skills,
• Experience in management of research infrastructures or other scientific organisations, experience in management of EU projects is essential,
• Experience in coordination of IT -services.
• A work permit in an EU country is required.

About the ICOS ERIC Head Office

Beside the Administration Unit, the Head Office consists also of the Units for Operations, Strategy and International Cooperation, and Communication. The international team in Helsinki works with people across the Europe to coordinate the ICOS activities. Staff and activities of the Head Office are managed by the Director General. ICOS ERIC has excellent health- and other personnel benefits. The Head Office has a hybrid way of working: the default work of the team is in the office in Kumpula but home office is possible. The work will require occasional travel within the EU-countries.

This a full-time, permanent position, at the ICOS Head Office in Helsinki, Finland. The starting salary range will be 5000 – 5400 euros but own ideas can be expressed. There is a six-month trial period. ICOS ERIC is an equal opportunity employer.

To apply

Please send your CV and application in English with salary expectation via this link no later than 3rd of June by the end of the day. We can only accept applications sent through the form linked here. This recruitment is conducted in collaboration with Accountor and Senior Recruitment Consultant Mira Svedholm.

For further information, please contact Director General Werner Kutsch, best available on 23 May 2025 at 09-11, and 30 May 2025 at 12-14, Helsinki time (EEST). Please email werner.kutsch@icos-ri.eu with your phone number during the given times and he will call you back. You may also contact Mira Svedholm by phone on 26 May at 13-14 at +358 40 4108960 or by email mira.svedholm@accountor.fi.

Further information about ICOS can be obtained from the ICOS RI website.