ABOUT EIT CULTURE & CREATIVITY
EIT Innovation Communities are designed as pan-European partnerships that bring together business, research centers and universities with the aim to tackle global challenges Europe faces, e.g. in Climate, Raw Materials, Urban Mobility or Manufacturing. For more please visit www.eit.europa.eu. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) launched 2023 the building of the Innovation Community for the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI), called EIT Culture & Creativity (EIT CC).
EIT Culture & Creativity’s mission is to support growth, jobs and competitiveness in CCSI to compete on global markets through providing interventions to CCSI and sector-specific challenges in education, innovation and business creation and foster interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. In this way, EIT Culture and Creativity unlocks the innovative potential of its fragmented ecosystem, contributing to Europe's triple transition and building a new understanding of competitive entrepreneurship. We will focus on the following priority areas, each having its unique challenges and a need for intervention while representing a significant share of the EU CCSI workforce and revenue: Architecture, Audiovisual, Cultural Heritage, Gaming and Fashion.
To represent the diversity of the CCSI stakeholders, from profit to non-for-profit organizations, EIT Culture & Creativity set up a two-strand governance under German law: A nonprofit association (EIT CCSI e.V.) and a Limited Company (EIT Culture & Creativity GmbH), both legally registered in Cologne.
EIT Culture and Creativity GmbH (EIT CC) is funded in the first years by grants of the EIT, while the EIT CCSI e.V. receives membership fees from its partners to provide, under German law tax exempt, services for the CCSI ecosystem. EIT Culture & Creativity aims to become financially sustainable and independent from public grants or membership fees over the course of 15 years. Starting from 2025, EIT CC will execute an investment portfolio approach holding equity in the start-ups and scale-ups that join its various Business Creation and Innovation programmes. In the long term, EIT Culture and Creativity aims to be financially sustainable by the returns from these investments and equity, effectively acting as an impact investor.
For more please visit our website..
EIT Culture & Creativity now invites applications for the position of:
CORPORATE FINANCE MANAGER
1 FULL-TIME POSITION AT EIT CULTURE & CREATIVITY
ABOUT THE POSITION
EIT Culture & Creativity is seeking a skilled and proactive Corporate Finance Manager (m/f/d) to support the Head of Finance in establishing and operating an effective, efficient, and compliant financial management system. This role is critical to ensuring the smooth, accurate, and timely execution of day-to-day financial operations within a complex, multi-stakeholder, and multi-national environment.
The successful candidate will bring strong experience in managing finance operations for organizations with complex funding structures, preferably with knowledge of EU funding guidelines. You will play a key role in supporting financial planning, compliance, and reporting in line with the strategic objectives and inclusive values of EIT Culture & Creativity.
This is an exciting opportunity for an aspiring finance professional with excellent attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and a collaborative mindset to contribute to a growing innovation community at the intersection of culture and creativity across Europe.
ABOUT THE TASK & MISSION
As Corporate Finance Manager, you will play a central role in supporting the financial stability and operational efficiency of EIT Culture & Creativity.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Preparing monthly financial reports, including variance analysis and departmental budget tracking.
- Leading the budgeting and forecasting processes in coordination with departmental leads.
- Developing and maintaining accurate cash flow forecasts to ensure sufficient liquidity and forward planning.
- Monitoring the financial performance and compliance of subsidiaries within the EIT Culture & Creativity group.
- Managing banking relationships and overseeing interactions with financial institutions.
- Preparing financial reports and presentations for the Management Team, governing bodies, and other stakeholders.
- Performing weekly bank reconciliations and monthly General Ledger (GL) reconciliations to ensure accuracy and completeness.
- Acting as the key finance contact for Directors and senior leadership, providing decision-making support.
- Overseeing all day-to-day financial operations, including payroll, vendor payments, travel reimbursements, and month-end journals.
- Reviewing expense claims submitted by staff to ensure compliance with cost eligibility criteria, especially under EU funding rules.
- Driving the continuous improvement of financial systems, processes, and internal controls to enhance efficiency and transparency.
- Liaising with local payroll providers to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing and compliance.
- Collaborating with tax advisors to ensure accurate VAT reporting and timely submission of all required tax returns and claims.
- Supporting Cross-KIC activities by contributing to the development of joint procedural documents and harmonized financial frameworks across multiple KICs.
- Assisting with annual audits and donor/funder audits (e.g. from EIT or Horizon Europe) as required.
THE REQUIREMENTS
To be successful in your role, you must have:
Qualifications & Experience
- Several years of experience in a similar finance or accounting role, ideally in a multi-entity or international environment.
- University degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
- Solid understanding of accounting principles and financial regulations.
- Proven experience with ERP systems (e.g. Oracle, SAP) and excellent proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g. VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables).
- Good knowledge of German financial regulations.
- Familiarity with EU funding guidelines, particularly regarding cost eligibility and budget management, is desirable but not essential.
Skills & Competencies
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage stakeholders at all levels.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proactive and solutions-oriented mindset.
- High level of attention to detail, accuracy, and consistency in financial data and reporting.
- Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to work in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
- Well-organized, able to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality results.
- A strong team player who also works well independently and takes initiative.
Language Requirements
- Native German speaker.
- Good command of English (written and spoken), as it is the regular working language of the organization.
WE OFFER
- A competitive salary with benefits
- Participation in building a company with ambition to contribute to the future of Europe
- Fast and flat processes, straight internal communication, low hierarchies, and freedom to operate
- An organization with a dynamic and friendly team with modern and well-located office facilities and the flexibility to work remotely
LOCATION
This position is preferably based in Germany, with remote work flexibility, ideally in the Cologne area. Other locations may be considered, provided the candidate lives in or is willing to relocate to one of the countries where EIT Culture & Creativity has established legal entities (Co-Location Centre, please see “Regional Hubs”). The candidate should be flexible to attend regular on-site meetings in Cologne and, occasionally, to travel to other EIT Culture & Creativity sites across Europe. Travel will be required when necessary but is not expected to be frequent.
By the closing date of this call candidates must have a working permit valid to work in the country of employment.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
EIT Culture & Creativity aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfil their potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our success, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EIT Culture & Creativity provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.
SELECTION PROCESS
A Selection Committee of experts will be appointed to carry out the evaluation of applications submitted. Please note that the Selection Committee´s internal proceedings are strictly confidential for avoiding conflicts of interest. Shortlisted candidates are invited to virtual interviews in the first rounds and to a personal interview in the final round at EIT Culture & Creativity GmbH with the Selection Committee. Candidates may be asked to provide proof of qualifications, background, skills, and experience by providing relevant documents. Candidates can be also invited for interviews on other now or formerly open job vacancies of the EIT Culture & Creativity.
APPLICATION PROCESS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A complete application should consist of:
I. Europass Curriculum Vitae, Europass CV https://europass.europa.eu/en/create-europass-cv.
II. A motivation letter describing briefly how you meet the criteria outlined and your vision for the role (no longer than 2 DIN-A4 pages).
Please apply here by clicking on the position title: Corporate Finance Manager
Important: The application should be written in English. Only complete applications will be evaluated (full curriculum vitae and motivation letter, in two separate files).
The job vacancy will be open until 6 February 2026 at 18:00pm (CET). For questions regarding the application process, please contact [email protected]. If you would like to learn more about the EIT Culture & Creativity, visit www.eit-culture-creativity.eu.
Take the lead in this exciting journey. Send us your application now!