Business Controller

About The Synergist

The Synergist is a social venture that addresses a growing need to collectively face societal issues by addressing broken or inefficient systems and accelerating societal (co-)impact. 

With globalization, the digital age, and increased mobility, we now collectively have more knowledge, capability, and capacity to solve the world’s most challenging social issues. But complex issues can’t be solved in isolation. The sheer number, variety, and interests of stakeholders on any given topic make it challenging to focus everyone’s expertise and resources on a shared goal. 

The Synergist is an independent, neutral backbone and incubator for societal issues. It brings together the right people, organizations, and institutions to focus on solving societal issues both personally and with technology tools. We foster an organized and collaborative environment that enables collective impact by co-defining a shared vision, goals, and strategies with members; bringing on board relevant partners; establishing and maintaining a transparent and balanced governance structure; coordinating and driving activities, and bringing to life concrete projects and solutions that have been shaped with and complemented by members.

The Synergist is a globally focused organization based in Brussels, Belgium.

The origin story of the Synergist by Nicholas Brooke

Co-creation and collective intelligence in practice (Patient Engagement Open Forum)

Your role

In your role as Business Controller, you will provide key support to the CFO with an emphasis on helping to ensure that the financial and legal day-to-day activities run smoothly, on time, and to a high-quality standard. This means a variety of tasks essential to the leadership team and program management team, from bookkeeping responsibilities to advising on contracts, engaging with partners and collaborators, and handling other project work. 

The role is either a full-time or part-time position (80%) with the flexibility to discuss the best working days that suit the candidate and the organization, with a high degree of flexibility for hybrid working. 

Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning & Analyses

• Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Monitor financial performance against budgets and forecasts.
• Provide variance analysis and actionable recommendations.
• Develop financial models to support strategic decisions.

Business Partnering

• Act as the primary finance contact for assigned portfolio owners.
• Support portfolio owners with financial insights, cost control, and investment decisions.
• Translate financial data into clear, practical recommendations.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Prepare monthly forecast updates, management reports and dashboards.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) and identify trends.
• Support the development of financial and operational targets.

Cost Control & Efficiency

• Analyze cost structures and identify optimization opportunities.
• Monitor spending and ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
• Support business cases for new initiatives or investments.

Process Improvement

• Improve financial processes, tools, and reporting systems.
• Ensure data accuracy and consistency across reports.
• Contribute to finance transformation or automation projects.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure adherence to internal financial policies and controls.
• Support audits and ensure proper documentation.
• Collaborate with accounting teams on closing activities when needed.

Finance & Admin Support

• Manage the monthly accounting closing activities (accruals, provisions,...).
• Handle specific bookkeeping tasks (e.g. customer invoicing).
• Review timesheets
• Review team’s expense notes

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Have an educational background equivalent to a Bachelor's degree with 3-5 years of working experience in audit/financial/accounting/business controlling duties.
• Have a keen interest in shared value initiatives.
• Have an excellent command of written and spoken English B2 minimum (French is considered a plus) and excellent communication skills
• Be comfortable with working directly with senior-level employees (stakeholder engagement, partnership management, client service)
• Have maturity in handling confidential information discreetly (internally and externally)
• Have advanced technical skills (advanced user of MS Suite, Google Suite, ERP or CRM tools,, etc.) and be able to learn and adopt new technologies fast
• Have a solutions-oriented, proactive, and innovative approach with a hands-on attitude
• Have complete attention to detail, methodological and thorough, be not afraid of repetitive work, very well organized, and at ease with balancing many conflicting priorities at once
• Be curious and open-minded, open to new ideas, concepts, and people.

Preferred:

• An EU work permit
• Experience working 2-4 years as auditor in a Big 4 or equivalent.
• Experience working in the healthcare or environmental sector
• Professional or personal experience in social entrepreneurship or corporate social responsibility
• Experience in EU and other funding systems for societal projects
• Fluency in one or more foreign languages

What's In It for You:

• The opportunity to work with global profit and not-for-profit players to address societal needs (like patient engagement, precision medicine, women's health, rare diseases, etc.);
• The opportunity to join a dedicated, dynamic, diverse, and fun team that works to develop innovative and efficient programs to solve challenges that others ignore or have been unable to resolve.
• A high degree of flexibility to work from home
• The successful candidate who wishes to grow at The Synergist will have the opportunity to advance and grow with the organization. 

Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience. Applications can be sent to talent@thesynergist.org