Chief Financial & Operating Officer; COO​/CFO Centre al Genomics

Overview

Place of employment:
Globe Institute, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K.

Position:
Chief Financial & Operating Officer (COO/CFO) for Centre for Ancient Environmental Genomics

Join us in building the administrative and operational backbone of a world-leading research centre!

Centre for Ancient Environmental Genomics at the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen (UCPH) seeks to appoint a Chief Financial & Operating Officer (COO/CFO) to lead and develop the administrative backbone of a rapidly growing international research centre. The position is open from 1 May 2026 or as soon as possible after that. We are looking for an ambitious and strategic leader with strong operational and financial skills to build, develop, and run the center’s administration.

The successful applicant should be motivated by working as an integrated member of the Centre’s leadership team in a highly collaborative, international, and cross-institutional environment. The aim is to establish an internationally recognised research centre spearheading environmental genomics to deliver world-leading basic and applied research.

The Centre for Ancient Environmental Genomics was launched in 2023 and is headed by Professor Eske Willerslev. It provides a fundamental core facility and hosts the Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability (AEGIS), aiming to deliver fast and data-driven targeted solutions for climate-adaptive agricultural systems. Read more about AEGIS .

As COO/CFO, you will report to the Executive Director and join the Centre’s leadership team alongside the Chief Scientific Officer and the Program Management Officer. You will be the primary administrative point of contact for internal employees, collaboration partners, the Globe Institute, UCPH central administration, and funding foundations. You will also serve as the direct line manager for the current administrative team of three staff members.

Your core responsibility will be to establish and manage the Centre’s administrative framework, including:

• Shape and build a robust administrative framework and operational processes for the Center in close collaboration with the Executive Director and the leadership team.
• Lead and develop the Center’s administrative team, currently three staff members, and expand it with the necessary competencies as the Center grows.
• Manage finances for major grants (including the AEGIS grant) and prepare accurate financial reports for the relevant foundations and agencies, working closely with the Executive Director, leadership team, financial department and key stakeholders.
• Act as strategic advisor and sparring partner to the leadership team on finance, operations, recruitment, communication, and overall planning.
• Coordinate tasks within the administrative team and ensure smooth workflows across the Center.
• Integrate the communication function into the Center’s administration and ensure that it is developed with a strong focus on both external and internal communication.
• Oversee contracts and compliance, coordinate with the Globe Institute, UCPH central administration, and innovation units to ensure adherence to policies and regulations.
• Drive fundraising strategies and business plans for the Centre’s growth in collaboration with AEGIS leadership and team of principal investigators.
• Ensure implementation and monitoring of policies and strategies to meet statutory and regulatory requirements, including risk management, business continuity, health and safety, and data protection.
• Coordinate administrative and financial activities with Globe Institute and UCPH as well as external partners and funding agencies.
• Plan and oversee key activities including leadership meetings, collaboration with academic and industrial partners, and interactions with funding bodies.
• Support strategic development, process implementation, and preparation of annual and other reports.

This is a unique opportunity to shape and build the administrative and operational backbone of a world-leading research centre.

We believe that there are many ways into the position, but we…