European Investment Fund (EIF) - Chief Executive - based in Luxembourg
European Investment Bank (EIB)
This position is based at our Luxembourg headquarters and requires regular office presence. The EIB Group offers you the opportunity to live and work in a truly international and multi-cultural environment. We also offer relocation support.
According to the Statutes of the EIF, the European Investment Bank (EIB), as majority shareholder of the EIF, nominates its Chief Executive which is appointed by the EIF Board of Directors.
The appointment is for a term of up to five years.
This is a full-time position at grade 9.
Applicants will receive initial feedback by end of July.
Purpose
The European Investment Bank Group is the financing arm of the European Union.
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees, securitisations and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and start-ups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European enterprises.
As the Chief Executive, you will lead the organisation, manage its budget and staff and oversee the use of EIF’s capital. You will be responsible for the EIF’s success in supporting EU policy objectives, and for its financial performance as well as product and market development in support of SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups.
You will provide support and leadership to EIF teams across the institution, drive the business and optimise operations by ensuring cost effectiveness while maintaining a strong policy focus and a robust internal control framework.
The Chief Executive will lead the EIF’s contribution to the European Union’s Savings and Investment Union, strengthening Europe’s venture and growth‑capital ecosystem and mobilising private investment with the necessary scale and speed to support innovation, competitiveness and strategic autonomy across the European Union.
Working closely with the management team of the EIF and the EIF staff to sustain the organisation’s positive, service-oriented, and collaborative working environment, you will drive the institution towards an agile, efficient, and data-driven decision-making organisation in accordance with the EIB Group’s digital transformation strategy. This will keep the EIF on a path of sustainable growth while creating new value for staff, clients, mandators and shareholders. The development of new products which are better adapted to serve the end beneficiaries, SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, and the intermediaries, inter alia banks, guarantee institutions and venture capital funds, will be important.
This position champions strategic foresight, deep understanding of institutional priorities and trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve long-term objectives. As a key actor within the EIB Group, you will also foster synergies and close co-operation with the management and staff of EIB and work closely with the European Commission and other shareholders.
Operating network
Reporting directly to the EIF Board of Directors and representing the EIF in its relations with third parties, you will be responsible for external relations and for building positive partnerships and networks with external stakeholders, EIF’s shareholders and clients. The EIF’s institutional relations with other European Union Institutions will also fall within your remit, in close collaboration with the EIB Group Brussels office, and via the network of the EIB Group’s local offices.
You will work together with the senior management of the EIB, as parent entity of the Group, including with the EIB President and EIB Management Committee members, and with external counterparts and shareholders at the highest decision-making level.
You will engage in good co-operation with the Audit Board of the EIF. A robust co-operation with the Audit Committee of the EIB will be necessary in the context of EIB’s Review and Evaluation supervisory process (EIB-REP), Best Market/Banking Practices (BMP/BBP) framework and the EIB Group Oversight and Alignment framework. Full implementation of the framework will require leadership and commitment by the Chief Executive and will allow to capitalise on the Group’s synergies across different areas.
Accountabilities
- Ensure a high-performing managerial team and foster a corporate culture that embraces change, experimentation, co-operation, transparency, continual learning, and improvement
- Lead the day-to-day management of the Fund, ensuring the implementation of operational plans in a cost-effective manner, monitoring, and reporting the results to the Board and achieving financial and operational objectives
- Represent the Fund externally and maintain and develop relationships with external partners, shareholders, and stakeholders, in order to build partnerships
- Foster close co-operation with the EU institutions, in particular the European Commission, in implementing EU policies such as entrepreneurship, climate, research and innovation, digitalisation, impact investments, culture, skills, diversity, gender equality, etc
- Maintain and manage a sound and effective organisational structure and effective leadership of the management and staff of the Fund; establish effective means of delegation and control
- Foster a close co-operation with National Promotional Institutions and the Financial Institutions Shareholder Group
- The EIF Chief Executive plays a central role in shaping the EIB Group Operational Plan by defining, developing and articulating Group initiatives such as support the scale up of innovative companies, and boost Europe’s capabilities in security and defence, and ensuring that the EIF overall contribution to the Group Operational Plan is coherent with EU policy objectives, shareholder expectations and the EIB Group’s overall strategic framework
- Sponsor a close operational alignment and complementarity of activities in co-operation with the EIB’s Head of Operations and continue to foster operational and administrative synergies, avoiding duplication and/or overlaps with the EIB
- Ensure alignment and compliance with the Group Risk Management Framework, including the Group capital planning, as directed by the EIB Group Chief Risk Officer
- Contribute to the Group’s internal and external communication strategy
- Drive consistency in implementation, within EIF, of the Group Digital Ambition programme as the Group‑wide plan established to address digitalisation, competitiveness, speed of delivery, transparency, resilience and governance across Group while ensuring that technology investments and digitalisation developments deliver lasting improvements in customer experience of EIF’s mandators and beneficiaries
- Oversee and guarantee the quality, timeliness, fairness, and adequacy of financial reporting, reporting to the EIF Board of Directors, while working in close coordination with the EIB Group Chief Financial Controller on Group‑wide financial policies, standards and shared services.
- Ensure the execution of key human resources processes in line with the EIB Group approach, including ensuring gender balance and diversity in the institution
- Represent the Fund in judicial proceedings
- Foster EIB Group work culture promoting strong business ethics, integrity, respect, fair and equal treatment, equality and transparency. Support empowerment and accountability which allows staff to grow in their current positions and prepare for future roles and challenges.
- Create a safe and open environment, fostering a speak-up culture
- Keep the EIF Audit Board fully informed on all matters of significant relevance to the Fund, as well as on all aspects of the Fund’s operational and financial affairs; facilitate good co-operation between the EIF’s Audit Board and the EIB’s Audit Committee
- University degree, preferably in Economics, Business, Finance, Accounting, Law or Political Science
- At least 15 years of relevant professional experience in finance, banking, fund management and/or venture capital, with exposure to the financing of start-ups, scale ups and SMEs. Experience in several domains and sectors would be an advantage
- Previous exposure to the promotion of EU values and policies, pan - European financial instruments, crowding in institutional investors and supporting the European innovative companies throughout their life cycle would be a strong advantage
- Extensive executive leadership experience in building and developing high-performing, specialised teams, coupled with extensive managerial experience, and a proven ability to deliver in complex, multicultural and multi-stakeholder environments across banking, financial institutions or international organisations
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal and public speaking skills. Strong diplomatic and relationship management competencies.
- Fluency in English both written and spoken. Knowledge of other EU languages would be an advantage
Find out more about EIB Group core behavioural skills and managerial competencies here
We hire and value talent with unique characteristics, creating a work environment where they can be themselves. We believe that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion makes us a performing and innovative organisation. We encourage all suitably qualified and eligible candidates to apply regardless of their gender identity/expression, age, racial, ethnic and cultural background, religion and beliefs, sexual orientation, disability or neurodiversity.
We strongly invite applicants with a disability, neurodivergent profile or chronic condition to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact the EIB Recruitment team [email protected] who will ensure that your request is handled.
To find out more about our eligibility criteria click here.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge the importance of maintaining the security and integrity of the Information of the EIB Group. In case of selection for the position, you agree to comply with all measures (policies, controls, document classification and management) implemented by the EIB Group to prevent unauthorised disclosure of any information or any damage to the EIB Group reputation.
Deadline for applications: 7th July 2026