Call for expression of interest for the selection of external members of the Audit Progress Committee (APC)
Date: 2020-06-02
Institutions: European Commission, Internal Audit Service
Subjects: audit, committee (EU), competition (EU), job vacancy, servant (EU)








CA2020182EN.01000101.xml










2.6.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 182/1






CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR THE SELECTION OF EXTERNAL MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT PROGRESS COMMITTEE (APC)
(2020/C 182 A/01)
Special Adviser under Article 5 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union: external member of the Audit Progress Committee (APC) of the European Commission
I.   We are

The APC assists the College of Commissioners of the European Commission in fulfilling its obligations under the Treaties and under other statutory instruments by ensuring the independence of the Internal Audit Service (IAS), monitoring the quality of internal audit work and ensuring that audit recommendations, including with regard to the EU consolidated accounts, are properly taken into account by Commission departments and that they receive appropriate follow-up. The APC reports to the College of Commissioners and contributes to the overall further improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of the institution in achieving its goals. The Committee contributes to the College’s oversight of the European Commission’s governance, risk management, and internal control practices.
The APC is an oversight body and has no management powers. The APC is composed of Members of the European Commission and external members with proven professional expertise in audit and related matters. The Committee is chaired by the Commissioner Reynders. External members are formally appointed in accordance with the Commission’s rules for Special Advisers.
Full details about the mandate of the APC are set out in its Charter (available in English, German or French):
https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/internal-audit-service/how-we-work_en
II.   We propose

The APC is seeking to establish a reserve list of candidates to respond to its ongoing need to renew its external membership and ensure broad and diverse range of professional expertise in audit and related matters. Please note that inclusion in the reserve list does not guarantee engagement.
External members will dedicate around 30 to 50 full days per year to their respective responsibilities, including around 15 meetings per year taking place in Brussels. The external members will be appointed as Special Advisers in accordance to the Commission’s rules and will, unless they are former EU officials in receipt of a retirement pension, be remunerated on a per diem basis as set out in the ‘conditions for employment’ below.
External members contribute to the top-level oversight of a major international organisation by promoting further improvement of the Commission’s effectiveness and efficiency in governance, risk management and internal control practices.
Being recognised experts in the field, the external members contribute and actively participate in the APC activities, mainly through assisting in the preparatory group as well as proper APC meetings on the basis of the annual work programme adopted by the Committee and the meeting agendas proposed by the Chair. The APC holds at least three meetings a year each of which is preceded by several preparatory meetings. The background documents are provided and the meetings are held in English.
III.   We look for



Eligibility criteria


In order to be considered for the selection phase, candidates must fulfil the following formal criteria by the closing date for applications:






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Nationality: be a national of a Member State of the European Union;










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University degree or diploma: have






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a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies, attested by a diploma, where the normal period of university education is four years or more, or










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a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies, attested by a diploma, and appropriate professional experience of at least one year, where the normal period of university education is at least three years (this one year’s professional experience cannot be included in the postgraduate professional experience required below);














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Relevant professional experience: have at least 15 years’ postgraduate experience acquired after the qualification referred to above was obtained, out of which at least 5 years in domains relevant to audit, internal control and/or risk management;










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Languages: have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union and an adequate knowledge of at least another of these languages;










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Independence and conflict of interests: He/she shall be independent in the performance of his or her duties. He/she shall not have a conflict of interests between his or her duties as an external member and any other official duties. This means in particular that successful candidates cannot be employed as national or EU civil servants, nor be employed by an organisation that receives EU funding.






Selection criteria


The successful candidates for the reserve list shall be selected on the basis of their personal and professional qualities and their extensive proven experience in audit and related matters.


Essential criteria:







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A high standard of proven competence and solid experience in the audit domain, preferably including experience in the European Court of Auditors, international organisations or national public service audit bodies and/or private sector auditing firms;










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An excellent knowledge of international internal auditing and public sector accounting standards and of internal control and risk management frameworks;










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Professional qualification in the audit field;










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Integrity, sound judgement and strong analytical skills, showing a well-developed capacity for strategic thinking and the ability to exercise a constructive scrutiny drawing on wider experience;










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Excellent oral and written communication skills enabling the candidate to lead discussions and challenge the positions of auditees, and communicate clearly with internal stakeholders in the preparation of and during preparatory group and APC meetings.






Desirable criteria:







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Deep understanding of the EU institutions and the role of the European Commission;










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Very good knowledge of the EU Financial Regulation and discharge structure as well as the European Commission’s rules, governance and procedures as well as its responsibilities and operations.




IV.   Independence and declaration of interests

In performance of their tasks, the external members must act independently and may neither seek nor take instructions from the institutions or bodies of the European Union or any other public or private body. Before taking up their duties, they will be required to submit:






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a declaration of commitment to act independently in the public interest,










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a declaration listing all other activities carried out, and










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a declaration in respect of any interests which might be considered prejudicial to their independence.




By applying, candidates confirm their willingness to provide these declarations.
V.   Terms of appointment

The European Commission shall establish a reserve list and appoint the external members on the basis of a selection procedure. To this end, it will set up a selection panel which will assess all applications.
The most qualified candidates who are considered to possess the most suitable profile may be called for an interview. Following this interview, the selection panel will establish a reserve list of the most qualified candidates, from which the European Commission will appoint external members according to the evolving needs.
VI.   Equal opportunities

The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept application without discrimination on the ground of gender, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.
VII.   Conditions of employment

In principle, external members serve a term of up to 4 years, which may exceptionally, for reasons of continuity and in the interest of the Commission, be extended to a total maximum of 8 years. They will be appointed on the basis of contracts as Special Advisers within the meaning of Article 5 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union. The external members will be remunerated on a per diem basis by reference to an AD 12, step 1, basic salary for the days that they work. However, former EU officials in receipt of a retirement pension will not receive a remuneration; they will only be entitled to the reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses.
Travel and accommodation expenses incurred by the external members shall be reimbursed by the Commission upon claim with the supporting documents in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission. In addition, a daily allowance will be provided to cover other costs.
VIII.   How to apply


Please note:

Applications should be submitted in electronic format to the European Commission at the following address: IAS-APC-SECRETARIAT@ec.europa.eu
For applications to be valid, you have to send a CV in Word or PDF format and a motivation letter in English, French or German.
For functional reasons and in order to complete the selection procedure as quickly as possible in the interest of the candidates as well as that of the institution, the selection procedure will be carried out in English.
You also need a valid e-mail address. This will be used to keep you informed about the outcome of the selection procedure. Please inform the European Commission of any change of e-mail address.
IX.   Deadline

Deadline for applications: 14 July 2020, 12.00 noon Brussels time.
The Commission reserves the right to extend the closing date of this call for expression of interest by publication in the Official Journal of the European Union only.
X.   Protection of personal data

The European Commission is committed to protect your personal data and to respect your privacy. The Commission collects and further processes personal data pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (1). A privacy statement is available upon request from IAS-APC-SECRETARIAT@ec.europa.eu and can also be downloaded from the Register of the Data Protection Officer under record DPR-EC-00545.2.


(1)  OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39.