Head of Administration

Updated: over 2 years ago
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

We are offering the position of

Head of Administration (m/f/d)

The successful candidate will support the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) as a member of the senior management team in achieving institutional strategic aims and objectives by providing advice and managing administration and resources (Procedures, Policies, Finances, Equipment, Facilities, etc.) in order to support the effective delivery of world class research.

MPI-CBG is an institute of the renowned Max Planck Society (MPG) conducting ground-breaking biomedical research at the forefront of the current state-of-the-art. The institute has an international staff of about 500 employees, from more than 50 nations around the world. The question posed for the first 20 years since the institute’s founding has been ‘how do cells form tissues’? The institute has recently further developed its research vision and adopted stem cell-derived models, Physics of Life, synthetic tissue systems and organoids models to address its fundamental questions in developmental biology, regeneration self-organization and molecular genetics. The institute is well known for an interdisciplinary approach including consideration of the role of force, size, shape and other physical parameters on cell and tissue organization and also, in 2017, has opened a new Center for Systems Biology Dresden (‘CSBD’) providing a rich environment for theoretical approaches, modelling and simulation.

Job Description & Requirements

Main responsibilities

•    Assist the MD and COO with ongoing strategic development and sustainable management of the institute. Advise senior staff on the implementation of new financial, administrative, and research strategies, understand policies and be an advocate for the institute at MPG level.

•    Provide leadership and line management to professional service staff. Manage a team of 30 Administrative Staff to preserve high quality operations. Ensure effective supervision, training and development, and personnel appraisals.  

•    Ensure smooth running and ongoing development overview of administrative structures, policies and procedures across the Institute to support strategic objectives. Prepare reports and lead discussions as a member of the senior management team.

•    Ensure the efficient management of financial resources, including both reserves and recurrent expenditures. Advise the MD and COO on the strategic financial position, prepare forecasts and estimates, oversee the purchase of equipment and consumables, including building related items in close collaboration with the Head of Purchase. Extensive liaison with the local Finance staff and with the MPG headquarters in Munich as and when necessary.

•    With the Head of Finance ensure effective and efficient grants management, monitoring, and reporting. Be proactive in supporting the long-term planning and development of research and fundraising activity. Keep staff informed of new funding opportunities, assist with preparation of major funding bids, actively scope funding opportunities.

•    In liaison with the Head of HR, advise the MD and COO on employee relations matters, including assessment of needs, recruitment and training, performance issues, appraisals, and policy implementation.

•    Overall responsibility for all forms of audits, inspections and legal and legislative compliance on fiscal and physical infrastructures. Ensure the effective and efficient governance of the Institute and servicing the Institute’s committees as appropriate.

•    Oversee health and safety management. Support the development and implementation of security policies, advise on health and safety to staff and other building users, ensure implementation of health and safety measures as required in collaboration with the Head of Facilities.

•    Undertake other duties as appropriate to the role and grade, including serving on Institute’s committees or task forces.

Requirements & Qualifications

Knowledge & Experience
•    University degree in management, administration, or any other relevant field
•    Extensive experience in a senior management role and operational management
•    Evidence of working at a strategic level to create and deliver organisation wide change and of leading and managing staff for high quality results
•    Experience of servicing high-level committees and producing accurate documentation
•    Experience of preparing budgets and managing finances and resources
•    Sound knowledge of the legal areas relevant to a publicly funded research institute (administrative, municipal, budgetary, tarif, grant, corporate law)

Skills
•    Near-native fluency in German and English, with excellent, nuanced communication skills in both languages
•    Excellent negotiation, communication and interpersonal skills
•    Excellent leadership, people management and team development skills
•    Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise effectively across a diverse and demanding workload
•    Strong problem solving, strategic thinking and planning skills
•    Excellent IT skills; knowledge and experience with relevant software applications (SAP, MS Office)
•    Committed, organized, analytical, decisive with discretion and diplomacy

Abilities
•    Ability to create, maintain and enhance working relationships, also to persuade and influence colleagues as necessary
•    Ability to interpret, adapt and implement detailed and often complex policies and procedures and communicate them effectively to staff at all levels
•    Ability to interpret and communicate numerical data

Desirable qualifications
•    Empathy with research aims and objectives of a leading Biomedical Research Institute in an intensive international environment
•    Experience of working abroad or in another employment sector

Our offer

The position is available immediately. The initial contract is for 2 years with the possibility to become unlimited thereafter upon mutual agreement between both parties. Salary will depend on the experience and qualifications of the candidate, based on TvöD. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

For initial inquiries, please contact the Head of Human Resources (hr mpi-cbg.de ). For specific questions, please contact the Deputy COO (skumar mpi-cbg.de ).
The Max Planck Society strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Please submit your complete application via our online application system stating Code 2021-HeadOfAdministration-6000 at https://recruitingapp-2443.umantis.com/Vacancies/469/Application/CheckLogin/2?lang=eng

Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Pfotenhauerstr. 108
01307 Dresden, Germany
http://www.mpi-cbg.de



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