We are looking for a dynamic financial analyst with strong mathematical acumen and a keen understanding of intellectual property to join our Central Financial Planning and Analysis team. This is an opportunity to boost your career in a cutting-edge environment where your skills will drive financial decision-making. Apply now and become a key player in shaping the financial landscape at the EPO.

The EPO is undertaking a major transformation programme called Finance 360 ("F360"). Through this, the Principal Directorate Finance aims to further elevate its role as a vital business partner for the whole organisation. By enhancing financial processes, leveraging technology and refining organisational dynamics, F360 promises to unlock value for the entire business and foster a resilient financial culture across the EPO. Through streamlined and simplified processes, it will deliver efficiency gains for Finance and the organisation as a whole.

A key aspect of this transformation process has been the creation of a new Central Financial Planning and Analysis unit, which now serves as the cornerstone of our financial services. Tasked with consolidating financial data such as budgets, forecasts and reports, this unit collaborates closely with a network of finance partners and the CFO. Our primary focus lies in developing state-of-the-art simulation and monitoring tools to accurately predict and assess the financial performance of the EPO. We conduct financial simulations to support the decision-making process and explore options, ensuring informed decisions are taken that move the EPO forward. We are responsible for the financial planning of the EPO, from long-term financial policy studies and analyses down to preparing and reporting the annual budget.

With us you will:

• Consolidate the budgets and forecasts of the EPO
• Oversee revenue and expenses and identify trends
• Provide comprehensive assessments of the financial impact of policies (revenue and expenses) to the President, CFO, Management Advisory Committee and other governing bodies
• Maintain and enhance the simulation tool and analyses, including patent fee income and salaries projections
• Provide informed input to policy decisions, particularly regarding patent fees, based on thorough financial analyses to facilitate informed decision-making
• Offer data, technical support and training to ensure that finance partners and business units are equipped to fulfil their responsibilities effectively
• Prepare periodical statutory budget documents, presentations and speaking notes for governing bodies
• Conduct Unitary Patent Protection (UPP) simulations tailored to member states, maintain the simulation model diligently and produce comprehensive documents
• Consolidate UPP expenses and revenues, ensuring accurate and timely monthly reporting

Apply if you have:

• A master's degree in accounting or finance, an MBA, or an MSc in a relevant field
• Proficiency in data analysis and statistical methods for cohort-based calculations
• Excellent mathematical ability and an analytical mind, including experience with querying and programming databases (SQL, Python, R)
• A good knowledge of the European IP environment including the Unitary Patent would be an asset
• Excellent communication skills, including proficiency in preparing and reviewing documentation/reporting for effective decision-making, and the ability to present complex technical matters to non-expert decision-makers
• The flexibility to adapt and maintain performance as situations changes, workloads increase, tensions rise, ambiguity emerges and priorities shift
• Openness to take on additional tasks or responsibilities, even if they are outside your normal duties
• The ability to approach tasks and challenges in a proactive and creative manner

Our minimum requirements for this post

• Diploma of completed studies at master's level or – in exceptional cases – equivalent professional experience

• Generally, an excellent knowledge (at least C1) of one official language (English, French and German) and ability to understand the other two; alternatively, excellent knowledge (at least C1) of at least one official language (in such cases, the willingness to learn the missing language(s) and to reach level B2 within a set time frame would be required)

• Citizenship of one of the member states of the European Patent Organisation

Process

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Key information

Job group: 4

Grade: G7 to G10 (net basic) monthly salary* for this vacancy: EUR 5 901 to 9 620, depending on experience and location)

Duration of appointment: five years

Career path: Technical 

Location: Office wide

Application deadline: 30 May 2024

Interviews planned for: From 14 until 21 June 2024

* after deduction of EPO-internal tax and before deduction of staff contributions to the social security and pension schemes.