Finance & Controlling and Office Support

Shape the Future of Space Research Operations

ETH Space is dedicated to boosting space activities to establish ETH Zurich as a leading institution in space research, Earth observation, education, and entrepreneurship within Europe and beyond. Encompassing five key units—Education, Research, Entrepreneurship, the ETH Swiss GeoLab, and the space mission LIFE—ETH Space is led by a distinguished directorate and supported by a team of approximately 35 employees. Located in a central ETH building in Zurich downtown, the organization is currently transitioning into an ETH Center, marking a significant phase of growth and strategic development.

Your Role in Finance and Office Support

In this multifaceted position, you will assume responsibility for Finance and Internal Controlling while providing essential support to Office Management. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring the efficient and smooth operation of the organizational unit by executing financial and administrative processes with precision. Acting as the central point of contact for finance and controlling matters, you will support the leadership team with organizational and operational issues, fostering transparent workflows and reliable administration. This role offers a varied and responsible scope of tasks at the intersection of finance and office management, allowing you to contribute significantly to the success of ETH Space through close collaboration with management, staff, and internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Your areas of responsibility include, in particular:

• Finance & Controlling:
  • Conduct budget calculations, including annual budgets and bi-annual rolling forecasts.
  • Manage project finances from budgeting and expenditure to financial reporting.
  • Handle procurement of goods and services involving complex ordering structures, including quote comparisons, export control compliance, procurement regulations, tenders, and contract awards.
  • Perform accounting and internal controlling for ETH Space.
  • Verify invoices and process payments.
  • Process employee expense claims and reconcile credit card statements.
  • Execute performance-based project billing via SAP.
  • Address all ETH Zurich internal finance-related inquiries.
• Office Management Support:
  • Provide administrative support for ETH Space management.
  • Prepare documents and reports.
  • Track tasks and projects to ensure timely completion.
  • Handle sensitive information with strict confidentiality.
  • Support office management in overseeing daily office operations.
  • Provide recruitment support, including job postings and application coordination.
  • Assist with new employee onboarding.

Qualifications and Profile

We are seeking a candidate with the following background and skills:

• Education: Completed commercial or administrative vocational training; further training in accounting, controlling, project, or office management is an asset.
• Experience: A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience. Experience in an academic or research setting, including prior work at ETH Zurich, is an advantage.
• Technical Skills:
  • Experience with SAP and proficiency in these systems.
  • Advanced user skills in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and scheduling tools.
  • Very good written and spoken German and English; French is an advantage.
• Competencies & Personality:
  • Structured, analytical, with a flair for numbers and attention to detail.
  • Independent approach and strong organizational skills.
  • Proactive and reliable personality.
  • Solution-oriented and service-oriented working style.
  • Enjoy working with complex project structures.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build bridges across teams.
  • Motivation and drive to define and implement work processes within the ETH Space leadership team.

What We Offer

• The great and rare opportunity to help shape the operations and finances of a soon-to-become strategic center of ETH Zurich: ETH Space.
• A dynamic, interdisciplinary, and entrepreneurial environment at one of the world’s leading technical universities.
• A workplace in Zurich downtown.