The role of the External Grants section (FAP-RPC-EG) is to ensure the implementation, the monitoring and financial follow-up of European Union funded projects within the organization through the departments and to act as advisor on all budget aspects during proposals and before the negotiation phase of such projects in cooperation with the EU office.
Activities
Budget establishment -when CERN is Coordinator- and coordination of budgeting of the whole consortium - close cooperation with the management and proposal writing team
- Verification of the Grant agreements and budgets
- Establishment of budget code structures
- Budget monitoring – budget vs. actual costs, forecasting of future expenditure to estimate available resources
- Preparation of the audited cost claims and project reports for the European Commission (access to the Privacy Notice European Commission Reporting)
- Coordination of several EU projects including the following tasks (when applicable):
- Financial advice to partners
- Communication channel between the partners and the Commission
- Consolidation of financial reports
- Distribution of the funding between partners
- Monitoring of the consortium budget and spending
- Monitoring of the effort provided against budget for the consortium
- Presentations to the partners on financial status of the projects
EU Projects
Our role during proposals
is to check the consistency and viability of the proposal’s budget and use of resources.
Our role during the negotiation phase
is to follow and negotiate the budget liaising with project leaders and validate the contracts before the DG signature.
Once the project starts
our role is to coordinate and manage all budget aspects:
- Negotiating and implementing the budget within the different departments involved, ensuring budget allocations and budget controlling by organic unit, by nature, by programme, project and activity.
- Coordinating budget issues with all stakeholders (Project leaders, Department Planning Officers, Human Resource Advisers, Strategy, Management and Development Group in HR Department, Treasury, Payments and Financial Reporting Unit in Finance & Procurement Department and others services in other Department).
- Ensuring the maintenance of the financial structure in the financial systems (project, intersection codes) in close collaboration with the IT Department and the Department Planning Officers.
- Harmonizing the planning process through the Organization via planning tools (APT…).
- Initiating Advance payments to partners when CERN acts as project coordinator, interacting with the EU office, Treasury and Finance departments.
- Ensuring Resources Planning and expenses monitoring during the project’s life
- Providing proactive support to the project members in CERN departments
- Elaborating annual Cost statements and submission according to EC's financial rules.
- Liaising with internal and external auditors.