(RFP500596) Manager, Regional Operations and Finance Europe (Rome, Italy)

The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.
About the position

Based in Rome, Italy, the Manager, Regional Operations and Finance (ROF) – Europe leads the delivery of finance and operations services in Italy, France, and Belgium. Reporting to the Global Director of Business Operations and Finance, the role ensures effective service provision in procurement, travel, hosting arrangements, protocol, facilities, and general administration. The manager is responsible for aligning regional operations with institutional standards, ensuring compliance with local regulations, and supporting hosted entities. The position contributes to the continuous improvement of processes and systems to deliver cost-effective, compliant, and high-quality support services across the Europe region.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the delivery of operations and finance services across Alliance offices in Italy, France, and Belgium, ensuring compliance with policies, local regulations, and service standards.
  
• Oversee procurement, travel, hosting, protocol, facilities, and general administration, driving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with institutional procedures.
  
• Manage staff performance, planning, and development within the unit, fostering a positive work environment and ensuring adequate resources to meet operational goals.
  
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance service quality, support hosted entities, and ensure consistent delivery across multiple sites.
  
• Coordinate with global finance and operations teams to ensure alignment of regional services with institutional policies and standards.
  
• Serve as focal point for internal clients and hosted entities in Europe, ensuring timely resolution of operational and administrative matters.
  
• Liaise with external stakeholders, including service providers, partner institutions, and local authorities, to ensure smooth and compliant service delivery.
  
• Collaborate with research and support units to understand operational needs and adapt service delivery accordingly.
  
• Promote cross-functional coordination and knowledge sharing to support consistency and integration across country offices.
  
• Ensure timely and consistent delivery of operations and finance services across Italy, France, and Belgium in line with institutional standards and local requirements.
  
• Monitor service performance, establish quality metrics, and implement corrective actions to address gaps and improve client satisfaction.
  
• Oversee the planning and execution of procurement processes, facility operations, travel systems, and administrative support.
  
• Guarantee operational readiness and contract compliance for hosting agreements, supporting accurate cost allocation and service provision.
  
• Lead the development and execution of annual work plans and budgets for the unit, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
  

Requirements

Required qualifications and experience 

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, or a related field relevant to operations and financial management.
  
• Professional-level proficiency in English (spoken and written) is required.
  
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in operations and financial management, preferably within international or multi-country organizations.
  
• Demonstrated experience overseeing procurement, travel, facility management, and administrative services in complex institutional settings.
  
• Proven experience leading and developing multicultural teams and coordinating service delivery across multiple locations.
  
• Familiarity with hosting arrangements and managing operational partnerships with external entities and service providers.
  
• Strong record of integrity, compliance, and effective operational execution under institutional policies and external regulations.
  

Required competencies

• Solid understanding of business operations in decentralized environments and ability to align them with institutional priorities.
  
• Capacity to design and manage procurement, budgeting, and administrative processes effectively.
  
• Skills in analyzing operational data and service metrics to inform planning and improvements.
  
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills to manage teams and collaborate across units and functions.
  
• Experience working with ERP systems and digital tools to support operational workflows is desirable.
  

Benefits

Terms of employment

This position is a nationally recruited staff position based in Rome, Italy.

The initial contract will be for up to one (1) year, subject to a probation period of six (6) months, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

This position is graded at BG10 level, with a minimum annual basic salary of Euro 60,670 in a scale of BG02 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to the Alliance job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.

The Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that eligible applicants must have the legal status to live and work in Italy:

• Be Italian nationals holding a valid passport or identity card.
  
• Or be EU citizens holding a valid passport or identity card and confirmation of registration from the Registrar’s Office (Anagrafe).
  
• Or Non–EU citizens holding a valid Italian work permit (permesso di soggiorno per lavoro subordinato).
  

Applications

Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number RFP500596 – Manager, Regional Operations and Finance Europe as the position applied for. Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting. The Alliance collects and process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Applications closing date: 17 September 2026
Please note that email applications will not be considered.
We invite you to learn more about us at: http://alliancebioversityciat.org